September 16, 2024 EU Court of Auditors Report on "Non-recyclable Plastic Packaging Waste"
According to the report published by the Court of Auditors of the European Union on September 16, 2024, the “EU revenue system based on non-recycled plastic packaging waste” is not working properly.
The system, which came into force in January 2021, required EU member states to contribute to the EU budget according to the amount of plastic packaging waste not recycled in their countries.
According to the system, each country should pay €0.80 per kilogram of non-recycled plastic packaging waste. However, it was also stated that reductions or adjustments could be made to some countries to take into account economic differences. This taxation is part of the EU's efforts to support the transition to a more sustainable and circular economy and is intended to finance initiatives such as the European Green Deal. The funds collected were intended to encourage member states to implement better waste management practices, while being used to finance the EU budget and support various projects to reduce environmental impacts.
According to the latest report by the European Court of Auditors, the new EU revenue mechanism based on non-recyclable plastic packaging waste ('plastic-based resource'), which was introduced in 2021, is not working as intended. Many EU countries were caught unprepared for this new system, as the necessary steps to monitor and support its implementation were not taken in time.
The EU's plastics-based revenue source aims not only to contribute to the EU's economic recovery tools, but also to reduce single-use plastic consumption, increase recycling rates and promote the circular economy. Member states pay €0.8 for every kilogram of plastic packaging waste that is not recycled.
However, as data on non-recycled waste is finalized after two years, these payments are initially based on estimated data and then adjusted. In 2023, the total amount generated from this plastic-based revenue reached €7.2 billion, equivalent to 4% of the EU's total revenue.
The report also notes that only five Member States have incorporated the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive into national legislation in a timely manner. The European Commission initiated infringement proceedings against 22 other countries, one of which was still ongoing at the time of writing. Following the full incorporation of the Directive into national legislation, an external contractor carried out compliance audits.
However, the auditors found that in many countries key elements, such as the definitions of 'plastic' and 'packaging' or the calculation of the amounts of plastic waste recycled, were not properly included in legislation. The auditors are calling on the European Commission to address this situation as soon as possible.
In 2021, the first year of the plastics-based revenue source, most member states (22 countries) made lower estimates than the calculations based on final data. Overall, the amount of non-recycled packaging waste in 2021 was estimated 1.4 billion kilograms lower than the amount reported in 2023. As a consequence, the plastics-based resource for 2021 was underestimated by €1.1 billion and had to be funded from another source to cover this gap in the budget.
Lastly, due to a lack of adequate audits, there is a risk that some plastic packaging waste is not actually recycled but incinerated, thrown away or dumped. If this allegedly recycled waste is in fact not recycled, this would not only constitute an environmental crime, but would also lead to an unjustified reduction in the payments that should be made for this resource. The auditors highlight that the same threat applies to plastic waste exported outside the EU, where Member States do not have the authority to verify whether recycling requirements in third countries comply with EU standards. It is recommended that urgent measures should be taken to minimize this risk.
Türkiye has also taken important steps towards a sustainable environmental policy. In line with the European Union's Green Deal, significant progress has been made in waste management and recycling. Especially in recent years, comprehensive strategies have been put in place to promote recycling and support the transition to a circular economy.
Published on July 16, 2021, the “Green Deal Action Plan” aims to strengthen environmentally friendly policies and make recycling processes more efficient. In this scope, many initiatives are being undertaken in Turkey to increase the recycling of plastic waste in particular and to reach zero waste targets.
With the Zero Waste Project launched by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change in 2017, recycling awareness was enhanced across the country and steps were taken to improve the collection and sorting infrastructure. In addition, new regulations aim to bring recyclable materials into the economy more effectively.
These steps taken by Turkey in recycling are of great importance in terms of both protecting the environment and supporting sustainable development.
Moreover, investments in waste management will contribute to Turkey reaching its circular economy targets faster. In the process of harmonization with the European Green Deal, Turkey continues to develop exemplary projects in recycling and waste management and maintains its commitment to protect the environment and transition to a sustainable economy.
The full report published by the European Court of Auditors is available at the link below.
https://www.eca.europa.eu/ECAPublications/SR-2024-16/SR-2024-16_EN.pdf
The content of the newsletter has been prepared for general information purposes. If you want to learn more about compliance and legal advice, or if you want to be involved in compliance processes, consult your lawyer.
Avrupa Birliği Sayıştayı Tarafından Yayımlanan 16 Eylül 2024 Tarihli Rapor
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