All Plastics Recyclers Europe articles
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Article
High costs, low demand, and imports stall Europe’s plastic recycling capacity
According to new data from Plastics Recyclers Europe, the continent’s recycling capacity has stagnated with a year-on-year increase of only 6% in 2023; this is reported to mark its lowest growth since 2017.
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Podcast
PRE’s Mathilde Taveau: the European plastic recycling recession
In October 2024 Plastics Recyclers Europe issued a statement warning that “The increasing lack of demand for recyclates produced in Europe, the reduced investments in domestic recycling, and the increase in imports of recyclates from outside the EU have been suffocating the European plastics recycling industry in the last few years. These issues are feeding the existing recession on the market - driving many recycling companies out of business in 2023, with further closures happening or planned in the course of 2024.” In this context Mathilde Taveau (Regulatory Affairs Manager at PRE) talks to Tim Sykes about the latest statistics from a European plastic recycling sector in a state of recession, and how regulators and value chain can act to reverse this worrying trend.
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Article
Entries open early for Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2025
Entries for the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2025 are now open - earlier than usual - with participants from every part of the plastics recycling chain in Europe invited to enter.
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Article
Europe could miss targets due to low plastic recyclate demand, report warns
According to Plastics Recyclers Europe, the total European installed plastics recycling capacity saw a 7% decline in growth rate year-on-year and reached 12.5 million tonnes in 2022 – potentially putting Europe at risk of missing legislative targets.
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Article
Plastics Recyclers Europe manifesto targets progress and competitiveness for plastics industry
In its new manifesto, Plastics Recyclers Europe encourages the EU to drive competitiveness and innovation for plastics, listing science-based policies, traceable imports, and realistic targets amongst its recommended points of priority.
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Article
High imports and low demand for European plastics threaten EU recycling targets, says Plastics Recyclers Europe
Plastics Recyclers Europe warns that the European plastics industry could be threatened by low demand for recyclate produced in the EU and high imports from outside the continent – recommending an independent third-party certification system to ensure transparency and traceability.
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Article
8% growth in flexible polyolefin recycling capacity highlighted by Plastics Recyclers Europe
A new report from Plastics Recyclers Europe has noted an 8% growth in the recycling capacity of flexible polyolefins between 2018 and 2020 – apparently reaching a total of 2.7 million tonnes between an estimated 200 recycling facilities.
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Article
EU recycled content targets at risk from PET imports, cautions Plastics Recyclers Europe
A major increase in PET imports threatens the EU’s capability of improving plastic waste management and its competitiveness in the industry, Plastics Recyclers Europe claims – responding with a call for fair policy covering imported plastics.
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Article
Plastics Recyclers Europe: High energy prices could drive recycling companies out of business
Plastics Recyclers Europe has warned that plastic recycling companies could be driven out of business by skyrocketing energy prices, with energy reportedly now representing up to 70% of operational costs.
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Article
European recyclers report low availability of sorted plastic waste
According to Plastics Recyclers Europe, the availability of sorted plastic waste is currently low enough to be negatively impacting the operations of plastic recyclers across Europe, with the organisation warning that this presents a barrier to meeting the EU’s recycling targets.
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Article
Plastics Recyclers Europe reports a 13% increase in installed plastics recycling capacity
According to data from Plastics Recyclers Europe, the total installed plastics recycling capacity in Europe increased by 13% in 2020. The organisation suggests plastic recycling activities could triple by 2030 with the right legislative support, enhanced collection and recycling, and advancements in recycling technologies.
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Article
How will the PET industry deliver its sustainability targets?
According to a report by Plastics Recyclers Europe, new data points to a growing PET recycling market and future opportunities for DRS – although discordant policy implementation and recycling capacity continue to challenge the industry’s circularity goals.