European Parliament’s waste directive rapporteur seeks delays on binding food waste targets and redefines “recycling”

10 Oct 2023 --- The European Parliament’s Waste Framework Directive rapporteur has proposed postponing targets for food waste prevention by several years in a move that has frustrated environmental campaigners. The recently released draft report also suggests changing the definition of “recycling” to include energy recovery.

Zero Waste Europe has dismissed the proposal by the rapporteur to label waste-to-fuel as “recycling” as “truly bizarre.” In general, the circular economy organization recommends sorting waste before stabilization (material recovery and biological treatment).

“If the EU is serious about the circular economy, burning waste can never be acceptable, neither in incinerators nor as fuel after conversion,” says Theresa Mörsen, waste and resources policy officer at Zero Waste Europe.

The rapporteur’s amendment reads: “By December 31, 2025, the Commission shall analyze technologies for producing alternative fuels, including from waste. Based on this analysis, the Commission shall, where appropriate, adopt a legislative proposal to change the definition of recycling to include the production of fuel products from materials, including waste.”

Inaction on food waste?
Meanwhile, the draft report suggests extending the Commission’s 2030 food waste targets to 2035. The amendment states: “To achieve results in the short to medium term, and to give food business operators, consumers and public authorities the necessary perspective for the longer term, quantified targets for reduction of food waste generation, to be achieved by member states by 2035, should be set, to allow for improved data gathering and comparability.”The European Parliament could delay food waste prevention targets to 2035.

Mörsen comments: “While we understand the rapporteur’s concerns about the accuracy of the data on food waste for the first year of the pandemic (2020), member states have worked on voluntary waste prevention plans for years with little overall results — underlining the need for concrete and timely targets that guide collective action.”

According to Eurostat, over 58 million tons of food waste (131 kg per inhabitant) are generated annually in the EU, with an associated market value estimated at €132 billion (∼US$140 billion).

Member states are required to reduce food waste by 10% in processing and manufacturing and 30% (per capita) jointly at retail and consumption (restaurants, foodservice and households).

But Zero Waste Europe is encouraged to see some of its suggestions being considered in the draft report, such as the allocation of EPR fees to reuse and repair. “This can make a big difference for the sector and create local jobs,” says Mörsen.

MEPs are expected to hold an exchange of views on the draft report on October 23, 2023. They would then have until October 26, 2023, to table their amendments. The European Parliament is expected to vote on the ENVI report on March 11, 2024, before a potential final adoption at the end of 2024.

By Joshua Poole