Brussels - The European plastics waste generation nearly reached 25 million tonnes in 2008. Even though 51 percent of this amount has been recovered more effort is needed in order to fully use the potential laying in plastics waste. The recycling of post-consumer plastics waste is a challenging and multifaceted topic, for which many solutions exist such as mechanical recycling. Therefore, The European Plastics Recyclers (EuPR) trade association has published a strategy paper entitled “How to Increase Plastics Recycling”.

This paper first offers an analysis of the plastics industry profile, paying special attention to plastics recycling. Second, it provides an overview of the current post-consumer plastics recovery operation, underlining the benefits of mechanical recycling. Finally, with this paper, EuPR gives a recommendation of 10 fundamental actions to increase the recycling of post-consumer plastics waste:

1. Close monitoring of the national collection systems and better harmonisation of the different European collection systems;
2. Stop the use of unsustainable technologies (bioplastics and Oxo-degradables) for plastics. Collection systems should create separate streams for these new materials;
3. Specific mechanical recycling targets for plastics in the Waste Framework Directive;
4. Limit the export of plastics waste to secure supply for European recyclers;
5. Favourable fiscal system for the European recycling industry;
6. Effective solution offered to plastics recyclers to comply with REACH. All stakeholders should support recyclers in creating REACH-compliant Safety Data Sheets;
7. Elimination of discriminating legislation or standards prohibiting the use of recyclates;
8. Substantial increase of green public procurement and a mandatory minimum recycled content for eco-labels;
9. Economic instruments to promote recyclates similar to the inclusion of the waste and recycling sectors into the ETS; and
10. Reinforced communication and cooperation with the whole value chain.

EuPR is willing to cooperate with all market stakeholders and policy makers in order to achieve better post-consumer plastics recycling shares and to move towards a 'recycling society’.

Quelle: European Plastics Recyclers (EuPR)

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