Is it better to set landfill reduction or recycling/recover targets? That was the question set by the European Parliament vice president Dr M Ouzky, speaking at the 19-20 October Pro Europe congress in Paris. "Are targets set reasonably?" How does the directive's goal to prevent packaging waste disposal translate into the real world of the enlarged EU?" Mr Ouzky praised the packaging & packaging waste directive as: "One of the oldest and most successful producer responsibility directives." adding that some 50% of all packaging waste was recycled now was the time for policy to lay an equal focus on reduction as well as recycling of waste. This article takes a snapshot of the 21 EU member states, comparing those countries who did well in recycling and those who did not produce much non-recyclable packaging waste.
