Decisive action is essential to support the European plastic recycling industry in its struggle with import pressure and high costs, industry association Plastic Recyclers Europe (PRE) president Ton Emans said.
"We urge EU policymakers to take a fast and strong political stance, introducing effective import controls and enforcing existing legislation, including the restriction of importing materials which do not meet equivalent EU sustainability and safety standards," Emans said.
PRE noted that high energy prices and costs for plastic waste feedstock are causing difficulties for recyclers, with rising plastic waste exports from Europe showing an "alarming shift away from in-region recycling efforts".
The association said exports were 36pc higher in 2024 than in 2022, while data from Global Trade Tracker show that EU exports listed as "waste, parings and scrap of plastics" rose by 45pc over the same period. Exports of plastic waste are particularly impactful for the flexible PE recycling industry, with large volumes of flexible PE waste sold from Europe to recyclers in Turkey and southeast Asia.
Recyclers are also being "undercut by cheaper imported materials", PRE said.
PRE highlighted recent capacity closures as signs of the pressure faced by European recyclers. "The total capacity of facilities that shut down in 2024 doubled compared to 2023, and the situation is intensifying in 2025, impacting both small and large companies alike," the association said.
Recent capacity losses in the EU have included 17,000 t/yr HDPE and PP recycler Stiphout Plastics, which was pronounced bankrupt in December, while Flexible PE recycler Repeats Group decided to suspend production at most of the recycling lines at its plant in Zutphen in the Netherlands earlier this month.
The UK's recycling industry has also been under pressure, with Viridor Polymers deciding to close its 80,000 t/yr Avonmouth PET, HDPE and PP recycling plant late last year.
