EU approves tax on nonrecycled plastic

The European Union has approved a plastic tax on nonrecycled plastic waste, which will be implemented Jan. 1, 2021. The plan includes a 0.8 euros per kilogram levy on nonrecycled plastic packaging waste to be paid by member states into the EU budget.

The tax is part of a 750 billion euro (or about $861 billion) package combining the future Multinational Financial Framework and a specific recovery effort under Next Generation EU, which the European Council discussed and agreed during its meeting July 17-21. The tax has been presented by the European Commission as contribution to the EU budget designed to incentivize member states to increase recycling from plastic scrap.