International plastic recycling groups announce global definition of “Plastics Recyclability”

Plastics Recycling Europe and The Association of Plastic Recyclers, two global recycling organisations have developed a global definition governing the use of the term “recyclable”.

The definition relates to plastics packaging and products, to provide a consistent metric to guide the efforts of sustainability for plastics in the circular economy.

“The use of the term ‘recyclable’ is consistently used with packages and products without a defined reference point,” said Steve Alexander, President and CEO of The Association of Plastic Recyclers.

“At the end of the day, recyclability goes beyond just being technically recyclable there must be consumer access to a recycling program, a recycler must be able to process the material, and there must be an end market.”

For a plastic product to be considered recyclable it must now meet four conditions.

The product must be made with a plastic that is collected for recycling, has market value and/or is supported by a legislatively mandated program.

The product must also be sorted and aggregated into defined streams for recycling processes and be recycled with commercial recycling processes.

Lastly the recycled plastic must become a raw material that is used in the production of new products.

Ton Emans, President of Plastics Recycling Europe added: “As recyclers, we are a fundamental part of the solution to the issue of sustainability of plastics, and we need for the appropriate audiences to understand what is necessary to label a product or package ‘recyclable’.”

Although the definition is to be applied on a global scale, both groups understand the complexity of a global system of plastics recycling, and welcome comments from the plastics recycling industry and relevant stakeholders.