15.06.2018 − The EU waste package's four new Directives have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, which means their application will start on 5 July 2020. » more

30.05.2018 − The Polish government announced its intention on Tuesday to tighten controls on waste imports. "It is very often the case that waste is imported for recycling, but we really don't know what actually enters the country,"...» more

28.05.2018 − The European Commission presented news rules in Brussels on Monday intended to reduce plastic marine litter. According to the Commission, the rules target 10 single-use plastic products, which together account for 70...» more

22.05.2018 − Representatives of the EU member states adopted the Directives of the EU waste package on Tuesday morning at a meeting of the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council. Hungary abstained from the votes on all four...» more

17.05.2018 − China is planning to permit the import of high-value PET flakes without import licences. » more

19.04.2018 − China will implement bans on imports of a further 32 types of secondary raw materials in the next two years. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) announced on Thursday that imports of sixteen types of solid...» more

18.04.2018 − "The European Parliament has said ‘yes’ to the circular economy by a very large majority. This marks the end of three years of work, but above all it marks the beginning of a challenge for Europe," said MEP Simona...» more

11.04.2018 − In its future relationship with the UK, the EU should commit to "no lowering of the standards of environmental protection", according to the EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier. Speaking at a conference organised by the...» more

28.02.2018 − Beginning in April, companies in the People's Republic of China will have to pay a new environmental tax. According the stated-owned Xinhua news agency, the Environmental Protection Tax Law which went into effect on 1...» more

27.02.2018 − The EU waste package cleared another hurdle on the path to final adoption on Tuesday morning when it was adopted by the members of the EU Parliament’s Environment Committee (ENVI). The vote follows confirmation of the...» more

23.02.2018 − Ambassadors of the EU member states decided in a Friday morning meeting to endorse the provisional agreement on the waste package reached in December. The compromise reached two months ago between representatives of the...» more

21.02.2018 − There is "urgent work to do", EU Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans told delegates at the Circular Economy Stakeholder Conference in Brussels on Tuesday. Referring to China's decision to limit imports of...» more

17.01.2018 − The EU Commission introduced a package of measures meant to reduce the environmental harm caused by plastic and plastic waste as part of its “Strategy on Plastics in the Circular Economy” on Tuesday afternoon.» more

16.01.2018 − The European Commission has recommended EU-wide measures be taken against oxo-degradable plastics. The EU institution announced in a report to the European Parliament and the Council that "a process to restrict the use...» more

20.12.2017 − EU member states will need to recycle at least 55 per cent of their municipal waste arisings by 2025 under the deal reached by the European Parliament and Council early Monday morning. According to information made...» more

18.12.2017 − Following "lengthy and tough negotiations" running over half a year, an agreement on amendments to EU waste law has been achieved in Brussels. The negotiations between representatives of the EU Parliament, the Council...» more

12.12.2017 − The German MEP Karl-Heinz Florenz has criticised Europe's Environment ministers for their lack of ambition in the run-up to this year's final trilogue talks on the EU waste package which will take place this Sunday. » more

20.11.2017 − The European Parliament is criticizing deficits and disparities in the implementation of EU environmental law in the individual member states. » more

17.11.2017 − The Chinese government notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of new contaminant limits for wastes imported as raw materials on 15 November. » more

15.11.2017 − Chinese authorities appear to be considering setting the maximum contamination rate acceptable for recovered paper imports at 1 per cent. This is substantially higher and much more readily achievable than the 0.3 per...» more

19.10.2017 − The Indian Ministry of Steel supports the elimination of the import duty of 2.5 per cent imposed on ferrous scrap.» more

19.10.2017 − The Indian Ministry of Steel supports the elimination of the import duty of 2.5 per cent imposed on ferrous scrap. Indian steel minister Ch. Birender Singh and other ministry representatives told attendees at Bureau of...» more

25.09.2017 − While the EU institutions continue to negotiate on a potential increase in packaging recycling targets as they meet for trilogue talks, many member states have yet to fulfill the existing recycling targets for waste...» more

19.07.2017 − After months of rumour and speculation that a Chinese ban on imports of waste plastics and mixed recovered paper grades was in the offing, there was official confirmation on Tuesday that China will forbid the import of...» more

14.07.2017 − The EU Commission has sent Spain a final warning, informing the member state that it must either implement EU rules on lightweight plastic carrier bags or face infringement proceedings before the European Court of...» more

04.07.2017 − China halted certain scrap import approvals as of 1 June 2017, the BIR (Bureau of International Recycling) has reported, citing sources in China. According to the umbrella group, shipments authorised prior to 1 June are...» more