Plastics Recyclers Europe releases guidance on quality sorting of plastic packaging

Plastics Recyclers Europe has released guidance on quality sorting of plastic packaging.

The Plastics Recyclers Europe guidance provides an overview of the best sorting practices and presents a basic configuration that is indispensable for the adequate sorting of plastic packaging waste.

Plastics Recyclers Europe says removing contamination and sorting out packaging according to polymer types, and optionally by colour and product categories, is a prerequisite for securing high-quality recycling input.

The guidance also advocates a standardisation and harmonisation of such sorting practices, as this would ensure a more uniform and reliable flow of materials towards recycling facilities.

The organisation believes the challenge is to create a system where all the complementing steps, such as separate packaging waste collection, harmonised sorting standards and bales quality checks are optimised and equally enforced at the Member State level.

It adds it is essential to promote the separate collection of plastic packaging waste, and at the same time to create standards which will promote best practices in sorting and bales specifications for sorted plastic packaging waste.

It adds high-quality sorting of plastic packaging waste will lead to an increased productivity and improved cost-efficiency of the recycling processes, resulting in the production of high-quality recyclates. Such measures are essential if the industry is to move closer towards circular economy, the organisation concludes.