Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Plastics News
Subscribe
  • Login
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • News
    • Recycling
    • Sustainability
    • Bioplastics
    • Technology & Materials
    • Injection Moulding
    • Blow Moulding
    • Extrusion
    • Thermoforming
    • 3D printing
    • Technology
    • Materials
    • Machinery
  • Opinion
    • View Point
  • Events
    • Our Exhibitions
    • Plastics Industry Awards (PIA)
    • Ask the Expert
    • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
    • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
    • Sustainable Plastics Live
    • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
    • Plastics Recycling Show Europe
  • Prices & Resources
    • Polymer Prices
    • Data Reports
    • Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Media Pack
  • Subscribe
  • Digital magazine
    • Digital Magazine
  • Multimedia
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
October 25, 2018 07:00 AM

Chinese ban on imported plastic waste has mixed effect on recyclers

Chinese ban on imported plastic waste has mixed effect on recyclers

Julian Buckley

PRW Editor
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Mika Kaina from APK at Fakuma 2018. the FAKUMA 2018 in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

    Friedrichshafen, Germany — Recyclers in Europe are keeping watch on how China's ban on imports of waste plastic, and politicians' response to the problem, will impact their business.

    Frank Hendrickx, European business manager at polypropylene recycler Ecobat Technologies Ltd., said that while at Fakuma, he has spoken with representatives from various carmakers, including Volkswagen and Daimler. They believe the European Union is getting ready to announce new legislation mandating the use of recycled material in new cars.

    "Whether this legislation applies to 10%, 15% [of total material across a new vehicle], we don't know," he said. "In the automotive industry, there are very stringent specifications and standards. That means there are only very specific pieces coming out of the waste stream that you can recycle and then use to produce parts which meet automotive standards."

    Hendrickx estimates that if the EU requires 10% of automotive plastics be made up of recycled material, that would require 30 million metric tonnes of high-grade recycled plastic to achieve this target.

    "There is no way the industry can handle something along those lines," he said.

    Ecobat recycles batteries and recovers the lead and polypropylene. On the plastics side, it produces Seculene PP, a recycled product described as having the same characteristics as virgin material.

    While the wider automotive industry braces for possible new regulatory guidelines, the decision by China to close its doors to imported plastic waste has had little impact on the direction taken by other European recyclers.

    For example, recycler APK AG  has recently developed a new solvent-based recycling process that preserves polymer chains and results in an improved recyclate. At Fakuma, board member Mike Kaina said the company would be moving ahead with plans to increase its European recycling capacity regardless of the decision made by China.

    "Two years ago, other companies were looking at us and saying that this solvent-based technology was not necessary; they believed conventional recycling was enough. But the new technology developed by APK is designed to help worldwide," Kaina said.

    He added that the technology has attracted a series of chemical companies interested in partnering with the recycler to help improve process efficiencies and increase percentages of recycled material.

    APK now plans to open a second, 30,000-tonne-per-year recycling plant. Would the company have considered doing this if China had not closed its market to plastic waste imports?

    "The Chinese decision had no effect on our strategy; it's completely separate," he said.

    Newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    Get our newsletters

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

    SUBSCRIBE
    Sustainable Plastics Media Kit Cover

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

    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”

    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
    • LSR World
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Tire Business
    • Rubber News
    • Automotive News
    • Automotive News Europe
    • Crain Publications
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2022. 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
      • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
      • Plastics News Europe Live Archives
      • Sustainable Plastics Live
      • Reuters Responsible Business Europe 2022
    • Prices & Resources
      • Polymer Prices
      • Data Reports
      • Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
    • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Media Pack
    • Subscribe
    • Digital magazine
      • Digital Magazine
    • Multimedia