Today’s decision will cut greenhouse gas emissions and benefit climate.

SolVin welcomes the adoption of the revised EU Waste Framework Directive by the European Parliament. The directive marks an important step towards improved resource efficiency and the reduction of landfill in Europe, thus decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the climate.

The  vote recognises the importance of waste as a valuable resource. Calorific waste is a valuable and energy-rich resource that must not be landfilled. Every item that is recycled or recovered saves harmful methane emissions from landfills.” A recent study by the Prognos research institute showed that diverting calorific waste from landfill across Europe could save up to 27% of the EU’s 2020 CO2 emissions reduction target.

Moreover, the plastics industry welcomes that the approved text recommends flexibility in the application of the waste hierarchy, which sets a preferred order of waste treatment options. Treatment can deviate from the hierarchy, says the revised directive, if this is justified from a life-cycle perspective. Flexibility to use the best environmental and economic option for each waste stream will contribute to resource efficiency and climate protection.