Plastics recycling is an important factor in the transition towards a green, circular European market. MEPs backed a European strategy for plastic in September, which calls for all plastic packaging waste to be recyclable by 2030. With recycling, Europe can decouple its dependency on natural resources and work towards a … Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH helped assess waste collection and recovery data. And how can plastic recycling rates be increased? To help prevent this, policymakers made producers responsible for the packaging waste they developed. Plastic packaging recycling rates (a subset of all plastic) vary across Europe, with the UK coming in 7th overall. Half of the plastic collected for recycling is … Half of the plastic collected for recycling is exported to be treated in countries outside the EU. Europe produces 20% of the world’s plastic waste, about 60 million tons of the 348 million tons of plastic the world throws away each year. Plastic recycling results in significant energy savings compared with the production of new plastics using virgin material. From a total of 27.1 million tonnes of plastic waste collected in 2016, Europe dealt with 19.7 million tonnes (72.7%) through energy recovery (incineration) and recycling schemes. The amount of waste sent to landfill has decreased since 2001, while Europe has increased the amount of waste incinerated, composted and recycled. In parallel, the European Parliament has backed measures to reduce the amount of plastic waste: MEPs also called on the European Commission to take action against micro plastics. Since 1991 the association has been charging an advance recycling contribution of 1.9 respectively 2.3 centimes on PET single-use drinking bottles without deposit. Each year, the production and incineration of plastic emits about 400 million tonnes of CO2 globally, a part of which could be avoided through better recycling. Understand the impact of the crisis on your market. However, since plastics are easily customised to the needs (functional or aesthetic) of each manufacturer, the diversity of the raw material complicates the recycling process, making it costly and affecting the quality of the end product. And with growing consumer awareness of the problem of plastic waste, there is a greater appetite for rigid plastics with higher recycled content.   Join us in London for your chance to share best practice in the management of plastic … Get real time updates on the Plastic Recycling Industry with the latest reports, critical insights and stats from official sources. Plastic pollution Plastic waste and the recycling myth. Recycling rates for packaging waste fractions and municipal waste This indicator shows recycling rates of packaging waste fractions and municipal waste, and is presented in two figures for the EU-15 and EU-27, respectively. The use of plastic in Western Europe has increased by roughly 4% every year since 2003 2012 saw over 400,000 tonnes more plastic collected and recycled than in 2002. of global imports. France, Germany and Great Britain (54%, 44% and 43% correspondingly) are the closest rivals of … In 2018, landfills received 27 million tons of plastic. More than 70% of all the recyclable plastic collected came from landfill and other post-consumer sources. ; The first synthetic plastic — Bakelite — was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the global plastics industry. In 2017, the highest recycling rate of plastic packaging waste was recorded in Lithuania (74%), ahead of Bulgaria (65%), Cyprus (62%, 2016 data), Slovenia (60%), Czechia (59%), Slovakia (52%) and the Netherlands (50%). PlasticsEurope reports that 7.7 million tons of plastics were recycled globally in 2014 That includes more than 3.5 million tons of post-industrial and post-consumer plastic scrap that were recycled in the United States, according to ISRI estimates. How much plastic packaging waste do we recycle? The challenge of managing increasing quantities of plastic waste diverted for recycling in Europe has been partially met through export of plastics destined for recycling to low-cost countries outside of Europe, until recently spearheaded by China. A hub for plastic recycling in Europe. IdentiPlast 2019 is the leading European event focused on the recycling and recovery of used plastics. Plastic waste in generalThe recycling result for packaging of 40.9% is better than for other plastic applications. PlasticsEurope’s Market Research and Statistics Group (PEMRG) on the production and the demand of plastic raw materials. Less than a third of plastic waste in Europe is recycled. Since January 1, 2018, China has closed its borders to paper and plastic waste imports. The overall recycling rate for plastics reached 31.1% in 2016. Plastic Recycling Industry 2020. Since 2016, Germany has had the highest recycling rate in the world, with 56.1% of all waste it produced last year being recycled. We have also produced an FAQs on Plastics page which attempts to answer additional common questions on the topic. In 2018, the volume of plastic waste collected in the EU totaled 29.1 million metric tons. The Agency uses this information to measure the success of materials management programs across the country and to characterize the national waste stream. The overall recycling rate for plastics reached 31.1% in 2016. In seven EU Member States, more than half of the plastic packaging waste generated was recycled in 2017. For press queries, please contact our Media Support. wt. See our Sustainable Materials Management web area for relevant information and our … Compared with 2005, the recycling rate of plastic packaging waste increased by 18 percentage points (pp) in the EU (from 24% in 2005 to 42% in 2017). According to the 2017 plastics recycling figures, released by Plastics|SA, more than 334 727 tons of plastics were recycled back into raw material – giving South Africa an input recycling rate of 43.7 % – well above Europe’s recycling rate that currently sits at 31.1 %. Recycling in the U.S. has remained at nine percent since 2012. This dossier presents a selection of statistics and facts about plastic waste in the Europe. Some 30% of all the generated plastic waste is collected for recycling and recycling rates by country vary a lot, as shown in the infographic. In 2018, 9.4 million metric tons of plastic post-consumer waste were collected in Europe for recycling, as consumers and the industry pay more attention to plastic disposal and end use, according to a 2019 report by PlasticsEurope. Previously, a significant share of the exported plastic waste was shipped to China, but with the country’s recent ban on plastic waste imports, it is increasingly urgent to find other solutions. Recycling can reduce greenhouse gases and save valuable resources. In Europe, energy recovery is the most used way to dispose of plastic waste, followed by landfill. Reasons for the exportation include the lack of capacity, technology or financial resources to treat the waste locally. In consequence, the demand for recycled plastics accounts for only 6% of plastics demand in Europe. Plastic recycling. Compared with 2005, the recycling rate of plastic packaging waste increased by 18 percentage points (pp) in the EU (from 24% in 2005 to 42% in 2017). In the EU, an estimated 42% of plastic packaging waste was recycled in 2017. Plastic processors require large quantities of recycled plastic, manufactured to strictly controlled specifications and at a competitive price. There has been clear progress over the last ten years: in 2006, 11.7 million of the … Search reports, statistics & slideshows on Recycling. Europe depends entirely on China to absorb its exports (at least 87% of Europe-an exports end up in China). The European plastics industry has a multiplier effect of 2.4 in GDP and almost 3 in jobs*. In addition they called for a ban on intentionally added micro-plastics in cosmetics, personal care products, detergents and cleaning products by 2020, as well as for a minimum of recycled content for some plastic products as well as quality standards for recycled plastics. The response to this by manufacturers was to create “The Green Dot”, the first ever duel rec… Plastic waste management. In contrast, less than one third of plastic packaging waste was recycled in Malta (24%, 2016 data), Estonia, France and Finland (each 27%), Ireland (31%), Hungary (32%), Luxembourg and Austria (33%). The United States ranks behind Europe (30 percent) and China (25 percent) in recycling, the study found. The recycling rate for plastic packaging rose slightly from 39.5 percent in 2014 to 40.9 percent in 2016, according to statistics circulated by the European Association of Plastics Recycling & Recovery Organisations (EPRO).. Issue. What constitutes packaging waste is defined by Annex I to the Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC). Packaging thus lift the average recycling rates for all plastics in Europe, EPRO says. Proposed solutions to increase recycling rates. EPA began collecting and reporting data on the generation and disposition of waste in the United States more than 30 years ago. Did you know that plastics recycling can save up to 80% of CO 2 emissions? Plastic recycling in South Africa has continued to grow for seven years in row. The recycling of plastic made a direct contribution to South Africa’s GDP of 2.3% and an 18.5% contribution to the Manufacturing GDP. In 1990, Germany conducted a packaging audit to help counteract the potential rise of landfill problems. These Facts and Figures are current through calendar year 2015. The recycling rate of PET bottles and jars was 26.8 percent in 2018, and the rate for HDPE natural bottles was 29.3 percent in 2018. In 2018, 9.4 million tonnes of plastic post-consumer waste were collected in Europe to be recycled (inside and outside the EU) RECYCLING MULTIPLIER EFFECT. > GISCO:Geographical Information and maps. Find out more facts and figures on plastic waste and its recycling in the EU with our infographic. The essential. In a resolution adopted on 13 September 2018, MEPs welcomed the Commission plans. The industry certainly seems more actively committed to increasing the recycling and reuse of plastics, as … Countries use different sets of measures to report how much plastic they recycle, so it is not always straightforward to compare between the reported rate of each country. In seven EU Member States, more than half of the plastic packaging waste generated was recycled in 2017. This decision has forced a rethink about the organization of the recycling industry worldwide, especially in Europe. 2 Plastics Europe, Plastics – The Facts, 2017; 3 International Energy Agency; 3 The amount of plastic used has indeed grown constantly over the past 30 years, reaching over 300 million metric tons in 20172.This growth is set to continue, driven in large part by the demands of the Chinese and Indian middle-classes; demand may double by 20503. The production of plastic has grown exponentially in just a few decades - from 1.5 million of tonnes in 1950 to 322 million of tonnes in 2015 worldwide – and with it the amount of plastic waste. From 2007 to 2017, paper and cardboard was the main packaging waste material in the EU (31.4 million tonnes in 2017) followed by plastic and glass (14.5 million tonnes for plastic and 14 million tonnes for glass waste materials in 2017). (the Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe) and EPRO (the European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisations). To contact us, please visit our User Support page. It is estimated that 95% of the value of plastic packaging material is lost to the economy after a short first-use cycle. Plastic recycling is integral to the EU policy on the circular economy (Lazarevic et al., 2010). Europe is successfully moving up the ‘waste management hierarchy’, albeit more slowly than required by legislation, the report says. This would imply better design for recyclability, but MEPs believe measures to stimulate the market for recycled plastic are also needed. The low share of plastic recycling in the EU means big losses for the economy as well as for the environment. Packaging thus lift the average recycling rates for all plastics in Europe, EPRO says. WASTE: The report warns the world is drowning in plastic. This is our main data entry on plastics, with a particular focus on its pollution of the environment. The EU has already taken measures to reduce the amount of plastic waste, but what happens to the waste that is generated despite all efforts? The recycling result for packaging of 40.9% is better than for other plastic applications. This increasing trend is observed at varied levels in all EU Member States, except Croatia. PET-Recycling Switzerland Today 98% of Swiss beverage producers, importers, bottlers and retailers are participating in PET Recycling Switzerland's collection system. ASEAN According to the latest data provided by Eurostat and published by the environmental NGO Kyoto Club Italy recycles 76,9% of the total amount of waist which is nearly twice as much as the total European waste recycling.The average percentage of waste recycling in Europe is around 37%. ; A slide-deck summary of global plastics is available here. Germany is hailed worldwide as a recycling champion. In Europe, energy recovery is the most used way to dispose of plastic waste, followed by landfill. When energy recovery is added, the total diversion rate neared 80 percent, according to the EPRO. The total amount of plastics combusted in MSW in 2018 was 5.6 million tons. Direct access to language menu (press "Enter"), Direct access to search menu (press "Enter"), Plastic waste and recycling in the EU: facts and figures, Find out the facts about plastic waste and recycling in the EU, The EU wants to reduce the amount of harmful plastic waste ©AP images/European Union -EP, Check progress on the strategy for plastics, Parliament resolution on European strategy for plastics in a circular economy, Commission website on European strategy for plastics, Commission fact sheet on plastics in Europe, Commission study on plastic waste in the environment, European Parliament President’s website, measures to reduce the amount of plastic waste, restriction of light-weight plastic bags in the EU, Creating quality standards for secondary plastics, Encouraging certification in order to increase the trust of both industry and consumers, Introducing mandatory rules on minimum recycled content in certain products, Encouraging member states to consider reducing VAT on recycled products. 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