Interim report - Achieving the EU's recycling targets

The Enterprise Europe Network informs:
06/08/2023

The "early warning report" now presented assesses how likely it is that member states will meet the recycling targets set in the Waste Framework Directive and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive for 2025. The targets set were

• 55 percent recycling and preparation for reuse of municipal waste,
• 65 percent recycling for packaging waste overall and
• material-specific targets for packaging waste recycling: 75 percent for paper and cardboard, 70 percent for glass, 70 percent for ferrous metal packaging, 50 percent for aluminum, 50 percent for plastic and 25 percent for wood.

In addition, the report also includes a preliminary assessment of the target to reduce municipal waste to landfill to less than 10 percent by 2035.

What are the results?

Nine member states are on track to meet the 2025 targets. In addition to Germany, these are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovenia.

However, 18 member states are at risk of missing one or both of the EU recycling targets for 2025: In terms of municipal waste, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Latvia, Portugal, Spain and Sweden are running. Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania and Slovakia are at risk of missing both municipal waste and packaging waste targets overall by 2025. Some countries continue to landfill most of their municipal waste and are unlikely to meet the 2035 target. The Commission is presenting recommendations to these member states, building on continued financial and technical support to improve waste management.

Along with packaging waste, biowaste management is cited as one of the main problems. They hinder recycling performance, despite the obligation to collect biowaste separately from Jan. 1, 2024.

At the same time, the report highlights the progress EU member states have made in waste recycling. This involves the reuse and recycling of municipal waste, recycling targets for packaging waste and the reduction of municipal waste to landfill. Germany is well on its way to achieving the agreed EU targets. The EU Commission praises the nationwide deposit refund system as a best practice in Germany.

You can read more background information and recommendations from the EU Commission, not just for Germany, here .

Source: European Commission