(03/06/08) Het recycleren van afval niet bindend?

• 2008-06-13

Tijdens de juni-sessie in Straatsburg zal het Europees Parlement debatteren over een compromis dat is bereikt met de lidstaten over nieuwe afvalwetgeving. Positief is dat in het compromisvoorstel bepalingen zijn opgenomen om de hoeveelheid afval terug te dringen. Lidstaten moeten hiervoor volgens het compromisvoorstel programma´s ontwikkelen. Toch is de Europese Groene fractie niet helemaal tevreden met het compromis. Ze vindt dat de ambitie om de hoeveelheid afval terug te dringen niet hoog genoeg ligt. Bovendien betreurt ze het dat de doelstellingen om uiterlijk in 2020 meer dan de helft van het afval te recycleren, niet volledig bindend zijn.

A disappointing compromise

(03/06/08) Commenting on the agreement reached yesterday in the negotiations between Commission, Council and Parliament, EFA MEP Jill Evans today said:

"The compromise on the EU waste framework directive is disappointing and represents a setback for the European environment and climate change policies. Instead of setting ambitious targets for waste stabilisation, reduction and recycling, they agreed only on more studies, non-binding targets and a legally binding classification of waste incineration as waste re-use. This compromise promotes incineration and offers nothing in terms of tackling waste mountains or meeting the EU Commission's vision for a recycling society.

We regret that the European Parliament has given in on major negotiation points. It abandoned the target to stabilise waste volume to 2009 levels by 2012 and to reduce it before 2020. The recycling targets requested by the EP's environment committee fell victim to pressure from EU member states. Instead of setting binding quotas for domestic waste, it is now only foreseen that EU member states have to 'take measures' to recycle 45 % of paper, glass, plastic and metals from households before 2020 and 65% of construction waste.

The compromise is also a missed opportunity for climate change policy. An ambitious European waste policy could make a valuable contribution to reducing CO2 emissions through consequent waste prevention, re-use and recycling."