In an press release published on May 6, 2019, industry association Plastic Recyclers Europe announced new statistics on the recycling capacity for rigid polyolefins in Europe. The association found Europe has a total recycling capacity of 1.7 million metric tons, with Italy (25%), Germany (22%), and the UK (15%) having the highest shares of installed recycling capacity. Rigid polyolefins include the plastic types high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP). The press release notes that “the biggest outlet for rigid polyolefins in Europe remains the packaging segment.” These products “are used in a vast array of applications ranging from food, household and personal care products.”
Herbert Snell is the Chairman of the HDPE and PP Working Group within the Plastic Recyclers Europe association. He commented that “the demand for the use of recyclates is increasing and shifting towards a wider range of applications which require a new set of specifications. Although the HDPE and PP recycling capacity is steadily growing, in order to meet this new demand and increase the quality, it will be essential to work on advancing collection and design for recycling.”
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Plastic Recyclers Europe (May 6, 2019). “Recycling capacity for rigid polyolefins in Europe total 1.7 m tonnes.”
