<article><section><p>Environment analysis: The Waste (Circular Economy) Regulations 2020 are in force from 1 October 2020. This News Analysis considers the background, scope and key changes implemented through these regulations.</p><p>The Waste (Circular Economy) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, <a href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/environment/document/412012/610K-RJM3-CGXG-0205/linkHandler.faces?psldocinfo=Waste__Circular_Economy___Amendment__Regulations_2020_News_Analysis&linkInfo=F%23GB%23UK_SI%23num%252020_904s_Title%25&A=0.2965258649448892&bct=A&risb=&service=citation&langcountry=GB" target="_parent">SI 2020/904</a>, are in force from 1 October 2020. These regulations transpose the EU’s 2020 Circular Economy Package (CEP) in England and Wales, and partially for Scotland and Northern Ireland.</p><h2>What is the background to the Waste (Circular Economy) (Amendment) Regulations 2020?</h2><p>Global waste is currently projected to reach 3.4 billion tonnes annually by 2050. Waste generation causes harmful effects to humanity, wildlife and the environment. Increased waste generation depletes raw materials and pollutes land, water and air.</p><p>In 2015, the European Commission published proposals to amend six EU Waste Directives, including <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/environment/document/412012/610K-RJM3-CGXG-0205/linkHandler.faces?psldocinfo=Waste__Circular_Economy___Amendment__Regulations_2020_News_Analysis&linkInfo=F%23GB%23EU_DIR%23num%2532008L0098%25&A=0.7629122702111358&bct=A&risb=&service=citation&langcountry=GB" target="_parent">Directive 2008/98/EC</a>, the Waste Framework Directive (WFD), <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/environment/document/412012/610K-RJM3-CGXG-0205/linkHandler.faces?psldocinfo=Waste__Circular_Economy___Amendment__Regulations_2020_News_Analysis&linkInfo=F%23GB%23EU_DIR%23num%2531999L0031%25&A=0.4177959119318909&bct=A&risb=&service=citation&langcountry=GB" target="_parent">Directive 1999/31/EC</a>, the Landfill Directive (LFD), and <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/environment/document/412012/610K-RJM3-CGXG-0205/linkHandler.faces?psldocinfo=Waste__Circular_Economy___Amendment__Regulations_2020_News_Analysis&linkInfo=F%23GB%23EU_DIR%23num%2531994L0062%25&A=0.9075363516811861&bct=A&risb=&service=citation&langcountry=GB" target="_parent">Directive 94/62/EC</a>, the Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD). Known collectively as the CEP, the proposals entered into force on the 4 July 2018. The objectives of the CEP are to reduce the adverse impacts of waste generation and the overall impacts of resource use by ensuring appropriate application of the waste hierarchy, by placing restrictions on landfilling and incineration and also by changes to the arrangements affecting hazardous waste and waste oils.</p><p>The <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-economy/index_en.htm" target="_blank" title="Opens in a new window">CEP</a> introduced a revised legislative framework and established a long-term plan for waste management and recycling. For more information see Practice Note: <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/lexispsl/environment/document/412012/610K-RJM3-CGXG-0205/linkHandler.faces?psldocinfo=Waste__Circular_Economy___Amendment__Regulations_2020_News_Analysis&ps=null&bct=A&homeCsi=0&A=0.3158248653710809&urlEnc=ISO-8859-1&&dpsi=0OLN&remotekey1=DOC-ID&remotekey2=0OLN_2758581&service=DOC-ID&origdpsi=0S4D">Waste—the circular economy</a>.</p><p>In tandem with the CEP, in 2019 the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) was published, which introduced initiatives for the life cycle of products, targeting their design, promoting circular economy processes, fostering sustainable consumption, and aiming to ensure that resources used are kept in the EU economy for as long as possible. The CEAP was published as part of the <a data-sf-ec-immutable="" href="https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en" target="_blank" title="Opens in a new window">European Green Deal</a>. For more information on the CEAP see News Analysis: <a ></a ></p></section></article>
Source: LexisNexis Purpose Built
Waste (Circular Economy) (Amendment) Regulations 2020—News Analysis
