The European Bioplastics- EUBP’s new Policy Manifesto has gone on to urge the European Union to list out a Biopolymers Industrial Action Plan and thereafter drive the growth of the bioplastics industry, thereby suggesting that it goes on to establish a harmonized regulatory framework, put forth market incentives, and push consumer awareness of its environmental advantages.
As per EUBP, creating an actionable EU Bioeconomy Strategy has to be a priority in the forthcoming EU policy cycle. Its creation is all set to support a robust industrial base for biopolymers.
As per EUBP MD Hasso von Pogrell, bioplastics happen to have the capacity to play an important role in decreasing the environmental effect of plastics, but the industry has to have a clear and supportive policy framework in order to reach its maximum potential.
It is well worth noting that, as such, EUBP calls upon the future Commission as well as the co-legislators to come up with a Biopolymers Industrial Action Plan that takes apt steps to harmonize regulations.
Even if the bioeconomy is said to be getting political support, the present EU regulatory framework is not perceived to offer consistent guidance when it comes to bioeconomy concepts and priorities. If this were to be streamlined, EUBP looks forward to a fair and level playing field that could be established for bioplastics.
Moreover, the EU is encouraged to strike a balance on both bioenergy and biobased products when in case of incentivizing access to sustainable biomass and also increasing financial support for technical innovation to push the manufacturing processes for bioplastics and thereby create the necessary environment for more innovations to come up.
The manifesto goes on to highlight the robust mechanical, chemical, as well as organic recycling infrastructure’s role and the significance of access to all three when it comes to pursuing a circular economy for bioplastics. It states that investments have to be made to enhance the collection, sorting, as well as recycling of food waste, closing gaps when it comes to infrastructure, and incentivizing access simultaneously.
To make sure that industry players do not seek support elsewhere when it comes to return on public and private investment, EUBP stresses that the EU should come up with incentives in Europe so as to increase market uptake and thereafter develop a level playing field for biobased, biodegradable, as well as compostable plastics.
Consumers, apparently, must also be made aware of the environmental positiveness that biobased or compostable choices give, the manifesto says. Notably, growing consumer awareness is expected in order to help drive demand in terms of bioplastics in the European market.
A range of stakeholders, such as bioplastics producers, converters, and, of course, end-users, have gone on to back the manifesto, EUBP says.
The head of EU affairs at EUBP, Roberto Ferrigno, remarks that they are calling on the EU to make utmost use of this opportunity so as to create a thriving bioplastics sector that will be advantageous to both the environment as well as the economy.
Also, the organization does express its commitment to work with the EU as well as other stakeholders in order to develop as well as implement a Biopolymers Industrial Action Plan.
Interestingly, back in 2022, EUBP expected that the global capacity in terms of bioplastic production would grow by 4.7 million tonnes by 2027, thereby touching almost 6.3 million tonnes in total.
The EUBP also happened to be among the signatories of a joint industry statement that expressed concerns about the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation’s references to state-run producer responsibility organizations. It is kind of feared that such allusions can very well open legal loopholes and also threaten the EU’s recycling objectives and decarbonization goals.
