Aligning with the European Green Deal: EPS's Role in Shaping a Greener Future
The European Green Deal aims to propel the European Union towards a sustainable and climate-neutral economy by 2050 through a comprehensive and concerted strategy. Within this ambitious framework, Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) stands as the irreplaceable solution in achieving these goals by contributing to reduced carbon emissions, improved energy efficiency, and enhanced circularity.
Driving Energy Efficiency in Buildings & Construction
A cornerstone of the European Green Deal is the emphasis on increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, which represent 42% of Europe’s carbon emissions at present. EPS, through its exceptional thermal insulation properties, plays a critical role in this domain. By effectively reducing heat loss in winter and the required cooling in summer, EPS insulation contributes to substantial energy savings and, consequently, a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Moreover, the application of EPS in construction extends beyond residential buildings to include commercial and public structures, further broadening its impact on the EU's energy efficiency goals. By promoting sustainable EPS insulation solutions, EUMEPS actively supports the renovation wave initiative and a modern European building stock.
Advancing Circular Economy Principles
The European Green Deal emphasises the need to transition to a circular economy, wherein waste is minimised, and resource allocation, optimised. In this context, the 100% recyclability of EPS proves especially significant. EUMEPS is actively involved in recycling solutions that ensure EPS reusability, from production to end-of-life, which embodies the circular economy.
EUMEPS is further committed to this core tenet of the Green Deal by participating in the development of standards and practices that facilitate EPS recycling. Collaborating with stakeholders across the value chain, EUMEPS works to increase recycling rates, improve the quality of recycled EPS, and expand its applications. These efforts are integral to achieving European Green Deal objectives, with EPS as a simple yet essential contributor.
A Sustainable Path Forward
The European Green Deal sets forth a visionary path towards a sustainable and climate-neutral future. Through its contributions to energy efficiency and circular economy practices, EPS plays a crucial and undeniable role in building towards this vision. EUMEPS remains dedicated to advancing EPS's role in this endeavour through collaborative efforts to achieve significant strides in the realisation of the Green Deal.