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Brussels, 2 july 2002
Euro Coop Calls for introducing Prevention
into the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
Euro Coop is the European Community of Consumer Co-operatives, whose members are the national organisations of consumer co-operatives in 11 of the 15 Member States of the EU and in 4 Central and Eastern European countries. Created in 1957, Euro Coop today represents over 3,200 local or regional co-operatives, membership of which amounts to over 19 million consumers in the EU and 2 million in the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
Euro Coop is disappointed to see that the European Commission's proposal for a Revision of the Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (94/62/EEC) is merely a modification of the recycling and recovery targets. Once more, the Commission has failed to address vital issues like prevention, reuse and producer responsibility.
Euro Coop has ever since the first directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 94/62/EEC) was drawn up called for the European Commission to introduce quantitative means to diminish the volume of excessive packaging produced as it is the basic problem.
Of course, one should keep in mind that packaging is needed to protect the content of the product, like fresh food, prepared meals etc. Nevertheless, it is questionable if packaging for commercial reasons is necessary. One example is packaging made bigger than the product itself in order to give the consumer the impression that there is more in the package than there really is.
Euro Coop does not believe that the Commission's proposal to use the Thematic Strategies on Resource Management and Recycling, announced by the 6th Environmental Action Programme, and the Communication/White Paper on Integrated Product Policy (IPP) will be the best way to deal with issues such as prevention, reuse and producer responsibility. For the reason that one risks a huge delay in the implementation of the instruments to address the issues, as well as there is no guarantee that these measures will be binding or how to implement them into the revised Directive.
Prevention of waste must be the main focus in waste management. Therefore Euro Coop believes that it is crucial that specified preventive means are introduced within the revised Directive to solve the problem of excessive packaging produced, such as:
- Partnership initiatives.
- Voluntary approaches.
- Information.
- Innovation.
- Producer responsibility.
Partnership initiatives:
The Commission should look into the possibilities of partnership initiatives with stakeholders to minimise packaging in terms of new technologies and finding substitutes for materials that are better for the environment.
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) could be a way to try to improve the environmental performance of products. However, the model should be practical and simple as an too ambitious model would be difficult to work with in practice.
Voluntary approaches:
Voluntary approaches could be used to look at practical ways to deal with packaging and packaging waste. One example is to pay for carrier bags in shops as is done in some Member States.
Information:
Another tool is to increase the level of information available to users of packaging, in particular businesses and consumers. A higher level of information should make users aware of the environmental problems connected to packaging and packaging waste in order for them to change consumption habits in favour of more sustainable products. It is essential that the information given provides transparency in the following areas concerning packaging waste management: the full costs involved, the price to pay, the environmental damages and health risks.
Innovation:
The Commission should make funding available for research projects in order to explore new materials, techniques and technologies for more environmentally friendly products.
Producer responsibility:
Euro Coop is in favour of introducing the principle of producer responsibility by making the producers in charge of the costs for the return, collection, reuse and recycling systems. It is an important principle to introduce in order to promote environmental responsibility among producers, as well as to secure a reduction in packaging and packaging waste. Currently, society is paying and in the end the consumers.
For further information, contact:
Dónal WALSHE, Secretary General
or
Louise OUSTED OLSEN, Senior Adviser
Tel.: +32.(0)2.285.00.70 - Fax: +32.(0)2.231.07.57 - E-mail: Info@eurocoop.org
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