The Impact of the Circular Economy Package

The Circular Economy Package (incl. legislative proposals for the Packaging
& Packaging Waste Directive and the Waste Directive) was published on
December 2, 2015. It is based on an economic and environmental rational,
aiming to ensure sustainable economic growth. It covers, inter alia, the
production, consumption and waste management phases aiming to ensure a
working circular economy.

The metal packaging industry has been working intensively to ensure that
the legislative package will be fair and balanced, and takes full account of
the economic and environmental characteristics of our packaging.

Conclusion
The metal packaging industry recommends that customers take into account
the current legislative package when defining their future packaging
strategies. Although the above points are still part of a legislative proposal,
which still has to be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of
the European Union*, it is clear that recycling is considered to be key to the
Circular Economy. This may also include a move from materials, which
generate high levels of waste and low levels of high-quality secondary
materials and therefore low value for a Circular Economy. Thus, the “takemake-
dispose” pattern has been replaced by circular thinking, bringing
benefits for both the economy and the environment.

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