Plastic Waste and Recycling in the EU Facts and Figures

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/pl/headlines/society/20181212STO21610/odpady-z-tworzyw-sztucznych-i-recykling-w-ue-fakty-i-liczby

Plastic production has skyrocketed in just a few decades – from 1.5 million tonnes in 1950 to 359 million tonnes in 2018 worldwide. Plastic waste has also increased with it. While production fell sharply in the first half of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it picked up again in the second half of that year.

The EU has already taken action to reduce plastic waste, but what happens to the waste that is still being produced despite all efforts? And how can recycling of plastic waste be increased?

EU action to reduce plastic waste

Plastic waste treatment in Europe
The most common way to dispose of plastic waste in Europe is through energy recovery, followed by recycling. As the infographic shows, around 25% of all plastic waste generated is landfilled.

Half of the plastic collected for recycling is exported to countries outside the EU. Reasons for export include a lack of capacity, technology or financial resources to process the waste locally. EU waste exports to non-EU countries amounted to 32.7 million tonnes in 2020. The majority of waste is made up of ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap, paper, plastic, textile and glass waste. It mainly ends up in Turkey, India and Egypt.

In the past, a significant share of exported plastic waste was sent to China, but recent restrictions on plastic waste imports in China are likely to further reduce EU exports. This poses a risk of increased incineration and landfilling of plastic waste in Europe. Meanwhile, the EU is struggling to find sustainable and climate-friendly ways to manage plastic waste.

The low level of plastic recycling in the EU means big losses for the economy and the environment. It is estimated that the economic value of plastic packaging is lost to 95% after a short period of first use.

Scientists estimate that worldwide in 2019, plastic production and incineration pumped more than 850 million tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. By 2050, these emissions could rise to 2.8 billion tonnes – some of which could be avoided through better recycling.

Read more about waste management in the EU.

Problems with plastic recycling
The main challenges to recycling plastics are the quality and price of the recycled product compared to its virgin counterpart. Plastic processors need large volumes of recycled plastics, produced to strictly controlled specifications and at a competitive price.

However, plastics can be easily tailored to the needs (functional or aesthetic) of each manufacturer, so the variety of raw materials complicates the recycling process, increasing its cost and affecting the quality of the final product. As a result, demand for recycled plastics is growing rapidly, but in 2018 it only accounted for 6% of European plastic demand.

EU plans to move towards a circular economy by 2050, including reducing plastics.

Solutions to boost plastic recycling
In June 2019, the EU adopted new rules to tackle plastic marine litter. The rules introduce a series of measures targeting the 10 single-use plastics most commonly found on European beaches, as well as fishing gear. They also include a target for 25% of plastic in plastic bottles to be recycled by 2025, and 30% by 2030.

In November 2022, the European Commission proposed new EU packaging rules, including proposals to improve packaging design, such as clear labelling, to encourage reuse and recycling. They also call for a shift towards bio-based, biodegradable and compostable plastics.

Find out how the EU aims to achieve a circular economy by 2050.

As part of the Green Deal, 55% of plastic packaging waste should be recycled by 2030. This would mean better design for recycling, but MEPs say measures are also needed to stimulate the market for recycled plastics.

These measures could include:

creating quality standards for secondary plastics;
encouraging certification to increase industry and consumer confidence;
introducing mandatory rules on minimum recycled content in certain products;
encouraging member states to potentially reduce VAT on recycled products.

The European Parliament also backed a ban on lightweight plastic bags in the EU in 2015.

It also called on the European Commission to take action against microplastics.

In January 2023, Parliament voted in favour of a waste shipment law to encourage reuse, recycling and reduce pollution. MEPs insist that exports of plastic waste to countries outside the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) should be banned, while shipments to OECD countries should be ended within four years.