Recycling
Scaling up the recyclables New technologies and programmes are the linchpin of the global plastic value chain to expanding recycling and enhancing the quality of recyclates for product applications in order to reduce global carbon emissions, says Angelica Buan in this report.
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dversity creates opportunities, and for the plastics industry, the pressure to increase plastic recyclability or contribute to plastic waste reduction has opened up opportunities to use recycled plastic content in their products. As a result, there is a growing preference for recycled plastics over virgin plastics in a variety of new applications in the packaging, automotive, and electrical & electronics industries, as well as a slew of favourable initiatives promoting the use of recycled plastics around the world. Even so, odour and colour issues with recycled resins persist, sometimes making it difficult to find a comparable substitute for virgin resins. As a result of these limitations, the quality of recyclates needs assurance, with the use of recycled resins overcoming technical challenges.
Majority of plastics are made from chemicals and nonrenewable resources, and by 2050 will account for 20% of total global oil consumption
Europe’s timeline for recycling stepped up Globally, the volume of plastic waste is estimated to be 300 million tonnes/year and growing, but only 9% of all plastic waste produced is recycled. The majority of waste plastic is either incinerated (12%) or disposed of in landfills (79%). The majority of plastics are made from chemicals and non-renewable resources, and by 2050 will account for 20% of total global oil consumption.
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SEPTEMBER 2021
The industry is now taking a different perspective on the situation: why not use the massive amount of waste and turn it into a resource? Recycling of plastics is an important factor in the transition to a green, circular European market, according to Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE), a Belgium-based organisation of European plastics recyclers. Technology advancements, product design, and an enhanced system of collection and sorting, as well as optimised recycling procedures, are key to transformation, PRE said. It’s unsurprising then that Europe, as a driving force behind the circular economy agenda, is taking more aggressive steps with trade associations backing the statute for increasing to 30% the recycled content target for plastics packaging by 2030. Members of the Brussels-based organisation are already working toward this goal, investing billions of euros on expanded high-quality recycled plastic supplies and technology solutions, it adds. Meanwhile, PlasticEurope said that by 2030, it plans to invest EUR7.2 billion into chemical recycling, which it says will keep plastic waste out of landfills and incinerators. Significant amounts of recycled material with virgin plastic characteristics will be produced using this process. The technology complements mechanical recycling and can help Europe achieve a climate-neutral and competitive circular economy, it adds. Utilising data for effective recycling outcome Meanwhile, data collection is required to track the progress of the uptake of high-quality secondary raw materials. Thus, PolyREC, a non-profit organisation formed by PlasticsEurope, PRE, Petcore Europe, a European PET value chain association; and VinylPlus, an initiative by the European PVC industry, will monitor, verify, and report the plastics recycling and uptake data in Europe, using a common data collection platform (RecoTrace). PolyREC will ensure traceability, transparency, and trust in recycled materials along the entire plastics value chain. The partners add that PolyREC’s establishment has been critical, particularly in the context of the Circular Plastics Alliance (CPA);
