The French government has announced that 100% of plastic will be recovered by 2030. The European Commission provides for a 35% usage rate for recycled plastic in PET bottles by 2025. The new regulations are modifying material movements, with more local solutions compared to recent years.
Manufacturers’ voluntary commitments allow more visibility to recycling plants which can invest more easily in washing and extrusion lines.
The main fears for European recyclers have been: to produce granules but not find outlets; or to be in competition with low-labour-cost countries.
It is now necessary to work on integration incentive mechanisms, and to ensure the recyclability of packaging that is to be placed on the market.
The closure of the Chinese market has helped to stop the recycling of complex products for which manual preparation was necessary. South Asian countries still import LDPE from Europe, but until when?
Renaud Pfund
Veolia Propreté France Recycling (FRA), Board Member of the BIR Plastics Committee
Country
France