European Aluminium Packaging Group advocates ambitious and realistic recycling targets

Maarten Labberton, the director for the Packaging Group at European Aluminium, a member of the Executive Committee of Metal Packaging Europe and a member of the European Steering Committee of Every Can Counts makes his statement on Circular Economy in Europe.

He says that ambitious yet realistic targets for all packaging materials can build a true circular economy in Europe. The Circular Economy Package designed by the European Commission aims at recycling 75% of all aluminium packaging by 2025, and of 85% by 2030. Maarten considers it to be a balanced and constructive approach if it covers all collection, sorting and recycling options. The Members of European Parliament (MEPs) further increased the original targets for aluminium and a few other materials – to 80% by 2025 and 90% by 2030.

The Council however refers to much lower aluminium recycling percentages, of 30% and 50% for the same years.

He says that separate sets of realistic but ambitious recycling targets for each material as proposed by the European Commission can earn the full environmental and economic benefits of recycling and policymakers should stick to such targets. Balanced recycling targets for aluminium packaging would encourage member states to invest in advanced collection and sorting technologies. High value of used aluminium and higher yield of aluminium scrap can justify such investments.

Policymakers should keep material neutrality in mind and should be barred from giving one material an advantage over another. According to him, the goal of the circular economy should be to reduce the need of landfilling and incineration of all recyclable materials. So, a relatively low recycling target can send the wrong signal towards this goal.

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He however feels the timeframe of 2025 and 2030 is relatively short for such an ambitious goal. Several member states will need more time to increase their investments in new and modern sorting plants. He says policymakers could consider granting additional time to certain member states to achieve the same targets as originally proposed by the European Commission.

He concludes by expecting that member states will choose ambitious yet realistic targets in order to endorse fair competition between packaging materials and to justify aims of the circular economy. He strongly recommends a split target for aluminium packaging in order to encourage increased recycling for the environment and the economy.