The European Commission is asking member states to recycle 70 percent of municipal waste and 80 percent of packaging waste by 2030. The proposals also call for a ban on burying recyclable waste in landfills as of 2025, and set targets for reducing marine litter and food waste.
The EU made the circular economy the focus of its annual environment gathering at the Green Week in Brussels last month.
Approaching the end of his term in office, Environment Commissioner Janez Potocnik said the linear economic systems inherited from the 19th century were not adequate for the 21st century world of emerging economies with millions of new middle class consumers and inter-connected markets.
-tk-