Plastics Europe has presented an action plan to defossilise the plastics industry. The more than 100 plastics and chemical companies that come together under the umbrella of the association want to replace 65 per cent of fossil resources in plastics production with circular raw materials from biomass, recycled materials and carbon capture by 2050.
In Europe, 19.5 per cent of all plastics are already produced from circular raw materials. The „Plastics Transition Roadmap“ now contains concrete measures, milestones and targets, to further increase the proportion of circular plastics. However, for the ambitious plan to work, it also needs the support of the German government and the EU Commission.
„The Plastics Transition Roadmap, which we developed together with Deloitte, shows how we can reduce CO2 emissions in the plastics value chain by 28 per cent by 2030 and how the industry by 2050 into a climate-neutral circular economy can be transferred. With the support of the German government and the European Commission, European plastics manufacturers could increase the proportion of circular raw materials in plastics production to 25 per cent by 2030 and to 65 per cent by 2050. The additional investment and operating costs required to achieve this goal are estimated at 235 billion euros.“
Ingemar Bühler, Managing Director of Plastics Europe Germany.
„In order to achieve the European climate and circular economy targets, many levers must be set in motion,“ adds Alexander Kronimus, Managing Director Climate and Circular Economy at Plastics Europe Germany. „First and foremost, products must be manufactured in such a way that they use less material and are easier to recycle can be realised. In addition, the Expansion of reusable systems and circular business models be promoted. The necessary framework conditions should also be created so that companies can also invest in technologies under the current very difficult competitive conditions This will make it possible to further increase the proportion of plastics from alternative raw material sources such as biomass, mechanical and chemical recycling and CO2 from carbon capture. But we also need Investments in modern collection, sorting and recycling facilities of plastic waste, binding recycling quotas, as well as an EU-wide landfill ban and an extension of extended producer responsibility. In the Plastics Transition Roadmap, we have outlined a plan with short and medium-term measures on how the German government and the European Commission can support this transformation.“
Bettina Dempewolf, Head of Communications at Plastics Europe Germany, emphasises the importance of the roadmap: „The Plastics Transition Roadmap serves as a compass on our path to a climate-neutral circular economy. It helps us to set the right priorities and recognise potential obstacles to the transformation at an early stage. The European plastics industry is a frontrunner in the development of circular plastics technologies, particularly in the utilisation and recycling of plastic waste. However, we are monitoring the investment climate in Europe with great concern. The difficult market conditions could lead to increased dependence on imports and restrict European companies in their ability to invest sustainably. The German government must therefore take targeted measures to enable investment in environmentally friendly technologies and promote the use of circular plastics. For example, by introducing binding recyclate use quotas in the EU Packaging Regulation and the UN Plastics Convention, as well as by recognising targeted mass balances for circular raw materials. In Europe, the growth of circular plastics already exceeds that of fossil fuels by a factor of 16. However, in order for plastics manufacturers to be able to further increase the proportion of circular raw materials in plastics production, the right course must be set in this legislative period.“
Source: Plastics Europe
