Against the backdrop of the EU Commission's current evaluation of various regulatory options for recyclate use, the IK stressed that plastic packaging manufacturers are clearly committed to the circular economy and support an increase in the recycled content of plastic packaging, Euwid reported. By 2025, the association's member companies want to increase use to one million tons. With the current level of 475,000 tons in production, the association believes this is technically feasible, accepting certain limitations, but for which the recycling industry would have to supply 500,000 tons of additional recyclates from post-consumer waste. For this to happen, massive investments along the entire cycle chain would be required. In addition, politicians must ensure uniform specifications for recyclability throughout Europe and an EU-wide landfill ban, as well as approval of recyclates for food contact. However, the IK would strictly reject the specification of a mandatory recycled content in plastic packaging of around 30 percent, as advocated by PlasticsEurope and EuPC. Statutory targets would have to be based on technical potential analyses, and in addition the risks of structural change could not be borne by plastics processors alone, IK managing director Isabell Schmidt (photo) would have explained, according to Euwid.

Sources:

• Euwid Recycling und Entsorgung 39/2021 (9/28/2021)
• Photo: © IK