Lead EU lawmaker cuts takeaway reuse targets from draft packaging waste law

Targets to boost the reuse of packaging in the restaurant sector have been deleted by the European Parliament lawmaker in charge of negotiating a new law on packaging waste, according to a set of amendments seen by EURACTIV.

The draft changes by centre lawmaker Frédérique Ries remove several packaging reuse targets proposed by the European Commission, including for 20% of takeaway drinks sales to be in reusable or refillable packaging by 2030, rising to 80% by 2040.

“The environmental benefits of reuse in the food and drink takeaway sector are difficult to prove, and are not really addressed in the Commission’s impact assessment,” according to Ries’ justification for removing the targets.

“Taking this into consideration, in addition to the lack of a large-scale system within the Member States, specific targets for reuse in these sectors cannot be set without a prior analysis,” it continues.

Under the same justification, the 2030 and 2040 targets for takeaway food to come in reusable or refillable packaging have also been scrapped.

Meanwhile, Ries has rewritten targets for reusable beverage packaging to bring clarification and align them with what EU countries, like Spain and Austria, already have in place.

The move, which is an early step in the Parliament’s scrutinising of the law, follows criticism from the industry about the reuse targets.

According to the soft drinks lobby UNESDA, the focus on reuse will make investment in recycling redundant and there is a lack of evidence they will lead to better environmental outcomes. Like many in the industry, they are calling for a further environmental and cost analysis of the targets.

Meanwhile, some are arguing more of the reuse targets should be altered.

“The target for the large appliances, which is quite high, notably 90%, is really very stringent and we cannot understand how this can be really fulfilled, considering the complications and investments needed in the entire supply chain,” said Eleni Despotou, the director general of the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers.

Speaking to EURACTIV, Despotou pointed out several issues with sweeping reuse across the transport sector, including whether this would always be the environmental option and how it would work for products imported from faraway countries.

It would also be impossible for companies to remain open throughout Europe if they can only supply 10% of specific packaging demand, she warned. Alongside this, some of the proposed measures are destroying a recycling system that works perfectly and already contributes to the EU circular economy, she added.

Support for high reuse targets

However, others are supportive of the Commission’s ambition around reuse. This includes two parliamentary lawmakers working with Ries on the law.

“Reuse in the food and drink takeaway sector might not have been properly taken into account in the Commission’s impact assessment – however, we have a lot of other studies showing the environmental benefits of reuse in that sector,” said Delara Burkhardt, who is negotiating the law on behalf of the Socialists and Democrats.

“Let’s not forget that in the Commission proposal, small restaurants and cafés are exempted from the reuse obligation for takeaway food and drinks. I am sure that the big players, like the big coffee and fast food restaurant chains, will be very well capable of building up systems for return and reuse,” she told EURACTIV.

The Greens’ negotiator Grace O’Sullivan said similarly, pointing out that “the taxpayer is currently the one who pays for the disposal or recycling of plastic waste”.

“Reintroducing reuse (like we were used to doing not too long ago) would put the onus back on industry and retail to clean up their act, and their dishes,” she added.

Reuse and refill clarified

While there has been criticism of Ries’ choice to remove the reuse targets, some have praised her decision to make a clearer distinction between reuse and refill, including enhancing the definition of refill to emphasise it is a waste prevention measure.

Ries has also clarified that refills should only count towards waste prevention targets and not reuse targets.

“Refill should be considered as a specific waste prevention measure that counts towards and is necessary for meeting the prevention targets as set out in this Regulation,” the amended point reads.

Similarly, Ries has removed the mention of refill from reuse targets, explaining: “Reuse and refill are two very different notions, which deserve two distinct approaches, so as to not mix the concepts. Reuse is an industrial system, managed by economic actors, whereas refill is more a packaging reduction measure, managed primarily by the consumer.”

While the European Environmental Bureau was highly critical of Ries removing the reuse targets, Macro Musso from the NGO supported the separation of the measures for reuse and refill ‘bring your own’.

“A target shouldn’t mix the two mostly because you can imagine how difficult it is to count refill done by consumers in a credible way. This is an area where it was important to bring some clarity to facilitate implementation and enforcement,” he told EURACTIV.

“The action of refill (‘bring your own’) should be seen as a packaging reduction measure managed by the consumer which can complement and not substitute the reuse targets. Well-designed systems for reuse are essential to tackle the increase in single-use take-away packaging,” he added.

The European Parliament and European countries are currently reviewing the proposed legislation ahead of negotiations on the final law. The Parliament’s environment committee will meet about the law on Thursday (4 May).

[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]

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