Shortage of Quality Recycled Plastic Threatens EU Recycling Target

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Leading companies have cited that shortage of good quality recycled plastics tend to pose threat to European companies and industry in its journey towards achieving ambitious recycling targets set by the EU. The administration has urged companies to be carbon-neutral by 2050. Also, packaging must be largely made of recycled plastics by 2030.

A total of eight companies- Unilever, Philips, Shell, AkzoNobel, Heineken, DSM, FrieslandCampina and KLM appreciated the good will and ambition. However, companies and governments may find it difficult to achieve the target, without sufficient supply of good quality recycled plastic in the market. In order to produce better quality plastics, industry has to innovate, which in turn requires financial incentives, said Annemarieke de Haan, CEO, Unilever.

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The companies noted that modernized machinery capable of sorting additional categories of plastics could boost recycling efforts. Also, efforts are required to boost recycling awareness in many countries in the region, including Greece, Bulgaria and Croatia, where recycling rates continue to remain at excessively low levels. The regulations on transboundary movement of plastics have added to worries, the companies noted.