Producer responsibility pushing recycling rates higher, finds EPRO 2016 recycling data
PlasticsEurope, in alliance with EPRO, has released the recycling rates for Europe over 2016.
Recycling rates passed 40 per cent in Europe, and total recovery reached almost 80 per cent, with 6.8m tonnes, tonnes recycled, 40.9 per cent of its 16.7m tonnes plastic packaging waste in 2016, well above the EU’s minimum target of 22.5 per cent.
EPRO found the results positive progress, stating the extended producer responsibility is managed well.
Each country in the EU has national targets for recycling, based on the EU directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (94/62/EU).
Stuart Foster, RECOUP CEO and EPRO Director said: “There is unparalleled interest and focus on plastic packaging resource management at the moment. These statistics are fundamental in understanding the current position across Europe and possible ways forwards around household, commercial and agricultural sector plastic packaging recycling.”
There are still big differences on energy recovery results within Europe. Most countries in Northern parts of Europe recover 90-100 per cent of all their plastic packaging waste, while some other countries still landfill most of their plastic packaging not sorted out for recycling.
Included in EPRO’s report were comparisons with Canada and South Africa – individual provinces are responsible for collection mandates, so Canada has no standard method for measuring material recycling. The household collection rates are in the ranges of: PET Bottles: 56 – 58 per cent; HDPE Bottles: 45 – 65 per cent; Plastic Film: seven – 27 per cent; other plastics: 22 - 37 per cent.
In South Africa, the PET collection and recycling industry keeps growing, as the total PET market grew by 15 per cent in 2016, from 210,000 tonnes to 241,000, with the beverage sector accounting for 68 per cent of this market.
For the second consecutive year, the collection rate for post-consumer PET bottles exceeded target, with more than 90,000 tonnes of post-consumer bottles recycled, with two billion bottles, or 55 per cent of the total PET bottle market.
Most of these bottles were processed into polyester staple fibre or recycled into food and non-food grade recycled PET resin, fully closing the loop in bottle-grade recycling.