Legislation and regulations and recommendations from the government and the horticultural chain
On this page we would like to inform you about the obligations that are put forward in the Netherlands, from the government and the horticultural chain to achieve a more sustainable society.
Read more about:
- Separate collection or post-separation of packaging waste is mandatory
- New obligations to separate waste are not yet detailed enough
- Environmental certificate for suppliers of Royal Flora Holland
- The Plant passport
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's)
- The Plastics Pact
Separate collection or post-separation of packaging waste is mandatory
Dutch legislation makes a distinction between household waste and industrial waste. The Environmental Management Act provides that municipalities are responsible for the collection or collection of packaging waste from households. This can be done by source and / or post-separation. Companies are themselves responsible for arranging the collection of their waste. The legal principle is that they must separate their packaging waste, unless this cannot reasonably be expected from the company. The requirements that collection must meet are described in the National Waste Management Plan (Landelijk Afvalbeheerplan/LAP), document in Dutch.
Separation of industrial waste
Dutch legislation distinguishes between household waste and industrial waste. Municipalities are responsible for the collection of household packaging waste; companies are themselves responsible for arranging the collection of their waste. The packaging waste released in the office, retail and services sector consists on average of 36% paper, metal and cardboard beverage packaging; this offers opportunities for the recycling of these raw materials. Because KIDV regularly receives questions about the processing of industrial waste, the fact sheet is 'Business packaging waste' created, setting the legal framework for separating of packaging waste by companies has been described. The focus is on companies from the KWD sector (office-store services). The document also contains links to background information and tips as a company to start reducing and separating packaging waste.
Source: KIDV, document in Dutch
New obligations to separate waste are not yet detailed enough
The obligations of municipalities in the separation of waste are extended on the basis of the amended European framework directive on waste. Which concrete measures this leads to depends very much on the 'local interpretation'.
State Secretary Van Veldhoven of Infrastructure and Water Management unfolds the plans in a draft decision for internet consultation. The purpose of the new rules is "to further improve waste management and thereby increase the efficient use of raw materials." Municipalities are therefore explicitly imposed an obligation to collect household waste separately. This concerns the flows of biowaste, paper, metal, plastic, glass, textiles and hazardous waste.
Promote existing practice
Legally speaking, local authorities are currently only required to collect organic waste and discarded electrical appliances separately. They decide the rest themselves, taking into account the national waste management plan (LAP). Separate collection is therefore already largely existing practice, but the tightened obligation must "further promote" according to the State Secretary.
Exceptions allowed
There are, however, possibilities for exception. The European Waste Framework Directive allows member states to make different choices, for example if the costs are excessively high or if so-called post-separation is at least as effective as separate collection. For the Netherlands, according to Van Veldhoven, exceptions remain possible with regard to organic waste, plastic, metal and glass. Municipalities must use this "restrictively" and adhere to the waste plan.
Hazardous materials
There are no exceptions for paper, textiles and hazardous waste, "because it is always technically and economically feasible to collect separately in the Netherlands (whether or not door-to-door)." Paper is already collected separately everywhere. "Particularly for the waste flows of textiles and hazardous substances, municipalities should pay more attention to separate collection than before," said the explanation. They will still be given plenty of time to do this: only in 2025 will separate collection for these categories be required by law.
Local implementation
The explanation does not state what exactly this extra attention should look like. Much will depend on the "local interpretation", it appears. For this reason, Van Veldhoven cannot give a "general picture" of the financial consequences for municipalities, but it does not exclude an increase in implementation costs. What exactly will be expected from municipalities will also have to be demonstrated by an amendment to the National Waste Management Plan in connection with the new rules. Source: www.gemeente.nu/ruimte-milieu/nieuwe-afvalplichten-nog-weinig-gedetailleerd/, in Dutch
Royal FloraHolland makes environmental certification mandatory by the end of 2021
The mandatory environmental certificate will be introduced gradually. The first step is digital environmental registration for all suppliers on the marketplace, no later than 31 December 2020. Subsequently, after 31 December 2021, having a market-compliant environmental certificate will be made mandatory for all suppliers of Royal FloraHolland.
The final step is to ensure that growers comply with all FSI sustainability standards set in the floriculture sector. Thus, not only in the environmental field, but also in relation to Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and in the social field. No date has yet been linked to this step.
For this step, Royal FloraHolland will enter into discussions with FSI about the standards that will apply to growers after 2020. The ambition is to eventually meet all FSI standards.
In close collaboration between the Sustainability management team - consisting of members of Royal FloraHolland - and the Sustainable Development and Quality team, the approach has been developed that leads to environmental registration and certification. This approach stems from member consultation sessions organized in 2018 and 2019. The management subsequently asked the Council of Members for advice on the approach.
Source: Royal Flora Holland
Plant passport
In order to be able to trade products within the EU, there is an official document that you as a grower or trader of pot, bedding, garden and terrace plants must meet.
The text on the label must be clearly legible to the naked eye and printed separately from other information for easy viewing. It should have a uniform appearance, although there is some flexibility in size, proportions, dividing line and font.
The requirements are as follows:
As of December 14, 2019: a plant passport per tray or per plant sold separately from pot size 19.
As of July 1, 2020: a plant passport per plant from pot size 10.
If the plant passport is not present or if it is incorrect, no auction will take place. So it is important that the correct information is printed on the cover or jar.
Customer tips:
- Make sure the plant passport is legible.
- Make sure the plant passport is clearly visible.
- Give the Positive Approval Code P01 009 (= Plant passport per plant) to your products. This way your customers can immediately see that all your plants have their own Plant Passport.
- With multiple packaging use, place the sticker preferably on a plant or cover to prevent contamination of the packaging.
- If this is not possible, always use Normpack stickers.
Source: Royal Flora Holland
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's)
In September 2015, the United Nations adopted a global sustainable development agenda for 2030. This should end poverty, inequality and climate change. This development agenda is anchored in seventeen 'Sustainable Development Goals' (SDGs), or Sustainable Development Goals. The UN member states must themselves ensure translation into national policy. The following seven goals are relevant for the floriculture sector and RFH:
1). SDG6 - Clean water / General objective: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
2). SDG7 - Affordable and sustainable energy / General objective: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for everyone.
3). SDG8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth / General objective: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
4). SDG11 - Sustainable cities and communities / General objective: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
5). SDG12 - Responsible consumption and production / General objective: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
6). SDG13 - Climate action / General objective: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact.
7). SDG17- Partnerships for the goals / General objective: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Source: www.royalfloraholland.com
The Plastics Pact
The Plastics Pact is signed by a group of parties from the plastics chain. The ambitions of the Plastic Pact NL do not lie. To give an example: by 2025, all single-use plastic products and packaging must be 100 percent recyclable. The amount of plastic we use in the Netherlands must have decreased by 20 percent in the same year and 70 percent of one-off plastic products must be recycled to a high standard by that time.
A chain approach is required to achieve these objectives, says the Pact. In other words: important steps can be taken in the design, use and recycling phase. The Pact emphasizes the importance of a simplified chain, so that plastic products and packaging can be recycled more efficiently and with higher quality.
Source: Central government "75 Parties sign the Plastic Pact Netherlands".
Do you have questions about waste management or our sustainability policy? Send an email to info@koenpack.com or contact our environmental team by phone.
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