The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) welcomes the provisional agreement on the European Climate Law.

The European Climate Law, one of the key pillars of the European Green Deal, sets ambitious targets ranging from climate neutrality by 2050 to a 55% reduction of net emissions in 2030 compared to 1990. The recycling industry from the outset plays a major role in saving emissions as well as energy.

For instance, as highlighted in the Top 5 priorities of the recycling industry, ferrous metals recycling saves the equivalent of 58% of CO2 emissions when compared with primary steel using iron ore. That percentage raises to 70% for PET, 89% for packaging HDPE, 93% for aluminium and 98% for textiles recycling. Using recovered paper instead of primary materials saves 70% for paper and 77% for cardboard of the energy needed to produce new paper. Last but not least, tyre recycling into rubber granulates saves 58,4% of CO2 when compared with end-of-life tyre’s co-incineration and can reach 95% of carbon footprint reductions when compared to those of virgin materials substituted.

Emmanuel Katrakis, Secretary General of EuRIC said: “We are pleased to see such an ambitious agreement which will eventually lead to a binding legislation in the EU. The recycling industry is inherently resource and climate efficient. As, we strive to reach the targets set in the European Green Deal, Circular Economy Action Plan and now, the new European Climate Law, the European recycling industry is committed to keep contributing its share to bring the EU on an even greener path”.

EuRIC is devoted to bridge the circular economy with climate policies and to advocate the benefits of recycling in reaching the ambitious targets of the European Climate Law. “We look forward to do our part to combat climate change today on Earth Day and every day”, Katrakis concluded.