ECOS calls for tighter European rules for waste trade as part of our response to a public consultation opened by the European Commission. A proposal for a review of the EU waste shipment regulation is expected in the coming months, with the potential for topping up rules to encourage re-use and recycling.
The French government has just adopted some of the 149 measures proposed by the Citizen Convention for the Climate last month, a group of citizens picked at random to offer advice on climate issues. One of the boldest moves concerns outdoor heating appliances: French restaurant and bar owners are banned from placing any outdoor heater in their business’ terrace as of spring 2021. French Ecology Minister Barbara Pompili has described this practice as an 'ecological aberration'.
ECOS sent comments to the preliminary draft 2021 Annual Union Work Programme (AUWP) for Standardisation – the document where the European Commission set its plans for new standardisation requests every year.
Chemical recycling could become a loophole in EU waste and chemical legislation, diverting the EU from reaching its circular economy and climate goals. European institutions can avoid this problem now.
Developing a single charger for phones, laptops and other small devices is not as straightforward as it seems. Even with a common connector, consumers need standardised and clear information on the features that chargers available on the market have - such as voltage, charging speed and data transfer functionalities. At the same time, manufacturers must stop shipping charger with every new device. Our new report puts forward a package of innovative ecodesign policies which, if implemented, will bring about huge environmental savings and help avoid tonnes of pointless e-waste.
ECOS seeks to commission a study to identify and specify minimum requirements for circular textiles, focusing specifically on material efficiency aspects (primarily focusing on durability, some aspects of reusability, repairability, recyclability) and exploring ways to drive more environmentally responsible design of textile products through policy and standard recommendations.
As temperatures across Europe beat records summer after summer, air conditioner manufacturers rub their hands in glee. No wonder - their sales are skyrocketing. By 2050, the IEA expects the number of air conditioners in buildings to reach 5.6 billion, up from 1.6 billion today. Around two-thirds of the world’s households could have air-con by then.
ECOS is co-funded by the European Commission and EFTA
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EISMEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.