Can you imagine a world without packages, boxes or bags – not even one for your toothbrush! But there might just come a day when we can live in such an environmentally friendly way as this could become reality.

Europe is readying a revision of its packaging and waste directive. The European Commission has commissioned research that highlights the positives, negatives & benefits as well as the ‘grey areas’ for each type of packaging format available on today’s market. From paper to plastics & even glass bottles. The goal is to make the new law more sustainable for the future while still allowing consumers some control over what they buy by choosing whether it’s recyclable when it comes to return or up cycle time.

The European Commission has found that regulation is necessary to both stop unnecessary packaging and make sure that the packaging which does exist can be recycled. A staggering 174.1kgs of waste was generated in Europe last year, per inhabitant. According to the EC there are a few ways they plan on reducing this amount by 2030 including “revisions” (or updates) regarding their current plastic packaging laws as well as stricter recycling standards for all sorts or products made out of paper such as cups & straws etc.

Stakeholders had their say in a public consultation and one of the most discussed topics was whether or not to prioritize certain types of packaging over others. They were asked what they thought should happen with respect to recycling, greenhouse gas emissions reduction (GHGEs), as well as circularity–how the public per
The need for change has been palpable as the reliance on oil and it’s packaging derivatives is still far to great. It’s clear there’s still much more work to be on these issues before we call ourselves fully sustainable.

 

Read the full article at: www.euractiv.com