s4story -- Today, life without plastic seems next to impossible. The plastic industry can be found anywhere but is especially important in Europe. On the other hand, plastics are causing harm to the environment. In her book "Sustainability in the EU – The Sustainable Management of Plastic Packaging in a Circular Economy", Prabalta Rijal examines the EU's policy on reducing plastic packaging and its contribution to the EU's pursuit for a circular economy.

Over the past five decades, the requirement and use of plastic packaging in European nations have grown significantly. Plastics have many benefits, such as durability and versatility, and can be considered key materials in the transition towards a circular economy because of their resource efficiency. Its production has surpassed all man‐made materials. At the same time, plastic waste has become a major problem. Europe generates 25 million tons of plastic waste annually and only 30 percent are collected for recycling.

The circular economy as a way to retain as much value as possible from products, parts, and materials

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The European Commission adopted the first‐ever Europe‐wide strategy on plastics on January 16th, 2018, in an effort to transition towards a more circular economy. This concept is supposed to ensure that by 2030, all plastics in the EU market will be reusable or more easily recycled. As a result, a more integrated supply chain and improved methods of collecting and sorting plastic waste will become necessary.

In "Sustainability in the EU", Prabalta Rijal evaluates if the EU's policy will be successful at turning plastic packaging from hazardous waste into a value‐adding resource. Her book is helpful for economists, students, and policymakers around the world as it discusses how the policies can be implemented, which challenges the EU is facing and why these policies do not seem to actually solve the problem at all.

About the Author

Prabalta Rijal is an independent journalist and PR specialist with over 15 years of experience in the news media. She started her career in journalism back in 2006 at Nepal's national newspaper 'The Rising Nepal' and ever since her articles on AI, Digital Marketing, and Blockchain have been featured in an array of publications in Europe, Asia, and The United States. While pursuing her master's degree, she developed a keen interest in the circular economy and sustainable management practices.