A new study by Plastics Recyclers Europe suggests that the 65% recycling target for plastic packaging is achievable by 2025.
The Brussels-based association announced in December, however, that reaching this target would require a comprehensive set of measures and necessary tools to be put in place.
Among other things, measures to ensure far more attention be paid to improving the quality and capacity of the sorting of plastic packaging waste across the EU were needed. Recyclability should become an integral part of these products' design.
Design for Recycling, the study suggested, would not only increase the recyclability of plastics packaging on the market, it would also reduce sorting and recycling costs.
“These measures would lead to an increased quality of the produced recyclates and ultimately raise consumers' confidence in recycled products,” PRE said in a statement.
The European association also called for “strong communication” across the plastics value chain and “a legislative push” to enable higher uptake of recycled materials.
In terms of environmental, societal and economic benefits of increased recycling rates, the study said substitution of virgin with recycled plastics will save 80% of CO2 emissions.
Additionally, through the measures over 115,000 jobs will be created with €1bn economic benefits, PRE claimed.