Is reuse always better than recycling? A critical analysis of the proposed European Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste and a debunking of its Impact Assessment study

Journal title ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Author/s Antonio Massarutto
Publishing Year 2023 Issue 2023/1
Language English Pages 17 P. 17-33 File size 156 KB
DOI 10.3280/EFE2023-001002
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Do impact studies guide policies, do policies direct impact studies, or are ideologies inspiring both? We analyse the proposed new European regulation on packaging and show that the expected benefits are much lower than those magnified by official declarations. Our debunk- ing of the Impact Assessment study, apart from the specific issues, raises concerns about how the European regulatory process is made. By doing so, he invites readers to reflect on the intricate relationship between impact studies, policy-making, and the ideological influences that may shape both.

Keywords: packaging waste, circular economy.

Jel codes: Q51, Q53, Q58, K32

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Antonio Massarutto, Is reuse always better than recycling? A critical analysis of the proposed European Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste and a debunking of its Impact Assessment study in "ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT" 1/2023, pp 17-33, DOI: 10.3280/EFE2023-001002