This report, which was co-authored by our policy experts alongside consultancy COWI, Adelphi, Ecophys and Milieu explored the feasibility of reinforcing the Essential Requirements for packaging with a view to improving design for reuse and promoting high quality recycling, as well as strengthening their enforcement.
The work included six main components which were to:
- review the effectiveness of the Essential Requirements;
- review of the adequacy and relevance of the current Essential Requirements with the objectives of waste and circular economy policy;
- identify obstacles to their effective implementation and enforcement;
- present case studies on approaches that could prove useful in reviewing/ reinforcing the requirements;
- identify and assess measures to reinforce the requirements including stricter definitions of recyclability/ reusability; and
- extensive stakeholder consultation throughout the process.
