2018 saw the start of a renewed phase of European legislation bundled together and referred to as the Circular Economy Legislative package. Here at ETS we have been running regular waste legislation updates for a number of the delegates that we have trained previously, to keep them up to speed with these new developments. These changes have begun with the new Circular Economy policy that brings together waste, product manufacturing, climate change, carbon reduction, environmental quality and human health issues in a way that previously has not been possible. One of the more noticeable aspects of these new changes is how they affect day-to-day life for each of us as consumers.
I already talked about issues in a previous blog on throw away plastic items, but this year we are also going to see new environmental levies putting a €0.20 charge on single use drinks cups and many other takeaway containers and a refundable deposit on all plastic PET bottles and steel and aluminium cans. Manufacturers and importers are being asked to play their role as well and to take back the equivalent weight of the new materials that they supply into the market, compulsory increase the recycling content of plastic bottles and creating reusable packaging that can be used multiple times like pallets are. Producers of fishing nets as well as many other plastic items are being asked to meet the full cost of collecting transporting and treating the waste that is generated by the replacement of their products. For more information have a look at the Extended Producer Responsibility regulations on Fishing Gear containing plastics.
Although many householders are already separating their food and organic wastes and having them collected separately, we need to double up on this activity to make real progress towards change how we deal with food waste in our homes and businesses. This year everyone from householders, business owners and manufacturers are going to have to play a larger role in delivering the changes in our waste management behaviour if we are to move to a Circular Economy.
To stay up-to-date with our courses, please be sure to look out for our waste legislation update courses as well as our main waste training programme which commences again in September 2023.
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2023 is a busy year for New Waste Legislation | Environmental Training Solutions 2023
