12.3 per cent of all plastics processed in German industry are covered by recyclates. In 2017, 14.4 million tonnes of plastic were processed. Accordingly, 1.8 million tonnes of this came from recycled material. This is according to the recently published study „Material flow picture of plastics in Germany 2017“, which was commissioned by numerous trade associations. More than 2,000 companies involved in the production, processing and recycling of plastics were surveyed.
The associations involved conclude from the results of the study „that material and energy-related Plastic utilisation continues to function at a high level in Germany“. In addition to the production of new plastics, the study also recorded in detail for the first time the quantities of Production and processing of recyclates.
Last year, a total of 21.8 million tonnes of plastic is produced in Germany, of which 14.4 million tonnes processed into plastic products are shown in the study. The Plastic waste volume amounted to around 6.2 million tonnes. 99 per cent of the plastic waste was recycled: 46.5 per cent for materials, one per cent for raw materials and 52 per cent for energy. The proportion of material recycling is the highest ever achieved, emphasise the initiators of the plastics material flow diagram.
