Six European industry organisations from the plastics value chain have called on policymakers to use the revision of the EU Waste Shipments Regulation (WSR) "as an opportunity to facilitate intra-EU shipments". The legislative project should be directed towards achieving the transition to a circular economy and increasing the traceability of plastic waste. In a joint position paper, the organisations call on the European Parliament and the Council to reinforce the rules on pre-consented status for recovery facilities to ensure harmonisation across the EU member states. The signatories are Chemical Recycling Europe, the European Electronics Recyclers Association (EERA), Plastics Converters Europe (EuPC), the European Recycling Industries' Confederation (Euric), the European Federation of Waste Management and Environmental Services (FEAD), and Plastics Europe.
The six industry associations released their joint position paper to coincide with a meeting of members of the European Parliament's Environment Committee to discuss amendments to the Commission proposal last week. The organisations describe sending waste shipments to pre-consented facilities as a "secure and swift way to circulate valuable plastic resources in the Union so that they are available for waste facilities to recycle within the EU internal market for use in secondary materials, while ensuring the necessary environmental protections". They say that improving procedures for pre-consented facilities is crucial to ensure that plastic waste "easily finds its way to the optimal treatment option across the EU"....
