2019/0283/NL
EC/EFTA
NL Netherlands
  • B30 - Environment
2019-09-18
2019-06-21

Single-use plastic products and plastic packaging

Plastic Pact NL

Plastic Pact NL is a voluntary agreement between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and private parties aimed at closing the plastic cycle. The Plastic Pact focuses on closing the cycle of single-use plastic products and plastic packaging (‘fast-moving consumer goods’).

As part of the Plastic Pact NL, agreements have been made to reduce the environmental pressure of plastics and to promote circularity. The following objectives (Article 1(2)) contain targets, but they may also lead to a technical regulation, in particular objectives 1, 2 and 4 (see below):

By 2025:

1. all single-use plastic products and plastic packaging placed on the Dutch market by businesses using plastics will be reusable, where possible and sensible, but at least 100% recyclable;

2. each of the businesses using plastics will not use more plastic materials than necessary through the reduced use, reuse and/or use of alternative, more sustainable materials, resulting in a 20% decrease in volume of plastic (in kg) relative to the total volume placed on the market in the base year (2017). This will in any case lead to a reduction in the total volume of single-use plastic products and plastic packaging used by businesses using plastics overall;

3. the businesses producing plastic have created sufficient sorting and recycling capacity in the Netherlands so that at least 70% of the weight of all single-use plastic products and plastic packaging that reach the waste stage in the Netherlands are subjected high-grade recycling;

4. all single-use plastic products and plastic packaging placed on the market by businesses using plastics will contain the highest possible percentage of recycled plastics (in kg) by 2025, with an average per business of at least 35%. In addition, sustainably produced bio-based plastics will be used as much as possible to reduce the use of predominantly fossil plastics.

The objectives 1, 2 and 4 are elaborated in more detail in Articles 3, 4 and 6 respectively.

The regulation does not include a mutual recognition clause, since the Plastic Pact NL does not require any specific forms of proof (such as quality marks, certificates), nor does the Plastic Pact NL contain any arrangements that could otherwise hinder the free movement of goods between Member States.