Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE), the Brussels-based trade body for the continent's recycling sector, has appointed Antonino Furfari as its new managing director.
Furfari, who replaces Alexandre Dangis, was previously PRE's recycling and advocacy manager.
News of his appointment came at PRE's annual general meeting, which was held in Portugal last week.
The two-day event heard from Helmut Maurer from the DG Environment at the European Commission, who stressed the importance of moving to a circular economy by implementing a future ban on landfilling plastics and “adequate rules on design of plastic, particularly plastic packaging”.
Maurer said he wanted a critical assessment of incineration: “Closing landfills for plastic must not lead to more incineration, and statistical confusion about what is recycling and what is energy recovery must be cleared away.”
Also speaking at the meeting was Ton Emans, president of Plastics Recyclers Europe.
Emans told attendees that recyclers needed to be realistic. “Despite the fact that the industry took almost a quantum leap over the past 20 years it needs further investments to become more competitive and professionalised.
“With only 26.3% recycling rates and landfill and incineration still having much higher share we cannot rest on our laurels.”