Page 49 - Plastics News July 2025
P. 49
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
new recycling technologies, the rules will boost for the sector in a technology-neutral way.”
the competitiveness of both the EU chemical
industry and manufacturers that use plastics in According to the commission, the methodology
their production, helping to establish Europe as for calculating this is based on the “fuel-use ex-
a leader in sustainable innovation,” the commis- cluded” allocation rule, which means that scrap
sion says. “The measures will also benefit the used to produce fuels or energy recovery can-
environment, as they will economically incentiv- not be counted as recycled content, in line with
ize producers to reuse plastic waste, rather than the definition of “recycling” in the Waste Frame-
disposing of it in landfills, littering or incinerating work Directive. The commission says the rules
it.” aim to balance transparency with minimal ad-
ministrative burden for companies and national
The rules are part of the new Action Plan for the authorities. Annual third-party verification will
EU Chemicals Industry, the commission says, de- be required for the most complex stages of the
signed to strengthen the sector’s competitive- value chain, such as during chemical recycling.
ness and drive its transition toward safe, sustain-
able and innovative chemical production. The commission says the requirements will be
lighter for small and medium-sized firms, with
The commission notes that the EU faces increas- verification required every three years, and com-
ing volumes of plastic scrap, creating an “urgent panies will be responsible for checking their busi-
need” to scale up plastic collection, sorting and ness partners’ self-declarations, while national
recycling. To reach its targets, the commission authorities will conduct risk-based controls.
says the EU supports all recycling technologies
that are better for the environment than incin- “This is the first time the EU has laid out rules for
eration or landfill disposal, including mechani- chemically recycled content,” the commission
cal recycling, which typically is preferred over says. "The calculation methodology will serve
chemical recycling because it is “less polluting as a model for future recycled content rules in
and more energy efficient.” other sectors, such as packaging, automotives
and textiles. This approach is designed to give
However, the commission adds, when mechani- investors confidence in the long-term stability
cal recycling is not feasible or when higher qual- and potential of these technologies.”
ity standards are needed, such as for food pack-
aging, chemical recycling provides a valuable Stakeholders are able to provide feedback on
alternative. the draft implementing act on the EU’s Have
Your Say portal by Aug. 19. Following a review,
“The new rules will ensure transparency in calcu- the commission says it will present the final draft
lating the amount of chemically recycled content to the technical committee, made up of mem-
in new single-use plastic bottles for beverages,” ber states’ representatives, for a vote, with the
the commission says. “By setting up a clear cal- adoption planned for this fall.
culation methodology, the rules will create a lev-
el playing field and provide investment security The Single-Use Plastics Directive sets recycled
content targets that include 25 percent recycled
July 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 49
