Secondary plastics sector in Europe ‘at breaking point’

Plastic recyclers in the European Union have issued a dire warning about the state of their industry, saying it is at breaking point.

The grim outlook comes from Plastic Recyclers Europe (PRE) which blames a sharp decline in domestic production, increased imports and rising economic pressures. It says companies are closing within an industry that has long warned of the risks: ‘they are unfolding with severe consequences across the entire value chain’. Twice as much capacity was lost in 2024 than the year before.

PRE represents recyclers within the EU who process plastic scrap into high-quality material for new products. They comprise 850 recycling facilities with 13.2 million tonnes’ installed capacity and employ more than 30 000 people.

‘Action crucial’

‘Now more than ever, decisive action is essential,’ says PRE president Ton Emans. ‘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.’

‘These measures are crucial for the plastic recycling industry’s survival, which has already invested EUR 5 billion between 2020 and 2023 just to meet mandatory targets.’  

PRE argues that, on top of critical market trends, recyclers are grappling with high energy costs and soaring input costs. They are also being undercut by cheaper imported materials, often supplied with fraudulent claims in the countries of origin. 

Production slump

The group says EU plastic production is projected to drop to levels last seen in 2000, even though polymer consumption continues to grow. Plastic waste exports from the EU surged by 36% in 2024 compared to 2022, highlighting ‘an alarming shift’ away from in-region recycling efforts. The EU’s recycling and sustainability targets for 2025 are falling short, it is claimed.  

PRE warns that without recognising plastic recycling as a strategic sector, and using effective trade defence measures to safeguard European production against further distortions, the industry will continue to erode, thereby ‘undermining the bloc’s commitment to a circular plastics economy, resource independence and green jobs’.