Activities of Davor ŠKRLEC related to 2018/0172(COD)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment
Amendments (21)
Amendment 11 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 1
Recital 1
(1) The high functionality and relatively low cost of plastic means that this material is increasingly ubiquitous in everyday life. ItPlastics growing use in short- lived applications, which are not designed for re- use or cost-effective recycling means that related production and consumption patterns have become increasingly inefficient and linear. Therefore, in the context of the Circular Economy Action Plan32 , the Commission concluded in the European Strategy for Plastics33 that the steady increase in plastic waste generation and its leakage into our environment, in particular into the marine environment, must be tackled in order to achieve a truly circular lifecycle for plastics. _________________ 32 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions "Closing the loop – An EU action plan for the Circular Economy" (COM(2015)0614 final). 33 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions "A European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy" (COM(2018)28 final).
Amendment 17 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Circular approaches that prioritise non-toxic re-usable products and re-use systems will lead to a reduction of waste generated, and such prevention is at the pinnacle of the waste hierarchy enshrined in Article 4 of Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.34 Such approaches are also in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1235 to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. _________________ 34 Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 November 2008 on waste and repealing certain Directives (OJ L 312, 22.11.2008, p. 3). 35 The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 25 September 2015.
Amendment 28 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) To focus efforts where they are most needed, this Directive should only cover the most found single-use plastics products, which are estimated to represent around 86% of the single-use plastics found, in counts, on beaches in the Union, and fishing gear which causes significant damage as marine pollution. In addition, in the context of transitioning to a Circular Economy, Member States should aim to achieve an overall reduction in the consumption of all single-use products and packaging.
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 12 a (new)
Recital 12 a (new)
(12 a) Given that very lightweight plastic bags are still widely used in the European Union and have similar impacts on the environment to lightweight plastic bags, including the marine environment, and given that the European Commission has not yet carried out a legislative review on measures to reduce the consumption of very lightweight plastic carrier bags, as it was required to by May 2017 by Directive 94/62/EC, as amended by Directive (EU) 2015/720, it is appropriate to introduce measures to restrict the placement on the market of very lightweight plastic bags, except for uses related to medical purposes, disability or aid relief.
Amendment 52 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 12 b (new)
Recital 12 b (new)
(12 b) In accordance with the waste management hierarchy, Member States should take measures to promote reusable alternatives to single-use plastics, including through establishment of targets, economic incentives, awareness raising and ensuring the widespread availability of reusable alternatives.
Amendment 64 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 18 a (new)
Recital 18 a (new)
(18 a) In accordance with the waste management hierarchy, Member States should put an emphasis on giving information about reusable alternatives to single-use plastics.
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 20
Recital 20
(20) Beverage bottles that are single- use plastic products are one of the most found marine litter items on the beaches in the Union. This is due to ineffective separate collection systems, and low participation in those systems by the consumers. It is necessary to promote more efficient separate collection systems and therefore, and the physical and chemical qualities of plastics which make them resistant to degradation and therefore persistent in the environment for decades or centuries after plastic products have fulfilled their purpose. It is necessary to promote the reduction in consumption of these products and to increase their production from recycled content, as well as to promote more efficient separate collection systems and therefore, Union wide consumption reduction targets and a specific recycled content target should be developed, and a minimum separate collection target should be established for beverage bottles that are single-use plastic products. Member States should be able to achieve that minimum separate collection target by setting separate collection targets for beverage bottles that are single-use plastic products in the framework of the extended producer responsibility schemes or by establishing deposit refund schemes or by any other measure that they find appropriate. This will have a direct, positive impact on the collectionoverall quantity of bottle waste generated, the collection and recycling rate, the quality of the collected material and the quality of the recyclates, offering opportunities for the recycling business and the market for the recyclate.
Amendment 71 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) Pursuant to paragraph 22 of the Interinstitutional Agreement between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on Better Law-Making of 13 April 201648 , the Commission should carry out an evaluation of this Directive. That evaluation should be based on experience gathered and data collected during the implementation of this Directive and data collected under Directive 2008/56/EC or Directive 2008/98/EC. The evaluation should provide the basis for an assessment of possible further measures and an assessment whether, in view of monitoring of marine litter in the Union, the Annex listing single-use plastic products needs to be reviewed. The evaluation should also consider whether scientific and technical progress that has taken place in the meantime, including the development of biodegradable materials and the development of criteria or a standard for biodegradability of plastics in the marine environment, as foreseen in the European Plastics Strategy, allows the setting of a standard for biodegradation of certain single-use plastic products in the marine environment. That standard would include a standard to test if, as a result of physical and biological decomposition in the marine environment, plastics would fully decompose into carbon dioxide (CO2), biomass and water within a timescale short enough for the plastics not to be harmful for marine life and not lead to an accumulation of plastics in the environment. If that is the case, single-use plastic products that meet such a standard could be exempted from the prohibition on placing on the market. While the European Strategy for Plastics already envisages action in this area, it also recognises the challenges in relation to determining a regulatory framework for plastics with biodegradable properties due to different marine conditions across seas. _________________ 48 OJ L 123, 12.5.2016, p. 1.
Amendment 80 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
The objective of this Directive is to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, in particular in the aquatic and in the terrestrial environment, and on human health as well as to promote the transition to a non-toxic circular economy withby reducing the consumption of single-use products, and by promoting sustainable, innovative business models, and non-toxic re-usable products and materials, thus also contributing to the efficient functioning of the internal market.
Amendment 97 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
(2 a) “very lightweight plastic carrier bags” means lightweight plastic carrier bags with a wall thickness below 15 microns.
Amendment 101 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 14 a (new)
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 14 a (new)
(14 a) ‘Tableware’ means crockery, cutlery, and cups used for serving and eating meals.
Amendment 106 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1
1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to achieve a significant50% reduction in the consumption of the single-use plastic products listed in Part A of the Annex on their territory by … [six years after the end-date for transposition of this Directive]2025 and an 80% reduction by 2030. Member States shall establish a baseline by [18months after the end-date for transposition of this Directive] Member States shall adopt plans for the achievement of these reductions, including the measures taken.
Amendment 109 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 a (new)
Member States shall also take the necessary measures to achieve a 30% reduction by 2025 and a 50% reduction by 2030 in the consumption of the products listed in Part F of the Annex, with baseline as above.
Amendment 114 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2
Those measures may include national consumption reduction targets, measures ensuring to be achieved prior to 2030, that reusable alternatives to those products are made available at the point of sale to the final consumer, economic instruments such as ensuring that single- use plastic products are not provided free of charge at the point of sale to the final consumer, restrictions on placing on the market or green public procurement. Those measures may vary depending on the environmental and health impacts of the products referred to in the first subparagraph.
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission mayshall adopt an implementing act laying down the methodology for the calculation and verification of the significant reduction targets in the consumption of the single-use plastic products referred to in paragraph 1Article 4(1)1 by [12 months before the end-date for transposition of this Directive]. That implementing act shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 16(2).
Amendment 124 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 a (new)
Article 4 a (new)
Article 4 a Reduction of single-use tableware waste in food and/or drinks outlets Member States shall require every food and/or drinks outlet in their territory to use reusable tableware for the provision of food and/or drinks to customers, when the consumption is intended to take place in the premises of the food and/or drinks outlet, in order to reduce impacts caused by single-use tableware waste. Member States shall apply these requirements from [24 months after the end-date for transposition of this Directive].
Amendment 128 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Article 5 – paragraph 1
Member States shall prohibit the placing on market of the single-use plastic products listed in Part B of the Annex. Given that products other than those covered by this Directive are amongst the top ten products most commonly identified as contributors to marine litter in the territory of a particular Member State, the Member State shall be empowered to apply to those products the same measures applicable to the items listed in Part B of the Annex. The Member State shall inform the Commission of the adoption of these measures, including their rationale, scientific evidence in support and details on their practical implementation and enforcement.
Amendment 137 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
Article 6 – paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Member States shall ensure that, by 2025, the products referred to in paragraph 1 are made with at least 30 % of non-toxic recycled content. By 2022, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down the methodology for the calculation of recycled content. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 16(2) of this Directive.
Amendment 148 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 7 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
1. Member States shall ensure that each single-use plastic product listed in Part D of the Annex placed on the market bears a conspicuous, clearly legible and indelible marking informing consumers of one or more of the following:
Amendment 199 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c
Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point c
(c) sufficient scientific and technical progress has been made, and criteria or a standard for biodegradability in the marine environment applicable to single-use plastic products within the scope of this directive and their single-use substitutes have been developed, in order to determine which products no longer need to be subject to the restrictions on placing on the market, where appropriate.
Amendment 237 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex I – part B – indent 6 a (new)
Annex I – part B – indent 6 a (new)
- - Very lightweight plastic carriers bags as defined in Article 3, except for uses related to medical purposes, disability or aid relief.