The IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen has published its fifth sustainability report for the industry. In it, it presents the positive developments and new solutions for a more sustainable and circular use of plastic packaging.
The report serves as an assessment of an industry that has set itself ambitious targets for the circular economy by 2025: One million tonnes of recyclate use and 90 percent recyclable or reusable household packaging. A study by the Society for Packaging Market Research (GVM) shows that the proportion of recyclable or reusable plastic household packaging has risen from 75 per cent (2016) to 81 per cent (2020).
„Many innovations are currently being developed, so we can expect a further increase in the coming years. This means that the industry is right on track to achieve the target of 90 per cent recyclability.“
Isabell Schmidt, IK Managing Director Circular Economy
The use of recycled material in plastic packaging is also making progress at 474,000 tonnes (2019), compared to just under 400,000 tonnes in 2017. This confirms that the race to catch up has begun: Between 2017 and 2019, the Demand for recyclates up by over 18 per cent, at the same time as consumption of new plastic goods declined. Here, too, the industry expects the positive trend to continue.
However, the report also points out the many challenges. For example, the Procurement of high-quality recyclates, especially for food packaging, still a major hurdle for the industry. „In cooperation with the recycling industry and other stakeholders from business, politics, authorities and civil society, we are committed to overcoming the existing hurdles in a variety of ways,“ says Isabell Schmidt.
Whether consumer, product or climate protection, protecting the oceans from plastic pollution or the transformation to a functioning circular economy: with their products and development goals, plastic packaging manufacturers are contributing to the United Nations' sustainability goals in a variety of ways and support the political development goals at European and German level. With the IK Sustainability Report, which provides data and facts about the industry, the association also invites plastics critics to take a differentiated and objective look at the often emotionally charged issue of „plastic packaging“. Critical aspects such as waste in the environment are not ignored.
Source: IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e.V. (Industrial Association for Plastic Packaging)
