Our Goals

Due to the complexity of the plastics industry in Europe, which is composed of 60.000 companies that operate in a variety of markets, and the focus of the EU Commission on the identified issues around marine litter and low recycling rates of plastics, we propose immediate actions on recycling as well as the continuation of voluntary activities that started for PVC and PET. Together, as an overall setup of organisations that stimulate EU voluntary actions per polymer material type, we wish to develop a new main European-wide action plan on several plastics waste streams to achieve 2 overall targets by 2040.

70%

Recycling and reuse of plastic packaging

50%

Recycling and reuse of

all plastics

These ambitious and challenging overall targets form the framework for a whole number of more specific actions and goals which are introduced per polymer type. Working closely together in polymer value chain initiatives is the best way to ensure technical solutions are/will be found and strong links will be established to the End of Life innovations of our plastic products.

Existing and future initiatives are:

PRE promotes plastics recycling and create conditions that enable profitable & sustainable business while offering a service platform to its members.

VinylPlus® is the voluntary commitment to sustainable development by the European PVC industry value chain.

As the voice of the European PET industry, Petcore Europe's mission is to enhance the value and sustainable growth of the complete PET value chain in Europe.

The European Carpet and Rug Association (ECRA), based in Brussels, Belgium, is an organization which groups the leading carpet manufacturers in Europe.

European Plastics Converters (EuPC) is the leading EU-level trade association, based in Brussels, representing European plastics converting companies.

Founded in 2018, PCEP Europe is working to improve sustainability and circularity of products made from polyolefins (PP, PE).

Uptake of More Recycled Polymers by

Converters and Brand Owners

Plastics converters and compounders commit to using more recycled plastics materials (rPM) in final applications, provided the quality and material availability are secured and brand owners or specifiers are willing to request more recyclates in their specifications.

The leading 10 brand owners in Europe will be invited in 2018 to pledge for a certain percentage of intake of recycled polymers in their packaging. The list of the committed brand owners together with their pledge will be published towards December 2018.

A regular EU wide online survey about the current and future use of plastics recyclates by converters will be published on a yearly basis to demonstrate the growing intake of recycled material in the plastics industry in Europe.

EuPC and PRE will organise 50 specific workshops between converters and recyclers from 2018 to 2020 all over Europe to improve the current quality level of recycled polymers. We will invite all stakeholders including brand owners, waste collectors, retailers and public authorities to join these workshops to make them understand the challenges the industry is facing and to look together for technical solutions.

Provided that legislators will be able to implement stricter sorting requirements to the EU Member States at the latest in 2020 and that a sufficient supply of high-quality recyclates is available, a specific minimum recycled content for certain agreed applications could be suggested for specific products in public procurement if the value chain agrees upon its implementation. We will therefore publish in 2020 a European catalogue of at least 500 plastic (semi-finished) products available in the market, that contain 50% or more of recycled polymers.