Plastics can potentially reach a much higher recycling rate of over 60% by 2020

13-Sep-13

A plastics recycling target of 62% is achievable by 2020. Plastics Recyclers Europe released a study showing that a higher recycling rate for plastics will create benefits for the European Union environment, economy and resource efficiency. “This study, commissioned to Bio Intelligence Service, aims to put forward the most suitable scenario in order to further improve the sustainability of plastics via recycling in Europe in the period to 2020. Enhancing plastics recycling will save scarce resources, create jobs and reduce environmental impacts” said Ton Emans (PRE President). Ton Emans underlined that “the current plastics recycling situation is no longer acceptable. In the long run, economic growth, demographic changes and growing scarcity of raw materials will not allow Europe the luxury of wasting 76% of all plastic materials used. Urgent measures are needed in order to increase recycling rates for plastics. This study proposes crucial measures that should be taken in order to achieve this.” The implementation of the Vision for Resource Efficiency will: * Efficiently use all plastic waste generated by putting 11 mln tons of plastics recyclates on the market; * Divert more than 24 mln tons of plastic waste from landfill; * Recover energy from 7.5 mln tons of residual waste; * Create around 360 000 jobs (of which 120 000 directly employed by recyclers); * Save more than €4.5 billion (by substitution for virgin plastics); * Avoid emissions of more than 26 MtCO2.