As the European Parliament prepares to give final approval to the EU’s packaging waste regulation, Finland’s beverage industry is hoping for a different outcome. The new regulation poses challenges for the Finnish bottle deposit system, requiring that by 2030, ten percent of drinks be sold in reusable packaging. This primarily affects the brewing industry, which was granted exceptions in the negotiations.
MEP Elsi Katainen from the Center party believes that the demand for a parallel return system is unreasonable. She questions whether it’s necessary to create two separate systems when Finland’s innovative bottle return system already recycles drink packages on deposit as raw material. Meanwhile, Miapetra Kumpula-Natri of the Social Democrats only learned about issues with the return system after the proposal had left the parliament’s desk.
Several MEPs have differing views on the regulation, with some concerned about its impacts on the Finnish bottle deposit system. MEP Mauri Pekkarinen from the Center party plans to vote against the regulation, expressing concerns about punishing progressive operators. However, his colleague, Elsi Katainen, is undecided but questions whether there is a need for a new system alongside Finland’s existing bottle return system.
The Finnish food industry believes that this regulation will lead to significant costs and may require a separate system for reusable packaging. Negotiators from the Parliament and Council reached an agreement in March, aiming to reduce packaging waste and limit single-use packaging in Europe. The issue of creating a parallel bottle return system could potentially be resolved through executive guidance if Finland’s high recycling rates make it eligible for an exception to the regulation. Amidst differing opinions, MEPs will carefully consider their votes on this important piece of legislation.
In summary, while some Finnish MEPs are concerned about potential impacts on their country’s existing bottle deposit system, others see this new EU regulation as a step towards more sustainable packaging in Europe. With different perspectives at play and potential solutions available through executive guidance or exceptions based on high recycling rates, MEPs will have to weigh these factors carefully before making their final decision on this contentious issue.
