Plastic recycling - A waste of time or opportunity?

According to a recently published study by industry consulting firm Application Market Information Ltd.AMI Consulting said the plastics recycling industry would have to develop and grow significantly to meet the 2030 EU target for recycling plastic packaging, as well as the impact of the Chinese ban on waste imports.

The study predicts that Europe's recycling industry will need to more than double its current output capacity by 2030 to meet the target.The challenge in terms of capacity growth is that the plastics recycling industry is a complex and dynamic market segment with different supply chains and value chains.Because the price of the recycled product is intrinsically linked to the price of the original resin, the demand and financial viability of the process are often affected by fluctuations in the price of the raw material.Because of this, the demand for recycling increasingly boils down to brand owners wanting to be seen as "green" and "green" rather than as economic incentives.

This is mainly because sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers, and plastics are under considerable negative pressure, making them at the forefront of many debates and discussions.By reusing and recycling the value of plastic, it not only helps preserve products that currently come mainly from the earth's limited natural resources, but also helps prevent plastic waste from leaking into the ecosystem, creating a circular economy.Because of this, the plastic recycling industry is getting more and more attention.

Although polyethylene is currently the most recycled polymer in Europe, PET has the highest capture rate for plastic waste.

This is due to the fact that the main source of PET waste comes from the post-consumption collection of PET beverage bottles, which are widely collected in many countries and have long and powerful collection systems.Where container margin legislation is in place, collection rates for PET beverage bottles are reported to be as high as 96 percent, because they provide financial incentives to encourage consumers to participate in recycling systems.

AMI's June 2018 study - Plastic Recycling in Europe - capacity, capacity and future trends assessed Europe's current capacity and the additional capacity needed by 2030 for the following polymers, PE, PP, PS, PET and PVC.This report provides the current industry situation and forecasts the future direction of the industry.The amount of recycling consumed by end-use applications is given, and future demand is assessed. The industry is also discussed as to whether it can absorb the amount of recycling that must be produced in order to achieve the target.