Reference source : European Commission
On 6 February 2026, the Waste Technical Adaptation Committee under the Single-Use Plastics Directive met in Brussels to discuss regulatory matters related to single-use plastics. During the meeting, Member States voted on a draft Implementing Decision establishing rules for calculating, verifying, and reporting recycled plastic content in single-use plastic beverage bottles, including amendments to account for additional recycling technologies under the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD).
Implementing Decision
The draft Implementing Decision establishes detailed rules for calculating, verifying, and reporting recycled plastic content in single-use plastic beverage bottles under Directive (EU) 2019/904. The decision updates the existing methodology and repeals Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2683 to incorporate additional recycling methods, including chemical recycling.
The framework introduces mass balance accounting to determine the proportion of material derived from post-consumer plastic waste when recycling processes mix different feedstocks and the exact recycled content in outputs cannot be directly measured.
Mechanical recycling remains the preferred method from an environmental perspective. However, chemical recycling may complement it by processing plastic waste that is difficult to recycle mechanically and by producing higher-quality recycled materials.
The rules define key concepts such as recycled plastic, post-consumer plastic waste, eligible material, and calculation points along the supply chain. The proportion of recycled plastic content in PET beverage bottles is calculated as the percentage of recycled plastic weight relative to the total plastic weight in bottles placed on the market annually.
Member States must collect data from economic operators, verify information through risk-based controls and third-party verification, and report results to the Commission using standardized formats. The methodology also ensures transparency, traceability, and consistency across recycling processes and supply chains.
Voting Result
The committee delivered a positive opinion on the draft implementing act, with 20 Member States voting in favour, 1 against, and 6 abstentions. The supporting countries represented 89.12% of the EU population, exceeding the 65% population threshold.
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