& 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.
(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.
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.
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.
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).
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