On 5 April 2023, the Commission launched a four-week feedback period on a new set of EU taxonomy criteria for economic activities, making a substantial contribution to one or more of the non-climate environmental objectives.
These economic activities contribute to the sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, the transition to a circular economy, pollution prevention and control, and the protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems. Annex II of the Delegated Act focuses on those practices supporting the circular economy, and it includes relevant sections for the bio-waste sector. "Recovery of bio-waste by anaerobic digestion or composting” sets out the technical screening criteria that operating facilities for the treatment of separately collected bio-waste should comply with, such as: characterisation of input feedstock, quality assurance, best available techniques and nitrogen content. Important is also the section related to "manufacture of plastic packaging goods" where criteria are set also for packaging originating from biowaste feedstock as well as the use of compostable materials. Other chapters are dedicated to "Sorting and material recovery of non-hazardous waste" which includes also non-hazardous waste fractions originating from sorting of mixed waste intended for recycling, and “Phosphorus recovery from waste water”.
The public consultation is open for four weeks, until May 3.