Advancing collection and sorting infrastructures were identified by Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE) as the key to unlocking much-needed investments in the recycling of rigid polyolefins.
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PRE: Increased collection and sorting a must for EU targets
Background of white plastic bottles of yogurt. Separately collected HDPE waste for recycling
With the current EU recycling capacity for HDPE and PP at 1.2Mt for post-consumer and additional 0.5Mt for pre-consumer waste, the recycling facilities can treat roughly 18 per cent of rigid polyolefin waste. The scaling up of the EU plastics recycling capacity hinges on ensuring that the maximum of plastic waste is captured for recycling.
Werner Kruschitz, PRE PP/PO Working Group Chairman, said: “Capturing additional tonnages and sorting out pots tubs and trays, is just one of the examples of making the change. Driving the uptake of recyclates, is equally important.”
Herbert Snell, PRE HDPE Working Group Chairman, added: “The recycled rigid polyolefins content must be widened. The existing trend of fully circular uses of rigid polyolefin recyclate, where rHDPE from bottles is used in bottle production, and HDPE and PP crates can be recycled back into crates, must continue to grow.”
Making rigid polyolefins fully circular depends on ensuring a product is readily recyclable. This will enable the highest value of the material at its end of life but will also make recycling more cost-effective while meeting the requirements of even the most demanding applications. Additionally, filling the existing legislative gaps to drive the uptake of recyclates by, for example, using public procurement, is yet another solution that must be fully exploited.
Rigid polyolefins streams have the potential for a greater contribution to plastic packaging recycling targets. However, to further develop recycling infrastructure and markets for this grade in Europe, collaboration of the industry together with European policy makers is critical.