Currently there is no EU legislation in force that applies in a comprehensive way to bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics. These alternatives do offer new opportunities, but there may also be risks associated with them, which need to be carefully assessed. That is why the European Commission has announced the development of a comprehensive policy framework on the sourcing, labelling and use of bio-based plastics and the use of biodegradable and compostable plastics.
The forthcoming framework is part of the larger EU Plastics Strategy (2018) and was announced in the European Green Deal (2019) and the New Circular Economy Action Plan (2020). The Commission will examine where the use of bio-based raw materials leads to genuine environmental benefits and not only reduces the use of fossil resources. The Commission will also assess where the use of biodegradable and compostable plastics may be harmful to the environment, and the criteria for these uses. This forthcoming EU initiative aims to contribute to a more sustainable economy for plastics, in which clear, transparent and distinct communication on different types of plastics and their impact is essential, in order also to avoid consumer confusion or greenwashing.
In the meantime, the commission has informed citizens and stakeholders about their work through a roadmap, asking them to provide feedback. The feedback period ran from 29/09 to 27/10/2021. A total of 130 feedbacks were received. The majority -24%- came from Belgium, followed by 14% from Germany, 13% from France and 10% from the Netherlands. Subsequently, a web-based public consultation on the “Policy Framework biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics” was launched to gather further insights and address detailed questions from 18 January to 15 March 2022. With this public consultation phase now closed, the forthcoming EU policy framework on bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics is nearing completion and is expected to be adopted in the second quarter of 2022.
A clear policy framework for the use of alternative plastics is needed to promote the transition to a circular plastics economy. It should lead to greater coherence in the development of European policies, to less uncertainty among consumers, to more environmental protection and to the promotion of investments in innovation in the EU market.