(Bloomberg) -- The European Union will set out measures this week to clean up the packaging industry, from coffee pods to single-use plastic bottles, in an effort to reduce waste.
The regulations are aimed at boosting the sustainability of packaging -- one of the biggest uses of new plastic and paper -- according to a draft document seen by Bloomberg. EU countries and firms will have to ensure containers used for everyday products can be more easily recycled or biodegrade naturally.
“A circular economy of packaging will help decouple economic development from the use of natural resources,” the European Commission said in the draft, still subject to revisions. “Packaging increased in recent years faster than the gross national income, which leads to soaring CO2 and other emissions, and the overexploitation of natural resources, biodiversity loss and pollution.”
The rules will have ramifications across sectors such as food production and chemical manufacturing. In the EU, about 40% of plastic and half of paper is used in packaging, and its design often makes reuse or recycling difficult. The measures cover everything from stickers on apples to single-use carrier bags.
Companies will be required to use as little packaging as possible, while countries will have to make sure that 65% of all packaging waste is recycled by the end of 2025. The regulations are scheduled for adoption Wednesday, alongside rules on carbon removal certificates.
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
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