The EU’s packaging waste regulation is set to be approved by the European Parliament in a vote on Wednesday. While some Finnish politicians are undecided about the outcome, others have expressed their concerns and opinions on the matter.
MEP Elsi Katainen from the Center party believes that the demand for a parallel return system is unreasonable. She argues that Finland’s innovative bottle return system, which recycles drink packages as raw material, should not be replaced with a new system that would require significant costs and resources.
On the other hand, MEP Mauri Pekkarinen from the Center party plans to vote against the regulation, expressing concerns about punishing progressive operators. He believes that the new EU regulation will negatively impact Finland’s beverage industry and increase costs for consumers.
Social Democrat Miapetra Kumpula-Natri views the situation as a result of lobbying that came too late. She believes that the EU regulation aims to reduce packaging waste, establish reuse targets, and limit single-use packaging. However, she also acknowledges that certain beverages were granted exceptions in negotiations, which may have caused confusion for some industries.
The Finnish food industry believes that this regulation will lead to significant costs and the need for two parallel bottle return systems. They argue that adding reusable packaging would require a separate system from Finland’s existing bottle deposit system, which has already been successful in reducing waste and promoting recycling.
While some MEPs have differing views on the regulation, it is unlikely that it will be overturned by parliament. The Finnish beverage industry hopes for a different outcome but may need to work towards finding executive guidance or an exception to resolve potential issues with creating a parallel bottle return system.
Amidst these differing opinions and concerns, MEPs must carefully consider their votes on this important issue of sustainability in packaging waste management.