As a new study by the European Patent Office (EPO) shows, Europe and the USA are global leaders when it comes to innovations in plastics recycling and alternative plastics technologies. Germany contributed the highest share from Europe.
Between 2010 and 2019, Europe and the USA each accounted for 30 per cent and 60 per cent respectively of global patent activity in these areas. From Europe, Germany contributed the highest share of both in the field of plastics recycling and bioplastics technologies (around 8 per cent each in an international comparison). In contrast, France, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium are more specialised in these areas.
The Study entitled „Patents for the Plastics of the Future: Global Innovation Trends in Recycling, Circular Design and Alternative Raw Materials“ presents a comprehensive analysis of innovation trends for the period 2010 to 2019, which determine the transition to a circular economy in the plastics industry. The report aims to guide business leaders and policy makers to focus on promising technologies, assess their competitive advantages at different stages of the value chain and also identify innovative companies and institutions that can contribute to long-term sustainable growth.
„Plastics are undoubtedly essential for the economy. However, plastic pollution is threatening ecosystems around the world. The good news is that innovation can help us meet this challenge, by enabling the transition to a thoroughly circular model. This study provides important insights into a number of promising new technologies that focus on the reusability, recyclability and biodegradability of plastic products. The report highlights Europe's contribution to innovation in this sector. However, it also shows that much more should be done to translate the ground-breaking pioneering work of European research into inventions and bring them to market.“ António Campinos, EPO President
Chemical and biological recycling processes with the most patents
The study shows that among all recycling technologies, chemical and biological recycling processes recorded the highest patent activity in the reporting period. While the patenting of standard chemical processes (such as cracking and pyrolysis) reached a peak in 2014, emerging technologies such as biological processes with living organisms or plastic-to-monomer recycling new ways of breaking down polymers and producing new plastics.
EPA sees untapped potential in technology transfer
The report of the European Patent Office also shows that basic research in the fields of chemical and biological recycling plays a much greater role than in other plastics recycling technologies. According to the report, almost 20 per cent of inventions came from universities and public research institutions, with Europe and the USA having a clear lead over other countries. However, the report also shows that, that Europe is the only major innovation centre with a larger share of chemical and biological recycling inventions from upstream research. (29%) compared to the total volume in the area (26%).
In contrast, US start-ups and scale-ups generated four times as many inventions in chemical and biological recycling as their European counterparts (338 vs. 84). This indicates that, although Europe is particularly active in basic research, it is not the only country in the world with the highest number of inventions, is not yet realising its full potential in transferring these technologies into market-ready inventions. With a view to the future, the study also emphasises the considerable potential of alternative technologies that can be on new plastic designs for easier recycling focus. This area has developed exponentially in recent years and has recorded an average annual growth rate of 10 per cent since 2010.
Source: European Patent Office
