The newly-founded association Chemical Recycling Europe has issued its first “position paper”, highlighting the most urgent topics affecting the industry.
The European body called on the ‘whole plastic value chain’ for further collaboration and urged national policy-makers to develop new EU regulatory and policy measures to support recycling technologies in the region.
Among other things, the association is looking to create a supportive framework to “recognise” chemical recycling and to “fully exploit” the potentials offered by the technologies.
Additionally, it advocates a level playing field for all recycling technologies, including implementing similar EPR (extended producer responsibility) systems for mechanical and chemical recycling.
The paper also demanded that chemical recycling be recognised “as recycling” in the waste hierarchy, to ensure it counts towards EU recycling targets.
The association concluded with the reminder that chemical recycling was “a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to incineration and landfill.”