European Parliament adopts recycling goals

STRASBOURG, France, June 18 (UPI) -- The European Parliament has set recycling goals of half of household waste and 70 percent of hazardous materials by 2020.

Countries that fail to meet the goals approved Tuesday in Strasbourg could face legal action, the EU Observer reported.

"This legislation marks a shift in thinking about waste from an unwanted burden to a valued resource and helps to make Europe a recycling society," said Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas.

Members of the Green Party and its allies suggested that the goals are too weak and strong enforcement is lacking. They said that Europe needs to reduce its total waste stream.

"The final compromise does not have a legally binding target for waste reduction," said Jill Evans, a member of the European Parliament who represents the Plaid Cymru Party in Wales. "A study on waste prevention is no alternative to stabilization measures. The continuous growth in waste is unsustainable and without this measure it will continue to grow."