Page 59 - Plastics News March 2026
P. 59
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
EU PUBLISHES FINAL END-OF-LIFE-VEHICLE REGULATION
Under the provisional agreement, recycled plas-
tic content mandates will be phased in over a
10-year period with:
a minimum 15% recycled content required six
years after entry into force of the regulation
a minimum 25% recycled content required 10
years after entry into force of the regulation
At least 20% of these recycled content targets
ONDON (ICIS)–Details of the provisional
agreement on the End of Life Vehicle Reg- will need to be sourced from end-of-life vehi-
Lulation (ELVR) reached between the Euro- cles (ELVs). This equates to 3% recycled content
pean Parliament and the European Council have sourced from ELVs after six years, and 5% recy-
now been published. cled content sourced from ELVs after 10 years.
The ELVR includes mandatory recycled plastic The mandates will apply to passenger cars, light
content targets for new vehicles. commercial vans, regular heavy-duty vehicles,
motorcycles and special purpose vehicles, with
New details contained in the agreement include: the exception of small volume manufacturers of
heavy-duty special purpose vehicles.
♦ The acceptance of chemical recycling as
counting towards the target using a mass- “Recycled content mandates are expected to be
balance accounting approach met primarily through recycled polyolefins, sup-
ported by the wider availability of suitable waste
♦ Only post-consumer derived material will be feedstocks compared with other polymers used
allowed to count towards targets
in the automotive sector. ICIS previously esti-
♦ The possibility of bio-based material and mated that 0.5–0.6 million tonnes of recycled
tyre elastomers counting towards recycled polyolefins would be required by 2040, with the
plastic targets following a European Com- majority supplied by recycled polypropylene, as
mission review polypropylene is a key polymer used in auto-
motive components,” said ICIS Plastic Recycling
♦ New powers of derogation for the Commis- Analyst Mia McLachlan.
sion
The ELVR will also introduce:
♦ The agreement was reached in December
and published following the positive vote ♦ Design requirements for new vehicles
from the European Parliament’s committees ♦ Criteria for when a vehicle is considered an
on 25 February. If the wider European Parlia- ELV
ment Plenary and the European Council vote
through the agreement it will become law. ♦ A ban on the export of ELVs and require
March 2026 PLASTICS NEWS 59
