New EU packaging rules could increase demand for recycled plastics while also changing the requirements for the recycling industry.

Under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), mandatory minimum recycled-content requirements for plastic packaging will increase demand for recycled materials. TOMRA says the impact will depend on clear rules for calculation, verification, certification and enforcement.

From recovery to quality

The focus is shifting from simply recovering material to producing recyclates with defined quality, traceability and documented performance.

TOMRA argues that recycled plastics imported into Europe should only count toward EU targets when they meet equivalent standards for collection, sorting, recycling, traceability and enforcement.

“Article 7 is a major opportunity to accelerate circularity for plastics in Europe. But recycled-content targets must be backed by robust equivalence criteria, traceability and enforcement for imports of recyclates from other parts of the world. Otherwise, Europe risks undermining the investments needed to build a competitive recycling industry,” says Wolfgang Ringel, SVP Public Affairs at TOMRA.

Pressure on recycling infrastructure

For recyclers, sorting quality, material purity and reliable verification are becoming increasingly important as recycled content moves from a sustainability objective to a regulatory requirement.

TOMRA says the new regulatory framework could support investment in European recycling capacity and strengthen the market for secondary raw materials, provided that clear and enforceable rules create a level playing field.

Source: TOMRA

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