Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Plastics News
  • Plastics News China
SustainablePlasticsFINAL
Subscribe
  • Login
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • News
    • Recycling
    • Sustainability
    • Bioplastics
    • Technology & Materials
    • Enespa, Biofabrik to build industrial-scale chemical recycling facility
      Amcor, McKinsey.org are ‘Rethinking Recycling’ in Latin America
      Nylon sorting made easy
      Plastic pallet recycling scheme celebrates second anniversary
    • A fast casual gets serious about the environment
      Value chain collaboration yields new circular packaging solution
      Circa Group successfully completes NOK 575 million private placement
      Arburg publishes its first Sustainability Report online
    • Assets Bio-on S.p.A. up for auction
      Bio-Fed and Febo S.p.A. expand distribution agreement
      RenCom launches production of new lignin-based biomaterial
      SP Group, Nurel Biopolymers develop food-contact approved compostable barrier film structures
    • Injection Moulding
    • Blow Moulding
    • Extrusion
    • Thermoforming
    • 3D printing
    • Technology
    • Materials
    • Machinery
  • Opinion
    • View Point
    • PHA: As green as it gets
      Opinion: The future of sustainable plastic
      A year to remember
      Opinion: California introduces world’s toughest plastic bottle recycling legislature – will other markets follow?
  • Events
    • Our Exhibitions
    • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
    • Ask the Expert
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
    • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
    • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
  • Prices & Resources
    • Polymer Prices
    • Data Reports
    • White Papers
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Media Pack
  • Subscribe
  • Digital magazine
    • Digital Magazine
  • Multimedia
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
July 27, 2016 07:00 AM

Q&A: Give us a single market in plastics recycling

Plastic News Europe
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Ton Emans

    For this Q&A feature for Plastics News Europe Ton Emans, president of Plastics Recyclers Europe, outlines how the European Commission can help the plastics recycling sector grow.

    Can you explain how PRE is working with the European Commission regarding its plans for the Circular Economy?

    PRE is monitoring the situation and follows the next steps in the revision of the proposal.

    What would you like the Commission to do differently in terms of policy and regulation?

    The current legislative discussion on the Waste Package is a good starting point. But we will not be able to solve all the market barriers for plastics waste by pure legislation.

    If we want to be ambitious on the Circular Economy it is extremely important to further boost plastics recycling and to push it in the right direction. With the [correct] sorting, consumption of plastics recycling is the solution to the efficient waste management and marine litter.

    For instance, the market of plastics waste must be structured and standardised to allow recyclers to produce recycled plastics in big quantities and stable qualities. This initiative can be launched and supervised by legislation but it is industry's core task to clear and harmonise the market.

    Is the European plastics recycling industry receiving good levels of investment?

    Europe is lacking sorting and recycling capacity. The EU-28 recycling plants can handle around half of the collected plastics, as the rest is exported. It is therefore one of our prerogatives to increase the European capacity in sorting and recycling facilities in order to recycle higher amounts of plastic waste.

    Have low oil prices negatively affected plastics recycling demand in Europe? Do you think there are global economic risks this year that could put pressure on the recycling industry?

    Lower virgin prices definitely have an impact on recyclates, however, lower exports to China could release some pressure on recycled material.

    Since November 2015, we can observe a decline in the exports of plastics waste, which is a positive sign for the recyclers. This is linked to the economic slowdown in China.

    China refuses to accept heavily polluted waste and does not want to be any longer the garbage [receiver] of Europe nor America. Critical for this situation was the introduction of the Green Fence, one of the first campaigns of China to enforce its more rigorous waste quality legislation.

    How big an obstacle to the industry's development are the differences in plastics recycling infrastructure in EU member countries?

    Lack of harmonisation of plastics recycling is the main obstacle for the development of the industry. Easing regulatory burdens and enhancing harmonisation are prerequisites to make the single market deliver its full potential and boost recycling.

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Sustainable Plastics' news delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe

    Subscriptions to Sustainable Plastics, the leading Pan-European magazine for the circular plastics industry are coming soon.

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter

    "In a changing world, Sustainable Plastics is a constant: a platform the plastics industry can rely on to deliver the news and knowhow impacting the industry going forward”

    SustainablePlasticsFINAL
    Contact Us

    11 Ironmonger Lane, EC2V 8EY
    United Kingdom 
     

    Customer Service:
    1-313-446-0450

    [email protected]

     

    Resources
    • Advertise
    • Sitemap
    • Careers
    • Subscribe
    Affiliates
    • Plastics News
    • Plastics News China
    • LSR World
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Tire Business
    • Rubber & Plastics News
    • Automotive News
    • Automotive News Europe
    • Crain Publications
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Recycling
      • Sustainability
      • Bioplastics
      • Technology & Materials
        • Injection Moulding
        • Blow Moulding
        • Extrusion
        • Thermoforming
        • 3D printing
        • Technology
        • Materials
        • Machinery
    • Opinion
      • View Point
    • Events
      • Our Exhibitions
        • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
      • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
      • Ask the Expert
      • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
      • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
    • Prices & Resources
      • Polymer Prices
      • Data Reports
      • White Papers
    • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Media Pack
    • Subscribe
    • Digital magazine
      • Digital Magazine
    • Multimedia