A large group of European NGO representatives, members of the Break Free From Plastic movement and Zero Waste Europe network, displayed a large Pinocchio figure in front of the European Commission building in Brussels.
They say the action on 24 September “illustrates how big consumer brands and supermarkets, with Member states’ leniency, are holding back the deployment of EU green legislation to reduce single-use plastic packaging by reporting false data on the true performance of reuse, separate collection and recycling systems in many European countries.”
The success of EU waste directives and regulations relies on its proper implementation by Member states, say the alliance.
A spokesman said, “A cornerstone of legislation is waste reduction and recycling rate targets. However, a recent report, they said, reveals that the packaging industry “has been falsely reporting the real performance of recycling systems for decades in order to block the implementation of waste legislation, such as a ban on certain packaging, the obligation to use reusable packaging or the implementation of deposit and return systems.”
No one from the packaging sector was immediately available for comment but the industry resolutely rejects such criticism.
Larissa Copello, Packaging & Reuse Policy Officer at Zero Waste Europe stated, “The new Commission must force Member states not to accept false data, otherwise all the efforts to implement strong progressive legislation – which is absolutely necessary – will be in vain.
“It has only been two months since the Commission commenced an infringement procedure against all 27 Member States for not meeting the binding targets of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, with 18 of them falling short of the 50% recycling and reuse target by 2020.”
Miquel Roset, Director and Spokesperson at Retorna, added, “The case of Spain, the home country of Vice-President designate Teresa Ribeira, is emblematic of the problem with falsified reporting on recycling results in Europe. Four months ago, we presented a report, together with Zero Waste Europe and Eunomia, to inform the Spanish government that the real figure for separated collection of plastic beverage bottles under three litters was 36%, almost half of the 71% claimed by the PRO Ecoembes. By the end of October, Spain must report whether this figure has reached 70% and, if that is not the case, the Spanish Waste Law dictates the implementation of a deposit and return system.”
Further comment comes from Chloé Schwizgebel, Project Coordinator at Fair Resource Foundation.
She states: “For years now, the recycling figures reported by Belgium are incredibly high. So high that recycling of glass officially reached 120% in 2023, which is not technically possible.
“Looking at all the packaging littering the streets in Brussels, how can that be possible? Yet, Belgium – and other Member states – are not held accountable for such fanciful results. Adding new targets without ensuring more enforcement won’t improve the situation.”
- Photo credit: Break Free From Plastic
