The UK will vote to in favour of the EU’s Circular Economy Package (CEP) when it comes to the Council, Defra has confirmed.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed that it has written to inform Parliament the UK will vote in favour of the CEP when it comes to the Council.
The EU’s CEP will require member states to recycle at least 55% of their municipal waste by 2025, 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2035.
The targets set out in the Package, which were agreed by the Council in December last year, includes a 10% cap on landfill by 2035 and provisions for countries to restrict the use of single-use plastics.
CIWM chief executive Dr Colin Church – “There may be aspects of the Package that the UK resources and waste sector feel could be improved upon, including the need for smarter targets based on environmental impact rather than weight, but this legislation will shape EU policy for the foreseeable future.”
“The confirmation that the UK will vote in favour of the CEP is good news,” says CIWM chief executive Dr Colin Church.
“It supports the ambitious rhetoric of the Government with some welcome legislative action. There may be aspects of the Package that the UK resources and waste sector feel could be improved upon, including the need for smarter targets based on environmental impact rather than weight, but this legislation will shape EU policy for the foreseeable future. It is important, therefore, that the UK remains aligned with the overall ambition and direction of travel of our most important market.”
The confirmation comes after leaked notes from an EU delegation – seen by Greenpeace’s news site Unearthed in January – claim to reveal UK officials said the country will be “unable to support an EU-wide target of recycling 65% of all municipal waste by 2035”
A Defra spokesperson told Greenpeace at the time: “The government will make a decision on its vote following close scrutiny of the proposals, which are still provisional.”
CIWM Journal Online has contacted Defra for comment.