EU Proposes Measures to Support the European Plastic Recycling Industry Amid Competition from China and Other Asian Regions

Berlin – The plastic recycling industry is facing fierce competition from China and other Asian regions. On Tuesday, the EU announced a series of proposals aimed at helping the European plastic recycling industry. The amount of plastic waste is increasing, while the growth of recycling capacity is slowing down. In 2021, recycling capacity grew by 17%, slowed to 10% in 2022, and only increased by 6% in 2023.

The European Commission said that by the end of 2025, recycling capacity "is expected to decrease by about 1 million tons."

The European Commission stated: "This decline in capacity not only poses challenges for environmental compliance but also for industrial competitiveness, economic growth, and job security."

One of the measures proposed by the European Commission is to increase investment in chemical recycling - a method that involves heating plastic at high temperatures to recycle it - although this method is more energy-intensive and polluting than mechanical recycling technology.

Berlin believes that chemical recycling may be effective for processing food packaging such as yogurt cans.

AFP reported that the proposal will involve establishing new rules to identify the content of recycled materials in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) single-use plastic bottles that can be processed through chemical processes.

Another measure aims to simplify complicated procedures and coordinate regulations among the 27 EU member states to facilitate the trade of recycled plastics more conveniently.

The overall goal of the European Commission's proposal is to "accelerate Europe's transition to a circular economy," in which recycled plastics will be regarded as "a valuable secondary raw material rather than waste, benefiting both the economy and the planet." Over half of plastic products (57%) are produced in Asia, with 35% coming from China.

Source: rfi

Original: toutiao.com/article/1852343277764041/

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