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My closing statement read: "There is only one real effective and incentive method to encourage environmentally sound collecting of beverage one-way containers and it is deposit in combination with High-Tech R&D resulted Reverse Vending Machines!

EU signals imminent eco-design reforms

The European commission could introduce mandatory minimum standards for environmentally-harmful products before the summer break, the bloc's environment chief said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the launch of the EU's Green Week in Brussels, Greek commissioner Stavros Dimas said the commission would make a distinction between energy-related products and energy-using products in an action plan on sustainable production and consumption.

But Mr Dimas cautioned the EU was still a long way from meeting its environmental objectives.

"Sometimes we need to take a step back and take a look at how far we are from a model of development that is sustainable," he said.

"Europe's environmental footprint is one of the biggest on the planet. If the rest of the world used resources at the same rate as we do, we would need more than two earths."

The commission is pushing for a voluntary eco-label scheme, the eco-management and audit scheme and new guidelines for public bodies on how to buy green goods.

He said he was convinced that in ten years environmental production standards would be de rigueur among consumers.

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