Environmental compliance… the latest developments

What are the latest developments concerning environmental legislation globally? We’ve picked out some highlights for you for August 2020.

European commission develops guidelines on SUP Directive

The European commission is developing a new set of guidelines on the EU’s Single Use Plastic (SUP) Directive. As provided for in Article 12 of the directive, the commission has distributed draft guidelines, which are intended to contribute to harmonized implementation in Member States and to provide technical and legal clarity in areas such as:

1. Definitions (including terms such as plastic, polymer and reusability)
2. Overlaps between the Disposable Plastic Directive and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
3. Overview of the requirements, depending on the single-use plastic and packaging framework guidelines, for the relevant products
4. Specific criteria and indicators for each product type covered by the directive with illustrative examples for each product category

These are provisional documents intended for discussion with Member States. The publication, which was originally scheduled for July 2020, is now expected to take place in the second half of the year.

Preparatory study for the Ecodesign Working Plan 2020-2024

A preparatory study to inform and assist the European commission in preparing its Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Working Plan for 2020-2024 has been launched. The study, expected to last until December 2020, is being carried out by Viegand Maagøe, VHK and Oeko-Institut for the European commission.

The European commission’s new Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Working Plan is set to be massive in scope, handling a large swath of consumer products, recycled content, and plastics. The energy savings of the proposed plan would be equally impressive, amounting to 9.3 terawatt-hours (TWh) per year in 2030, and 18.6 TWh per year in 2040.

To learn more about the study, and to register as a stakeholder, visit the official website here.

Stakeholder consultation on the European commission’s roadmap to reduce packaging waste

The European commission has asked stakeholders for their feedback on its new roadmap to reduce packaging waste. The commission plans to review numerous issues that contribute to a better functioning circular economy – most notably reducing packaging waste and making packaging more suitable for recycling.

The call for feedback will be open until 6 August, and will focus on improved packaging design, increased recycled content in packaging, cutting down on excessive packaging, and reducing packaging waste.

The shift to a circular economy is a pressing topic, with many calling for a more aggressive timeline to shift to more sustainable practices across the European Union. Find out more information on the consultation here.