News Plastech
Europe's plastics recycling industry is experiencing its steepest contraction, with turnover down 5.5% and closures rising, risking progress toward circular economy goals, according to the latest industry figures.
IFCO released its ESG Report 2025, concluding the five-year strategy Thriving in the Circular Economy. The company reports progress across 18 goals, including over 10 billion single-use boxes replaced and a 37% emission cut per crate.
Områ, a new fine-sorting facility jointly owned by Tomra and Plastretur, has been officially opened near Oslo. The plant can process 90,000 tonnes of plastic packaging a year, sorting mixed waste into up to ten polymer fractions for recycling.
The new European standard EN 18065 incorporates DIN SPEC 91446 and 91481, creating a unified classification and digital product passport for plastic recyclates. The framework targets cross-sector use, with emphasis on packaging and automotive applications.
Interview with Antonello Ciotti, president of Petcore Europe, representing the PET value chain.
Signal Group reports rising demand for continuous VOC measurement in the packaging sector as manufacturers balance recyclability, carbon footprint and emissions under EPR and PPWR requirements. FID-based analysers support compliance and process control.
The 14th Green Economy General Assembly will take place at Ecomondo in Rimini on 4–5 November 2025. The opening session will present the Report on the State of the Green Economy 2025 and examine the European transition amid US policy shifts and rapid Chinese growth in low-carbon industries.
Following broad uptake in the UK, Tosca is extending its reusable plastic UDP half pallet across European retail, citing operational efficiencies, merchandising flexibility and measured sustainability benefits.
RecyClass released its Sorting Process Certification, aligning sorting controls with EU Regulation 2022/1616 for potential food-contact recycling. Sorting centres and downstream waste traders can apply from early 2026.
The Sustainable Packaging Summit 2025 will take place on 10–12 November at the Jaarbeurs Event & Exhibition Centre in Utrecht, featuring panels, workshops and presentations from global brands and industry organisations.
The European plastics industry faces challenges from strict regulations, rising recycling demands, and record-high energy costs. Production is shifting outside the EU, risking dependence on imports and weakened competitiveness.
Kisuma Chemicals is offering magnesium-based additive solutions to improve the performance and consistency of recycled plastics, with benefits such as odor reduction, melt flow and color retention, and gel reduction. The company will present the portfolio at K 2025, Hall 8B, booth H31.
RecyClass says its Recycling Process Certification now covers 60% of Europe’s installed plastics recycling capacity. Stream-level coverage in 2024 reached 58% for HDPE/PP, 62% for ELV-WEEE, 70% for LDPE and 75% for PET.
Röhm’s Europe-wide PMMA recycling alliance reports significantly higher recovery rates and delivers a taillight demonstrator with 30% mechanically recycled content, developed with Valeo and the Renault Group’s consortium The Future Is Neutral.
Freudenberg Performance Materials has published its first standalone sustainability report for its technical textiles business. The report outlines a 2045 Scope 1 and 2 CO2 neutrality goal and details 2024 progress in emissions, energy efficiency and renewable electricity.
Erema reports rising demand for food-grade post-consumer recyclate and is supplying systems aimed at meeting EU and US safety requirements. A new PLC integration for ReFresher extends process visibility and data access.
Syensqo and cylib reported pilot-scale production of high-purity lithium hydroxide from end-of-life EV batteries, recovering lithium from mixed chemistries on a single line. The collaboration integrates solvent extraction with hydrometallurgy and targets compliance with EU battery recovery thresholds.
Tosca promotes Crystal Clear reusable plastic POS displays as an alternative to single-use cardboard, aligned with PPWR and EPR. The modular units are available via pooling with tracking and maintenance, and the company reports up to 70% CO2 savings versus single-use systems.
Labelexpo Europe 2025 will debut at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, with its largest edition to date and a strengthened education and networking program. The new Pulse Arena and Label Academy master classes will address sustainability, PPWR, diversification into flexible packaging and folding cartons, and AI.
RIGK will launch the #RIGKWebinarHub with a free online session on 11 September 2025, focusing on how to meet the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. The 90-minute webinar targets packaging value chain stakeholders and will be held in English.
Commentary by Anna Kozera-Szałkowska, Managing Director of Plastics Europe Poland.
The Sabic Plastic Energy Advanced Recycling joint venture in Geleen, the Netherlands, has produced its first batch of pyrolysis oil from hard-to-recycle plastic waste, marking a step toward full commercial operations later this year.
Envalior launches the Envalior CARES strategy, structuring goals across low carbon, sustainable resources and social responsibility. The company updates GHG targets, announces ISCC PLUS materials for K 2025, and introduces expanded reporting aligned with the CSRD.
The PPWR reshapes packaging requirements in the EU. Utz Group offers consulting that includes compliance analysis and optimization of packaging and transport processes.
Henkel Adhesive Technologies has introduced the phthalate-free Darex COV sealant range for metal pails and drums, replacing existing formulations to meet tightening regulations. The flagship Darex COV 73 enables lower curing temperatures and avoids CMR-classified ingredients.
KHS GmbH has received a platinum medal from EcoVadis with 86 out of 100 points, placing the company in the top 1% of more than 150,000 rated firms. The supplier also achieved a leader rating on the carbon scorecard and is aligning its voluntary reporting with CSRD requirements.
At the beginning of 2025, news of bankrupt recycling companies, mainly in Western Europe, were reported in a series of non-exhaustive lists of names: Blue Cycle - Netherlands, Stiphout Plastics - Netherlands, Bage Plastics - Austria, Texaid, Veolia - Germany.
Amaplast, the Italian association for plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers, voices serious concerns about the new EU-USA tariff agreement, warning of significant challenges for European industry and exports.
The European Food Safety Authority EFSA confirms the compliance of the decontamination performance of the recoStar PET art recycling process in a positive “Scientific Opinion” based on the new regulation in force since 2022.
Kuraray is driving sustainable innovation in the packaging industry with new high-performance materials for recyclable mono-material barrier packaging concepts - including biocircular Eval Evoh, biodegradable Plantic , Kuraray Poval, Exceval, Elvanol, and Mowiflex.
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which came into force on February 11, 2025, marks a significant shift for the European packaging industry.
Tethered caps have been mandatory for all non-returnable PET bottles in the EU since 2024. Consequently, the number of closure variants and thus the demands made of inspection technology have increased. KHS GmbH is meeting these new challenges with the help AI.
KHS GmbH has restructured its voluntary reporting process. The systems provider for the filling and packaging industry has now brought its sustainability report further into line with the EU reporting standard and is disclosing additional non-financial KPIs.
Key figures within the EU Plastic Recycling Industry and others have joined forces to raise alarm over the European Commission’s draft Clean Industrial State Aid Framework, citing a critical lack of support for circularity measures.
The Plastics Recycling Show Europe shattered records in Amsterdam with over 500 exhibitors, more than 75 expert speakers, and an all-time high of 13,325 attendees over the two days.
The European Union’s plastic recycling industry is at a breaking point. A sharp decline in domestic production, increased imports, and rising economic pressures are forcing company closures.