Europe agrees recycled plastic targets for cars

AFP | Brussels

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Car manufacturers in Europe will have to include more recycled plastics in new vehicles under new EU rules agreed on by the bloc’s countries and lawmakers yesterday.

European Union governments and parliament representatives reached an early morning deal to mandate that at least 25 percent of plastics used in cars, trucks and motorcycles has been recycled.

Carmakers will have to meet the mandatory target in 10 years, with an intermediate 15 percent goal in six years, according to the European Council representing member states.

At least 20% of the recycled materials will have to be sourced from old, scrap vehicles.

“This provisional agreement marks a significant step towards a circular economy for the European automotive sector,” said Magnus Heunicke, environment minister for Denmark, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

Vehicle manufacturing accounts for 10% of the EU’s overall consumption of plastics, and is responsible for 19% of demand for the bloc’s steel industry, according to Brussels.

The deal is provisional and needs to be officially endorsed by the European Council representing member states and the parliament before it is formally adopted. It also instructs the European Commission to set future targets for recycled steel, aluminium, magnesium and critical raw materials and bans the export of old vehicles that are no longer roadworthy.