The European Union (EU) announced plans for a new right to repair rule that will cover phones, laptops and tablets by 2021. If enacted, the rule would aim to ensure that devices remain useful for longer before they need to be recycled or become e-waste in landfills.
The plan is part of a larger set of initiatives that also covers textiles, packaging, plastics and food. The ultimate aim is to help EU become climate neutral by 2050, according to the Hindustan Times.
Additionally, Reuters reports that the EU will propose a new regulatory framework for batteries and overpackaging to phase out non-rechargeable batteries and limit packaging waste. The plan would need approval from EU member states and the European Parliament.
Reuters has more:
The European Commission said on Wednesday it will introduce new waste reduction targets and sustainability laws to ensure that products placed on the EU market are recyclable, repairable and designed to last longer, its latest plan to halve waste by 2030.
“The goal in the end is decoupling resource extraction from our economic growth,” the EU’s environment commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius told reporters in Brussels.