On Thursday 16 April, the European Commission published its first report on the implementation of Directive 2019/904 on single-use plastics, revealing uneven progress between Member States.
For the reference year 2022, the report highlights that 152,037 tonnes of beverage cups and 524,003 tonnes of single-use plastic food containers were placed on the market in the EU, representing 0.46 kg and 1.60 kg per person respectively. In terms of numbers, this represents 17 billion cups and 111 billion containers, with major disparities between countries.
In terms of the separate collection of plastic beverage bottles, the EU achieved an average rate of 71% in 2022. Estonia, Poland, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania, Croatia, Slovakia and Belgium have already met the 2025 target of 77%, with six of these countries already meeting the 2030 target of 90% (Estonia, Poland, Finland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden). Six Member States have a rate below 50%, including Malta (24.96%) and Hungary (19.17%).
Only 22,900 tonnes of fishing gear containing plastic were placed on the market in the EU in 2022, but their collection rate remains low at 32.7%. Coastal countries such as France and Portugal report the highest volumes.
All Member States have put in place economic instruments and awareness campaigns to reduce the consumption of single-use plastics. However, the quality and completeness of the data varies widely, with accuracy problems reported in several countries.
The Commission recommends harmonising collection methods and strengthening extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems, which were due to be operational by 2025.
This report will serve as a baseline for assessing the effectiveness of the Directive, particularly with a view to the possible introduction of binding targets for reducing consumption by 2026. A full evaluation of the Directive is scheduled for July 2027, including an analysis of the progress made and the additional measures required, particularly for fishing gear.
Link to the report: https://aeur.eu/f/lkc (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)