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Vereniging Vlaamse Steden en Gemeenten

VVSG

De Vereniging van Vlaamse Steden en Gemeenten (VVSG) is belangenbehartiger, kennisdeler en netwerkbouwer van en voor de lokale besturen in Vlaanderen.

Lobbying Activity

Response to EU rules for the calculation and reporting of recycled content in single-use plastic bottles

18 Aug 2025

We welcome the fact that the calculation method also includes caps and sleeves, as well as the correction for exports. This ensures that only what is actually placed on the national market is taken into account. The current text places chemical recycling on the same level as mechanical recycling. However, there is a clear preference for mechanical recycling in the case of beverage packaging: mechanical recycling of plastic bottles, particularly PET, is a proven technology with clear environmental benefits, thanks to the purity of the material stream. LCA studies show that chemical recycling generally delivers 2 to 3 times lower environmental benefits than mechanical recycling, and in some cases even results comparable to virgin plastic. Proposal: Member States should give priority to the use of mechanical recycling for plastic beverage bottles, particularly PET, whenever technically feasible. At present, the calculation point is set at the stage in the chain where the exact amount of recycled material entering the next processing step is determined, often just before or just after the steam cracker. This is currently done through standardized boiling point tests and ratio calculations. Measuring only after multiple processing steps means that losses or dilution with fossil material remain invisible. Recommendation: simplify this by setting the calculation point at the direct intake of the recycling stream. This ensures that losses are counted and prevents waste from being excluded from the calculation. Call for transparent reporting by producers, for example through an annual publication of the average and minimum percentage of recycled material in their bottles, based on the agreed calculation method.
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Response to EU emissions trading system for maritime, aviation and stationary installations, and market stability reserve - review

10 Jun 2025

VVSG ziet geen de meerwaarde om de verbranding van stedelijk afval onder ETS te brengen. Het onderbrengen van de verbranding van stedelijk afval onder EU-ETS zou een sterk kostprijsverhogend effect hebben voor de verbranding van het huishoudelijk restafval van alle Vlaamse gemeenten, terwijl de effectiviteit van deze beleidsmaatregel niet bewezen is.
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