18 May 2020 --- European environmental NGOs are amplifying their concerns regarding the consequences of failing to implement the separate collection of single-use plastic bottles via deposit return systems (DRS) as recommended by the EU Single Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). Certain EU Member State are trying to keep single-use PET bottles in the curbside collection system, through “green dot” systems, so as not to lose a portion of their revenue, according to Henriette Schneider, Circular Economy Expert at Deutsche Umwelthilfe (Environmental Action Germany). She also states that in doing so, they aim to influence legislators to alternatively interpret the SUPD so that it includes the post-sorting of residual waste. PackagingInsights investigates concerns that maintaining curbside collection systems for PET bottles may hinder plastic packaging circularity targets.
