May 30, 2025 14:30

Chemical Recycling Europe (CRE), the European association for chemical polymer recycling, has released a comprehensive document outlining guidelines for conducting life cycle assessments (LCA) of chemical recycling processes.

Developed in partnership with environmental consultancy Sphera, the guidelines aim to evaluate the environmental performance of these processes and make comparisons transparent and scientifically grounded.

According to CRE, the document provides a robust and harmonized methodological framework for analyzing key environmental indicators, such as greenhouse gas emissions, energy demand, and resource efficiency, while accounting for the specificities of chemical recycling. The goal is to bring greater consistency to environmental reporting and facilitate benchmarking across different technologies.

The guidelines are based on ISO standards 14040/44 and also incorporate EU and international reference frameworks. They do not prescribe specific solutions but rather equip stakeholders with tools to make informed and justified decisions, improving both the comparability and credibility of LCA studies in the sector.

The document, which is freely available for download, will also be shared with relevant industry stakeholders and policymakers to support evidence-based decision-making in the transition to a circular plastics economy.

Chemical Recycling Europe was founded in 2019 by a group of companies in the sector with the aim of engaging with EU institutions and strengthening collaboration across the entire value chain.

See also: Guidelines for Chemical Recycling LCAs 

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