EU targets textiles, batteries and packaging in plan to halve waste by 2030

(Reuters, 18 Feb 2020) The Commision will present initiatives aimed at prolonging the life of products such as electronic devices, and encourage consumers to seek repairs

By Marine Strauss

BRUSSELS, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Recycling textiles, batteries and packaging will be the priority in a new plan to halve waste in the European Union by 2030, the head of the EU's "Green Deal" said on Tuesday.

Frans Timmermans, who is leading the EU's drive to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, told European lawmakers in Brussels that the share of materials recovered and recycled in the EU economy had to increase, or "by 2050 we would need three planets to sustain our consumption habits."

"It's not about forcing our citizens to go live in caves and eat grass, it's about ensuring a high level of comfort, of development in a new economy," said Timmermans, who is also vice-president of the European Commission, the EU's executive.

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Reuters, 18 Feb 2020: EU targets textiles, batteries and packaging in plan to halve waste by 2030