Every European consumes about 16 tons of resources per year
On average, a European consumes around 16 tonnes of resources per year. This includes 500 kilograms of household waste alone. Only a third of the resources consumed are recycled; the rest ends up in landfills, incinerators and the environment. 60 percent of household waste is landfilled, incinerated or temporarily stored in other ways. The result: the resources cannot be reused and must be produced elsewhere, at the expense of the environment.
The main problem is the discarded plastic, which represents an enormous burden on the marine ecosystem.
The main problem is the discarded plastic, which represents an enormous burden on the marine ecosystem.
The solution could be a circular economy. As the EU Commission has calculated, such a system could reduce European CO2 emissions by around 450 million tons annually. This corresponds to a reduction of ten percent.
A real circular economy is still a long way off for Europe and the EU circular economy package, which was adopted by the EU Commission in 2018, is only a small first step. In the future, we will need further legal requirements for waste prevention and measures to curb the increasing consumption of resources.
A real circular economy is still a long way off for Europe and the EU circular economy package, which was adopted by the EU Commission in 2018, is only a small first step. In the future, we will need further legal requirements for waste prevention and measures to curb the increasing consumption of resources.
Furthermore, a future-proof strategy for dealing with plastic is needed to reduce the consumption of single-use packaging in Europe. An EU-wide deposit system could represent an important step towards a future without environmental litter. It is also important to set up ambitious reusable systems and promote high-quality recycling projects in general.
The consumption of resources must be limited to the quantities that can actually be renewed without harming the environment. A functioning circular economy is the basis for this.
The consumption of resources must be limited to the quantities that can actually be renewed without harming the environment. A functioning circular economy is the basis for this.
On December 2, 2015, the European Commission under Jean-Claude Juncker made a proposal for a circular economy package. The previous year, the previous Commission under José Manuel Barroso published an ambitious proposal, but later withdrew it. The circular economy package that has now been adopted includes numerous changes in the areas of waste, packaging and packaging waste, landfilling and electronic waste. However, the new draft does not reach the original draft from 2014 in many areas. There are no targets for reducing resource consumption, nor are there any concrete measures to combat the growing volume of waste. The promotion of environmentally friendly reusable systems in particular falls short of expectations, although it could make an important contribution to waste prevention and resource conservation.
Together with European partners, we are working on the implementation of a circular economy package that meets the current requirements in the areas of environmental protection and the circular economy. Basic requirements must include, for example, binding targets for waste prevention, a stronger focus on recycling and the expansion of reuse. Mandatory eco-standards and minimum quotas for the use of recycled materials must also be created.
Together with European partners, we are working on the implementation of a circular economy package that meets the current requirements in the areas of environmental protection and the circular economy. Basic requirements must include, for example, binding targets for waste prevention, a stronger focus on recycling and the expansion of reuse. Mandatory eco-standards and minimum quotas for the use of recycled materials must also be created.
