Environment and sustainability – February 2025

EU rules and regulations
In December 2024, the EC launched the Information System for the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) with User Guides in all EU languages. To help you navigate the PPWR, NVC has published a Guideline (512 kB) and EUROPEN has updated their Survival Guide. The PPWR introduces new tasks for ECHA concerning harmful chemicals in packaging. The Council and the EP have reached a provisional agreement on the revision of the Waste Framework Directive, with a focus on food and textile waste. In January 2025, the EP and the Council discussed the upcoming Green Claims Directive on substantiating environmental claims. The EP has published a briefing (240 kB) on the proposed regulation on preventing the loss of plastic pellets to the environment. In an open letter (4.73 MB), EEB and other NGO’s call on the EC to include plastic as priority product for the Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR). RecyClass has revised its Design for Recycling Guidelines for plastics. A report (3.52 MB) by JRC shows that marine litter on the EU coastline is down by 29% since 2015-2016. Close the Glass Loop has published a report (9.72 MB) on packaging glass recycling in 2022.

Rules and regulations in the different countries
Germany: The Federal Constitutional Court has rejected a complaint concerning the tax on the use of disposable packaging that the city of Tübingen has been levying since 2022. Luxembourg: The government (in French) has approved a draft law that will amend three waste regulations, including postponing the single-use on-the go packaging requirements, and the draft law was sent to the EC. NL all info is in Dutch unless stated otherwise: The state secretary has answered questions about paper cups and the SUP directive. A technical briefing also took place, which you can rewatch here. He has also sent a letter about the progress of the sustainability framework for bio-based raw materials. The draft Circular Materials Plan (CMP) has been sent to the EC. Referring to a CE Delft report (in English, 580 kB), the GCNE states that government policy is urgently needed to help gamechangers in recycling and biobased plastics. A round-table discussion on standards, incentives and pricing for a circular economy recently took place in the House, which you can rewatch here. A study (4.3 MB) by Zwerfinator on beverage containers in litter from 2017-2024 shows a decrease of 65%. He has submitted an enforcement request because the label is missing on 50% of the deposit bottles found. Supposedly the labels come off too easily. CBL has published the 2023 Packaging Report (2.58 MB). The NEx 2025 (2.5 MB), by MVO Netherlands (in English) shows that only 18.5% of the NL economy is sustainable. UK: The government has announced that legislation has now come into force introducing a DRS in England and Northern Ireland as of October 2027. US: The Senate EPW Committee has passed the Strategies to Eliminate Waste and Accelerate Recycling Development (STEWARD) Act. A report (9.92 MB) by EPA shows that an investment of $36.5 to $43.4 billion is needed to improve the recycling infrastructure.

Research
Research by Helmholtz UFZ shows the extent to which glaciers in the Alps are contaminated with nanoparticles and the sources from which they originate. According to UC Santa Barbara researchers, four global policies could eliminate more than 90% of plastic waste by 2050.
A study (966 kB) led by IVL shows that advanced sorting of plastic packaging can reduce the climate impact of recycling. MSU reports on an LCA study finding that PE packaging generally had lower environmental impacts than containers with alternative materials.
The University of Utrecht has announced a study on how colourants from plastic bottles can be recycled more effectively.

NVC members receive this information with all the relevant links in the monthly NVC Members-only Update. If you have any questions, please contact us: info@nvc.nl, +31-(0)182-512411