76
GUEST COLUMN
Fotobijschrift
KADERKOP
??
Policy makers draw the
wrong conclusions
Europe is at the forefront of
recycling globally in terms of
technological know-how and
available capacities to turn
waste into raw materials from
recycling. This is largely thanks
to the commitment of SMEs,
often still family-owned, and
larger companies that are scal-
ing up their recycling activities.
From a policy maker perspective, the
industry is finally being recognised as
essential in the transition towards a
more circular and climate-neutral econ-
omy. It is also seen as a solution to de-
risk supply chains by providing a reliable
source of raw materials at a time when
the aftermath of Covid and geopolitical
changes are shaking global trade.
Naturally, EuRIC agrees that recyclers
are key players to help drive the sus-
tainability agenda and are essential for
providing the raw materials that indus-
tries need, but policy makers are often
drawing the wrong conclusions from
these two factors.
The regulatory tsunami we are currently
facing from policy makers continues to
mount. Firstly, by trying to control the
movement of ‘secondary raw materials’
through export control measures dis-
guised within environmental legislation.
Secondly, by restricting business auton-
omy through a multiplication of extend-
ed producer responsibility schemes for
streams where there are no market fail-
ures that require such interventions.
Thirdly, by banning or limiting end-mar-
kets for recycled materials based on
hazardous substances that recyclers
never placed in products when they
were made.
Fighting back against such trends is vital
to boost recycling in Europe. Today,
EuRIC members represent an average
annual turnover of EUR 95 billion. They
are not only creating value by turning
waste into resources, they are also mas-
sively contributing towards resource,
carbon and energy savings. For
instance, aluminium recycling saves over
90% of CO2 while the figure is often
around 80% for plastics.
So what does it take to turn challenges
into opportunities? Trade within and
outside the EU through fast-track pro-
cedures is essential to enable industry
growth, invest in capacities and new
technologies, and meet demand wher-
ever and whenever it arises. The chal-
lenge will be to better distinguish in law
waste from recycled raw materials that
are used directly in production.
The latter should not be subject to any
trade restrictions since they contribute
directly to decarbonising value chains.
Looking at future opportunities, it is
crucial to keep advocating policies
across the EU and globally that pro-
mote smarter product designs for recy-
cling and recycled content. Such instru-
ments have proved to be extremely effi-
cient in pulling demand for the use of
recycled materials in new products.
Finally, protecting the necessary free-
doms of recycling entrepreneurs will be
vital in the years to come, especially
when it comes to the ownership of the
materials they recycle. EuRIC can play
an essential role in meeting these chal-
lenges and shaping the future of our
industry.
By Emmanuel Katrakis, director-
general of EuRIC, the umbrella
organisation of Europe’s
recycling industry
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