The EU Commission has proposed packaging recycling targets of 65% by 2025 and 75% by 2030. Targets for individual waste streams include 85% for aluminium.

Higher EU aluminium packaging recycling targets mean more reform required for “UK Counting System”

Commenting on the Circular Economy Proposals, which were published by the European Commission on 2nd December, Rick Hindley, Executive Director of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro) said: “Alupro welcomes the higher targets for recycling of aluminium packaging in the European Commission’s revised circular economy proposal.

“We are encouraged by the proposals to improve recovery of aluminium. However, we are not yet convinced that the UK system will allow us to demonstrate achievement of the targets and indeed continue to drive up recycling performance. The revised targets will mean the UK government must review the existing system and we look forward to actively participating in that process.

“Aluminium is a perfect material for the ‘circular economy’ as it can be recycled over and over again without any loss in quality. The real challenge, as with all other packaging materials, is to engage with consumers to get them to collect it – an essential element of the circular economy. Alupro looks forward to working with government to find effective ways of ensuring that even more material is captured and reprocessed.”

Alupro supports the position of European Aluminium whose full position paper on the European Circular Economy was published in April 2015 .