29 May 2024 --- Spanish waste management corporation Ecoembes has miscalculated the country’s beverage bottle collection rates by almost half, according to new research by Eunomia. As a result, the EU’s Single-Use Plastic Directive (SUPD) targets are being missed and covered up, highlighting the importance of establishing an effective deposit return scheme (DRS), according to campaigners. The report, commissioned by Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) and Zero Waste Alliance (ZWA), shows that while Ecoembes claims a 71% separate collection rate for small plastic bottles (2021), the reality is 36% — well below the 70% target mandated by Spanish law for 2023.
