The European plastics industry have taken the crucial first step in moving away from virgin plastics towards a circular economy, supporting the Commission’s proposal for a mandatory 30% recycled content in plastics packaging by 2030. And it has been argued that ramping up chemical recycling would be essential to achieving this and planned investments in this move -  ranging from €2.6bn by 2025 to €7.2bn by 2030.

The president of PlasticsEurope, Markus Steilemann states: “The call for a regulated recycled content target for plastics packaging in the EU demonstrates our commitment to accelerate the transformation to a circular economy, helping implement the EU Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan.” He also said recycled content should be judged through a technology-neutral approach that includes both chemical and mechanical recycling.

The managing director of PlasticsEurope, Virginia Janssens, said: “We need a harmonised EU policy framework that provides certainty and incentivises further investment in collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure and technologies, including chemical recycling.” This means the 30% target for recycled content in plastic packaging must be completely in line with the EU’s 55% target for recycled plastic packaging in order for it to be successful.

The key importance now is to strengthen the collaboration between the key partners in the packaging market. 2030 is only a few years away, and the infrastructure and approvals need to be fully in place soon.

The UK is making moves in the right direction and is introducing a tax on plastic packaging without at least 30% recycled content in April 2022. The tax will apply to plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into, the UK where the plastic used in its manufacture is less than 30% recycled. The rate of the tax will be £200 per metric tonne of plastic packaging, encouraging the use of recycled rather than new plastic within plastic packaging. It is hoped that this will, in turn, stimulate increased levels of recycling and collection of plastic waste, diverting it away from landfill or incineration.  To learn more about the Introduction of Plastic Packaging Tax from April 2022, click HERE.

No single government, company or industry can develop a recycling industry on its own. PlasticsEurope’s commitment is a critical first step. Now we need others to step up to the plate, in an alliance.