ASOCIACION DE ORGANIZACIONES DE PRODUCTORES DE FRUTAS Y HORTALIZAS DE ANDALUCIA
APROA
APROA is the Spanish Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers' Organizations from Andalucia.
ID: 933354437024-32
Lobbying Activity
Response to A new Circular Economy Action Plan
20 Jan 2020
APROA is the Spanish Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers' Organizations from Andalucia. The Association was recognized on the basis of Regulation (EU) 1308/2013 of the CMO. APROA has 62 associated members wich represent a cultivation area of 47,760.99 hectares between greenhouse production, citrus fruit production and outdoor fruit and vegetables production. Our members represent a production volume of 3,049,777 MT with a marketing value of 2,421,034,912 Euros.
APROA welcomes the publication by the European Commission of a roadmap on the ‘New Circular Economy Action Plan’ and appreciates the opportunity to provide comments and input ahead of its adoption.
APROA and its members are working on the Fruit and Vegetable crops challenges regarding the circular economy. Among the main challenges the sector tackled, we encourage to take action in these four areas:
- Initiatives for producers to carry out self-management of organic waste.
We are facing many problems due to administrative procedures, especially in the case of plant remains using composting and vermicomposting techniques. Administrative barriers prevent the self-management of organic waste in the short term. Consequently, the producer opts for a faster management route, such as the dump.
The use of the landfill site represents an extra cost for the producer and an opportunity loss to make farms more sustainable. To encourage self-management of organic waste, these administrative procedures should be reduced. Moreover, it will be useful to create and distribute handbooks to guide producers on the best conditions for their safe implementation of organic waste.
- Oil waste management.
Farms with combustion equipment and vehicles produce waste oil. These oils must be delivered to the Integrated Waste Oil Management System (SIGAUS). However, the SIGAUS centres do not accept oils from self-maintenance. These points are private centres that only accept the delivery of waste oils from the maintenance work carried out by themselves, not from waste oils from farms.
- Plastic waste management:
Manufacturers, importers, intra-community purchasers, or those who place on the market plastics for use on farms should take responsibility for the correct management of the waste produced. To this end, waste should be managed through authorized management bodies, such as the integrated management systems.
- Packaging of phytosanitary products and fertilizers.
Phytosanitary product packaging with the SIGFITO logo (Fertilizer Packaging Collection System) must be managed through its integrated management system. However, packaging without this logo must be handed over to its distributor or an authorized manager.
SIGFITO's scope of activity has been extended to agricultural packaging, so it can also manage the packaging of fertilizer products. However, some manufacturers and marketers are not members of SIGFITO and do not take responsibility for the waste produced.
The proposal is to increase control over manufacturers and marketers of plant protection products to ensure that they take charge of management.
For APROA, its members, and the European fruit and vegetables sector it is crucial to have an action plan which analyses the lifecycle of products and materials to ensure sustainable use of resources and tackle resource-intensive sectors. Therefore, APROA fully supports the roadmap for a new action plan to increase recycling and reuse of products in the EU.
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