October 10, 2024 16:00

The European recycling federation, EuRIC, is calling on Brussels to define minimum recycled content targets for plastics in the automotive sector as soon as possible, rejecting any attempts to reduce, postpone, revise, or otherwise dilute the targets.

A stable foundation is necessary to support investments in new capacity, as well as in research and development, from European plastic recyclers, who are currently facing challenging market conditions due to low demand and pressured prices.

Among the measures proposed by the European Commission is a requirement that at least 25% of the plastic used in the construction of new cars by 2030 come from recycling, with a quarter of that sourced from closed-loop systems, specifically end-of-life vehicles (ELV). EuRIC suggests these goals should be set four years after the new regulation takes effect. Additionally, the recycled content targets should be met using only post-consumer plastic waste.

According to EuRIC, recycled content targets of 25%, with 25% of that being closed-loop, provide the best cost-benefit balance, avoid excessive costs and supply shortages, and offer certainty for manufacturing planning, with some manufacturers already exceeding the proposed targets. Moreover, these recycled content targets are also a key condition for reaching the 30% plastic recycling target set by the End-of-Life Vehicle Regulation (ELVR). In the absence of a robust mechanism to incentivize the use of recycled plastics in automotive production, demand for recyclates will remain low, making it impossible to achieve the 30% recycling rate for ELV plastics.

EuRIC is also calling for robust certification to ensure a level playing field on recycled content, covering environmental, human health, and social aspects to ensure fair competition in recycling markets.

© Polimerica -  Reproduction prohibited, all rights reserved