About: Plastic recycling

Car industry unconvinced by calls for mandatory recycled plastic target

Recycling organisations have urged Brussels lawmakers to make the use of recycled plastic mandatory in new vehicles, a move they say will help to bring cars in line with circular use principles. But car manufacturers are hesitant to back the proposal.

Soft drinks industry aims for 100% recycled or renewable plastic by 2030

European soft drink makers unveiled their new vision for 2030 on Monday (22 February), announcing plans to reach 100% recycled or renewable materials in plastic bottles by the end of the decade.

Recyclers fret as EU plastic waste export ban comes into force

New EU rules came into force on 1 January, prohibiting the shipment of unsorted plastic waste to foreign countries. Although the move will increase pressure on Europe to recycle, activists say the ban is likely to increase landfilling and waste burning inside the Union.

Plastic waste: what’s new is old

Companies doing business in Europe may soon have to ensure their packaging contains a minimum amount of recycled plastic. But getting their hands on quality recycled materials in sufficient quantity is currently difficult.

Blue, yellow or white? Recycling varies widely in the EU

Deposit return and extended producer responsibility schemes are everywhere in the EU but have very different rules. Does this present a barrier to meeting the EU’s recycling objectives?

Plastic waste: how to square the circle

The EU’s circular economy plan aims to halve municipal waste in the next decade by increasing recycling rates. Can companies boost the use of recycled plastics in time to meet the target?

Recycler: Simpler EU laws would help recycle e-waste plastics

Around half of e-waste plastics are not recycled in Europe but rather shipped abroad where they often end up being dumped or burnt. Simpler laws on recycling in Europe would help keep those materials at home and recycle them, argues Chris Slijkhuis.

Recycling of e-waste plastics

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Electric and electronic scrap represents a growing share of plastic waste, but most of it is currently not recycled because of inappropriate collection schemes and difficulties in dealing with the harmful chemical substances they may contain.

EU defines sustainable plastic manufacturing in draft green finance rules

The manufacturing of plastics can be considered a "sustainable" economic activity in Europe provided that they are “fully manufactured by mechanical recycling of plastic waste” or by chemical recycling  processes if minimum emission standards are met, according to a leaked EU proposal seen by EURACTIV.

Chemical Recycling: Can it solve the plastic crisis?

The world is drowning in plastic. About 60% of the more than 8,700 million metric tonnes of plastic ever made is no longer in use, instead sat mostly in landfill or released to the environment. That equals over 400kg of...

Fixing plastic collection seen as vital to success of chemical recycling

Two billion people worldwide do not have access to proper waste collection services, leading to ever-growing plastic pollution in oceans and waterways, particularly in the global south.

Chemical recycling ‘promising’ for circular economy, EU official says

While chemical recycling opens new possibilities for the circular economy, only a full lifecycle approach will be able to determine the real environmental benefits in terms of saved energy and global warming emissions, a senior EU official has said.

Economic meltdown threatens Europe’s war on plastic

Giving a new life to plastic trash gets Carlos Bento out of bed every morning. But the coronavirus pandemic has seen revenues drop up to 40% at Micronipol, the large recycling facility he runs in central Portugal, and it faces an uncertain future.

Ewald Lienen: Football Rebel for Future

German football veteran Ewald Lienen is convinced that football is political and bears social responsibility. Today, the Technical Director of FC St. Pauli is committed to climate protection - not only on the pitch.

Three ways in which football is helping to recycle plastic

Sports events organisers are becoming more aware of the environmental impact they have and therefore are trying to be more sustainable, including by reducing and reusing plastics. 

How Europe’s war on plastics is affecting petrochemicals

With oil use in cars expected to peak in the mid-2020s, oil companies are seeking shelter in petrochemicals – and plastics – where demand is still going strong. However, even that notion is now being challenged because of a global plastics backlash led by Europe.

Karmenu Vella on circular economy: ‘Nothing to gain from waiting’

Circular economy wrangling has kept the EU busy for the last few years, from withdrawn policies to far-reaching recycling strategies. The EU's outgoing environment boss, Karmenu Vella, insists that industry is still critical to waste-reducing efforts and that “there is nothing to gain from waiting”.

Chemical recycling of plastic: Waste no more?

Plastics recycling is as much of a challenge as an opportunity for the circular economy. Michael Laermann looks at chemical recycling and whether it can make the plastics value chain more circular whilst providing a profitable new industry branch.

Coca-Cola, Walmart sign pledge to cut plastic pollution in oceans

Coca-Cola, Walmart and other big multinationals pledged on Thursday (20 September) to help reduce plastic pollution in the world's oceans in support of a campaign by five of the G7 industrialised nations.

Is recycled plastic safe for food packaging? EU seems to think so

The European Commission is preparing to fast-track approval of 140 recycling processes for use in food and drinks packaging, despite warnings that second-hand plastics risk containing toxic chemicals that are dangerous for human health.

Food safety activist: ‘There will always be a risk’ with recycled plastics

The risk of toxic substances contaminating food already exists with virgin plastic, so it will only be higher with recycled packaging coming from old plastics that may contain banned chemicals, says Floriana Cimmarusti.

France to set penalties on non-recycled plastic

France plans to introduce a penalty system next year that would increase the costs of consumer goods with packaging made of non-recycled plastic.

Make use of recycled plastic mandatory, EU told

Europe's market for recycled plastics will never pick up unless regulators make a decisive move and impose a minimum amount of recycled materials into new products, said a wide coalition of businesses, local authorities and environmental NGOs.