Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on Tuesday adopted their proposals on new EU circularity rules to cover the entire vehicle lifecycle, from design to final end-of-life treatment.

 

The draft measures, backed by 431 MEPs with 145 against and 76 abstentions, aim to boost the automotive sector’s transition to a circular economy by reducing the environmental impact linked to the production and end-of-life treatment of vehicles, and strengthening the sustainability of the car recycling industry in Europe. Specific rules will apply to all vehicles except for special-purpose vehicles, vehicles designed and built for use by the armed forces, civil defence, fire and emergency medical services, and vehicles of historical and special cultural interest, said a Wam news agency report.

 

New vehicles should be designed so as to allow the easy removal of as many parts and components as possible by authorised treatment facilities, with a view to their replacement, reuse, recycling, remanufacturing or refurbishing, where technically possible.

 

MEPs want the plastic used in each new vehicle type to contain a minimum 20% of recycled plastic within six years of the rules’ entry into force. They also want manufacturers to meet a target of at least 25% within 10 years of entry into force, if enough recycled plastic is available at non-excessive prices. They also want the Commission to introduce targets for recycled steel and aluminium and its alloys, following a feasibility study.

 

Preventing food waste

The European Parliament also adopted legislation to prevent and reduce waste from food and textiles across the EU.

 

The law sets binding targets for 2030, requiring member states to reduce food waste by 10 percent in processing and manufacturing, and by 30 percent per capita at retail and consumption levels, including restaurants, food services and households. It also introduces producer responsibility schemes for the collection, sorting and recycling of textile waste.

 

According to EU estimates, almost 60 million tonnes of food waste (132 kg per person) and 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste are generated in the EU. Clothing and footwear alone account for 5.2 million tonnes of waste, equivalent to 12 kg of waste per person every year. It is estimated that less than 1 percent of all textiles worldwide are recycled into new products.