Call to the House of Representatives to Continue Circular Policy
09-08-2023
Due to the recent collapse of the Rutte IV cabinet, there is a risk of uncertainty regarding the progress of the necessary industrial transition in the Netherlands towards circular products and materials. Meanwhile, significant investments are being made by both the government and businesses in this new circular economy. Therefore, the Platform Green Chemistry, New Economy is urging the House of Representatives to continue making progress with circular policies and to not declare the circular policy instruments controversial.
Recently, the National Growth Fund has conditionally approved the BioBased Circular proposal after the Circular Plastics proposal was already approved last year. In addition to these governmental programs, significant investments are currently being made by the business sector to utilize recycled materials and bio-based raw materials as an alternative to virgin fossil oil in the production of new plastics.
This transition is of high urgency and remains underexposed. Virtually all necessary technologies are still in the early stages of scaling up, meaning only the first pilot plants are coming into view; there is still a long way to go to replace the large oil-based processes with renewable raw materials. The impact of this transition is enormous for both the supplying sectors and the plastic producers.
Stimulating policies to remove obstacles are therefore needed. The platform Green Chemistry New Economy (GCNE) was established for this purpose. GCNE promotes:
- The formation of new value chains by, for example, linking the chemical industry to renewable raw material suppliers.
- Making capital more accessible to young entrepreneurs in green chemistry and providing guidance to these entrepreneurs
- Resolving policy bottlenecks to accelerate the transition.
Stimulating policies are necessary to urgently realize this transition.
In the context of policy issues, GCNE has recently brought to the forefront the pressing topic of "end-of-waste status" to facilitate the use of waste for new products through policy. There are various follow-up subjects that could be negatively affected by delays, such as the mandatory share of recycled and/or bio-based content in plastics starting in 2027. It is important that laws and regulations that promote the circular economy proceed and that rules that hinder circularity are amended as quickly as possible.
The Netherlands has an excellent starting position to accelerate circularity and the raw materials transition due to the presence of several industrial clusters, leading knowledge institutions, ambitious companies, and innovative start-ups. The urgency is high, which is why we ask you not to declare circular issues controversial and to work with us towards a future-proof green economy.