On 2 September the ENVE commission meeting in Vilnius adopted the opinion of the EA member Cllr. Linda Gillham on the Green Paper "European Strategy on plastic waste in the Environment". After a lively debate the opinion was adopted by overwhelming majority. In the context of the EU2020 Resource Efficient Flagship initiative such document is of crucial importance as it opens a discussion on how to deal with plastic in the most efficient way.

Linda Gillham added that we cannot keep regarding plastic purely as waste, often of single use. More efforts should be made to move plastic waste away from landfilling and incineration, thus enhancing reuse and recycling, so as to ensure plastic is regarded as valuable resource. Cllr Gillham has also recalled the key role of industry in this collective effort as main provider of employment and driver for innovation.

Moreover, the ENVE commission dealt with other important topics during the meeting such as climate change and the CoR contribution in view of the 19th Conference of Parties which will take place in Warsaw in November. An opinion on Enhancing Natural capital and Green infrastructure was also adopted.