The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) has stated that the European Commission’s waste shipment regulation proposal diverges from free and fair trade in its intention to reduce the cost of materials within the EU, allowing those in the EU to use more waste as feedstock, being able to purchase at a lower price.
“These trade restrictions, artificially lowering the costs of materials in the EU for the EU manufacturing industry, will affect the capacity of the European recycling industry to invest in efficient and innovative recycling capacities and processes,” BIR said.
The Bureau also stated that the restrictions and cutting off of access to foreign markets will have an adverse effect on the implementation of the global circular economy.
Meanwhile, BIR stated that it supports the proposal that aims at the protection of both human health and the environment. BIR also said that it supports that recyclable materials can be moved to facilities that are environmentally soundly managed, and that raw materials from recycling can be transported to manufacturing industries in the global circular economy.