Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2023 - 7

newsround
EU plastics recycling capacity grows 17% in 2021
EUROPE'S INSTALLED PLASTICS
recycling capacity grew a
robust 17% in 2021, according
to Plastic Recyclers Europe, the
pan-European organisation for
plastics recyclers.
Today, there are more than
730 recycling sites in the
EU27+3, with a total capacity of
11.3 million tonnes. The sector is
a significant source of jobs and
currently employs more than
30,000 people across Europe,
and it generates some €8.7 billion
in turnover. Germany, Spain,
Italy, the United Kingdom, and
France are the countries with
the highest installed capacities,
representing two-thirds of the
total market. Furthermore, countries
with notable growth are Poland
and the Netherlands.
The growth in 2021 was
backed by an estimated €1.75
billion in investment - a sign
that despite the recent challenges
that the industry has
faced, recyclers remain committed
to the goal of a circular
future for plastics.
Ton Emans, president of PRE,
noted that among these challenges
were the soaring costs
of electricity, which heavily impacted
the sector, and the low
available volumes of sorted
plastic waste. " However, with
the increased advancements
in legislation ... the recycling
industry has weathered the
crisis, showing its resiliency to
external factors, " he said. " The
positive growth we can observe
today will shape and further
strengthen the market for recycled
plastics towards meeting
the EU targets. "
Increased investments and
new capacities have created a
strong foundation for the circular
economy transition for plastics,
says PRE. Now, a coherent
legislative framework must be
put in place, as this is one of the
most important means to propel
demand for recycled materials.
The newly released proposal for
the packaging and packaging
waste regulation will further accelerate
this transition.
PureCycle Technologies, iSustain Recycling sign new supply agreement
A NEW AGREEMENT between
chemical recycler PureCycle
Technologies and iSustain, a
provider of recycling services
and solutions, will result in
the diversion of around 4,536
tonnes of PP plastic waste
from landfills and waterways.
The supply agreement targets
non-kerbside waste and will expand
PureCycle's current feedstock
streams.
iSustain offers full-service
plastic recycling services and
partners with major plastics
packaging manufacturers to
provide support on making
their products more recyclable
as well as to provide collection
programs to return plastic
waste back into their manufacturing
processes. Services
include implementing recycling
programmes for customers to
collect their plastic scrap, reprocess
it and reintroduce it
back to their products to drive
supply chain circularity.
A previous partnership saw
the companies collaborating
on the implementation of PureCycle's
PureZero waste programme
at the 2022 Plastics
Recycling Conference, said PureCycle
CEO Dustin Olson.
" This deal, however, will have
a lasting impact far beyond a
single week event. With iSustain's
expansive network, we can
use our patented recycling technology
to grow beyond kerbside
materials and also achieve circularity
with other polypropylene
waste materials, " said Olson.
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March/April 2023
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Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2023

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