EU Plastic Strategy

The EU Plastic Strategy, officially known as the “European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy,” is an initiative by the European Union to address the environmental challenges of plastic waste. It was launched in January 2018 as part of the broader European Circular Economy Action Plan. The strategy promotes a more sustainable and circular plastic approach in the European Union. Here are some key aspects of the EU Plastic Strategy:

1. Circular Economy: The strategy aims to transition from the traditional linear economy (take, make, dispose) to a circular economy for plastics. This involves reducing plastic waste, increasing recycling, and ensuring that plastics are used more sustainably throughout their lifecycle.
2. Recycling and Reuse: It sets ambitious targets for recycling and reuse of plastics, including a target to recycle 50% of plastic waste by 2025 and 55% by 2030. It also aims to reduce single-use plastics and encourage the development of more sustainable products.
3. Design for Recycling: The strategy encourages the design of plastic products with recycling in mind, making it easier to disassemble and recycle materials. This is also referred to as “eco-design.”
4. Reducing Marine Litter: The EU Plastic Strategy includes measures to reduce marine litter and microplastics, addressing the environmental impact of plastic waste on oceans and marine life.
5. Plastics Innovation: It promotes innovation in the development of new materials and technologies, including biodegradable and compostable plastics, to reduce the environmental impact of plastics.
6. Regulation: The EU has introduced regulations to limit the use of certain single-use plastics, like plastic straws and cutlery, and to promote the use of more sustainable alternatives. Additionally, it has implemented a ban on microplastics in certain products.
7. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): The strategy encourages EPR schemes, which make producers responsible for the collection and recycling of their products’ packaging. This helps incentivize more sustainable packaging and waste management.
8. Stakeholder Engagement: It involves collaboration with industry, environmental organizations, and other stakeholders to achieve the goals of the strategy.

The EU Plastics Strategy set a target that 10 million tonnes of recycled plastics are used to make products in the EU by 2025 to encourage recycling plastics that are not being recovered but are being disposed of or wasted.

The EU Plastic Strategy is part of the broader EU Green Deal, which aims to make the European Union climate-neutral by 2050. It reflects the EU’s commitment to addressing plastic pollution, reducing the environmental impact of plastics, and promoting a more sustainable and circular approach to this ubiquitous material.

For further reading:

• The Implementation of the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy – https://plasticactioncentre.ca/directory/implementation-of-the-european-strategy-plastics-circular-economy/
• Designing out plastic pollution – https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/topics/plastics/overview
• The EU cracks down on plastic, here’s what you should know – https://plana.earth/academy/eu-plastic-what-you-should-know
• A European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy – https://www.europarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Eu-plastics-strategy-brochure.pdf