EU wants to reduce waste from packaging by 15% by 2040
December 1, 2022, 7:01 am

EU wants to reduce waste from packaging by 15% by 2040

Plastic recycling is the reprocessing of plastic waste into new products - Pic. Pixabay

The European Commission proposed on Wednesday (Nov 30) to reduce waste from unnecessary packaging by 15% until 2040 and make remaining packaging more environmentally-friendly.

"Over packaging is a nuisance to us and increasingly damaging to our environment," European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said.

"I think everyone has experienced it, you order something online and it comes in a massive box that's half empty."

The commission wants companies to offer more products in reusable packaging, cut small plastic packaging and introduce a mandatory deposit system.

The new target comes in addition to existing ambitions to boost reusable and recyclable options and increase the use of recycled plastics in packaging.

Currently, packaging waste is growing faster in the European Union than its recycling rate, said EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius.

If the trend continues, plastic packaging waste would increase by 46% until 2030, according to a press release.

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The commission aims to cut over 20 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions and save 1.1 million cubic meters of water from producing packaging.

The EU's executive branch also wants to introduce a new label saying what packaging is made of and in what recycling bin it should be disposed in.

The commission also proposed a new certification for some carbon removals technologies and farming practices, aiming to better quantify, monitor and verify how much carbon is removed from the atmosphere.

"This proposal is essential to the EU's goal of becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050," a press release said.

Source: anews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”