ecoprog GmbH

Plastics recycling in Europe

The requirements towards plastics recycling in Europe are increasing continuously. For plastic packagings, for instance, the statutory recycling quota will increase to 55% by 2030. As the waste statistics are changing at the same time, this means that almost twice as large recycling amounts must be produced in the future. Also, the end consumers are demanding from commerce and industry to handle plastics in a more sustainable way. Simultaneously, industry association PlasticsEurope estimates the global plastics production to have increased by about 75% between 2002 and 2018 alone.

Despite the wish to recycle more, the day-to-day business is a difficult one for plastic recycling companies – and not only since the COVID-19 pandemic. The business is characterised by decreasing market prices (as a result of the drop in the oil price) as well as higher costs, e.g. for energy and the disposal of sorting residues.

The EU member states are establishing numerous measures, especially because of the requirements stipulated by the EU. Among these measures are the introduction or expansion of deposit schemes for plastic bottles, an intensification of separate waste collection, but also higher costs for waste disposal and incineration. Some countries, such as Italy, have already introduced a general plastics tax. However, these measures will probably not be enough to actually reach what is aspired in the European plastics recycling sector. This is why topics such as recyclate quotas or a European plastics tax are being pushed as well. Additional players enter the market, e.g. the promising market of chemical plastics recycling, in order to participate in this dynamic development.

ecoprog has analysed the plastics disposal sector in detail – to add facts to the heated debate about plastics recycling in Europe, which has been going on for months. We gave special attention to collecting information on plants, capacities and players in the sorting and recycling businesses.

The market study “Plastics recycling in Europe” includes:

• A detailed analysis of all the important political, economic, operational and technical trends in European plastics recycling.
• The description and analysis of more than 1,200 sorting plants and more than 1,000 plastics recycling plants (by site), including data on operators, contact details, input, output and capacities (if known).
• A detailed assessment of this data as well as an analysis of legislation and market factors at country level (30 European countries). This also includes capacities and market shares of sorting and recycling by country.
• Background on the planning boom for chemical recycling plants in Europe and an overview of more than 30 chemical recycling projects.

The study is available in English and German language starting from 4,500.- € plus VAT. Subscribers of ecoprog’s w&b Monitor will receive a discount starting from 600.- €. Please see the extract or the online order form for details.
 

Contact:

Richard Mertens
ecoprog GmbH
Tel. +49 221 788 03 88- 13
r.mertens(at)ecoprog.com