Current proposals for the revision of the EU Waste Shipment Regulation threaten to "decimate" the European recycling industry, warns the umbrella organisation Euric. Almost 80 per cent of metal recyclers and more than 70 per cent of recovered paper recyclers expect a decrease in turnover as a result of the provisions currently under consideration. As many as half expect to have to cut jobs, the European Recycling Industries' Confederation (Euric) reported in September. According to the association, the industry as a whole currently provides more than 300,000 green jobs that cannot be offshored, and has an annual turnover of around €95bn.
"Policymakers have a choice. Are they on the same side as a sector at the forefront of championing a European circular economy? Or do they want to encourage the extraction of raw materials over recycling?" said Emmanuel Katrakis, Euric's general secretary. He called for a change of course with regard to waste shipment law so that it promotes "free, fair and sustainable trade in recycled materials"....
