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The European Commission solicited public comments on the policy framework for bio based, biodegradable and compostable plastics

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The European Commission solicited public comments on the policy framework for bio based, biodegradable and compostable plastics

2022-1-27  & nbsp; Compliance interoperability Alliance

  & nbsp; & nbsp; On January 18, 2022, the European Commission publicly solicited opinions on the policy framework for bio based, biodegradable and compostable plastics. The consultation will provide feedback on the development of a new policy framework on these plastics. The consultation has been published on the website of the EU Environment Agency and will be publicly solicited for feedback within 8 weeks. The deadline is March 15, 2022.


Soliciting opinions from the public includes three aspects


(i) Sustainability of materials used to manufacture bio based plastics (raw materials);

(II) biodegradability and compostability of materials;

(III) "general confusion" around the differences between bio based plastics, biodegradable plastics and Compostable Plastics and how to properly dispose of them.



Revision background

Legal level

At present, there is no EU law fully applicable to bio based, biodegradable and compostable plastics, and there are only two specific laws with partial objectives,Disposable plastics directive sup andPlastic bag directive. So,In the European Green agreement and circular economy action plan, the European Commission published a policy framework on the procurement, labeling and use of bio based plastics, as well as the use of biodegradable and compostable plastics.

Standard level

The European Standards Commission has issued several standards on bio based products, but there are no clear provisions on the part of products derived entirely or partially from biomass, and the EU has no sustainability standards applicable to bio based plastics. At present, the EU unified standard for industrial compostable packaging is EN13432, and there is still no general standard for marine biodegradation.

Problems faced by the industry
0one
Sustainability of biological raw materials

Using biological materials instead of materials made from fossil fuels can help reduce the impact of plastics on the environment throughout its life cycle. However, environmental impacts throughout the life cycle - including land-use change, biodiversity and climate impacts, and litter - need to be considered. At present, there are no EU sustainability standards applicable to these plastics, and consumers want them to be fully sustainable.

0two
The role of effective biodegradation in circular economy

Only when the biodegradability of these plastics is verified by standards can they prove to be beneficial to the environment. Although there are European standards for some environments (such as industrial composting), there are no European standards for biodegradable plastics for other conditions (such as marine environment).

0three
Industry management confusion

Although these plastics have many similarities, they also have many differences.At present, consumers and users of these plastics cannot obtain clear and reliable information when purchasing or disposing of these plastics, and labels are helpful only when they are clear and complete.Also, if these plastics are incorrectlyDisposal may lead to cross contamination of waste streams, thereby reducing the recyclability of plastics.

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