The members of the European Parliament adopted their first reading position on the proposed revision of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) in Strasbourg on Wednesday afternoon. A broad majority of MEPs supported the draft legislation, with the final vote of 514 in favour, 20 against and 91 abstentions.
The text approved by the full Parliament is unchanged from the report adopted by the Environment Committee in February. The few amendments tabled by the Left, the Greens/EFA and ECR political groups were rejected, while the amendments from the Committee responsible all secured the necessary majority.
The Parliament has retained the targeted approach of the Commission's original proposal, with a narrow focus on food waste and waste textiles streams. Among the few provisions falling outside these areas is an addition to Article 1 stipulating that member states "shall be encouraged to set up separate collection for wood". Member states were similarly to be "encouraged, where appropriate" to introduce prior sorting of municipal mixed waste to prevent material which could be reused or recycled from being landfilled or sent for incineration....
