EU-wide end-of-waste criteria for plastic waste : JRC technical proposals

The absence of a consistent legal framework on end-of-waste for certain waste streams creates uncertainty for waste operators and for entities trading and using secondary raw materials. The implementation of EU-wide end-of-waste criteria can address these disparities between Member States and across different actors in the value chain, ultimately increasing the uptake of high quality secondary raw materials in manufacturing processes. The aim of this study was to develop technical proposals for EU-wide end-of-waste criteria for plastic waste, in accordance with Article 6 of Directive 2008/98/EC. The selection of this waste stream stems from the results of a scoping study carried out by the JRC to identify top-candidate streams for the development of EU-wide end-of-waste or by-product criteria. Plastic waste was ranked as the first priority stream for end-of-waste criteria. The report contains background information on plastics, plastic waste and the recycling value chain and additional information that is of relevance for the development of EU-wide end-of-waste criteria, namely market-related aspects, technical requirements and standards, relevant legislation as well as environmental and human health impacts. It also includes an overview and detailed analysis of national end-of-waste criteria for plastic waste in Member States. The technical recommendations have been produced by the JRC based on the contributions of relevant stakeholders in the plastic value chain. They consist of a proposal for a set of EU-wide end-of-waste criteria, including requirements on input materials, treatment processes and techniques, product quality, quality assurance and provision of information.