Europe | Generation of used plastics in Europe amounted to almost 25 million tonnes in 2008, of which 51% was recovered. Against this backdrop, the European Plastics Recyclers (EuPR) trade association has devised a strategy paper entitled ‘How to increase plastics recycling’.
The document begins with a profile of the plastics industry and pays special attention to recycling. It then provides an overview of current post-consumer plastics recovery operations in which it underlines the benefits of mechanical recycling. EuPR then goes on to recommend the following 10 fundamental actions which, the organisation claims, must be taken to boost the recycling of post-consumer plastics:
1. Close monitoring of national collection systems and better harmonisation of the different European collection approaches.
2. Stopping the use of unsustainable technologies such as bioplastics for which separate collection streams should be created.
3. Setting specific mechanical recycling targets for plastics in the EU’s Waste Framework Directive.
4. Limiting the export of used plastics to secure supply for European recyclers.
5. Creating a favourable fiscal system for the European recycling industry.
6. Offering effective solutions to plastics recyclers to comply with the EU’s regulation on the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACh). All stakeholders should support recyclers in creating REACh-compliant Safety Data Sheets.
7. Eliminating discriminatory legislation or standards prohibiting the use of recyclates.
8. Substantially increasing ‘green’ public procurement and a mandatory minimum recycled content for eco-labels.
9. Devising economic instruments to promote recyclates.
10. Reinforcing communication and co-operation with the whole value chain.
According to EuPR, it is willing to co-operate with all market stakeholders and policy-makers in order to achieve better post-consumer plastics recycling rates.
Acknowledgement
www.recyclinginternational.com
