Latest on recycling in Europe

Some of the latest European statistics for recycling are really quite impressive.

• 85.8% for paper and cardboard packaging

• 78.3% for metal packaging

• 74.1% for glass packaging.

This is the average for all 28 EU countries, so some are even higher.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that consumers across Europe think that cartonboard is the most environmentally friendly type of packaging material.

Nevertheless, the European Union has now set ambitious new targets for plastic, seeking a 90% collection rate for PET bottles by 2029. That compares with the current average of 58%. Germany and Norway have already reached the 90% level, but Greece is down at 29% and Bulgaria bottom at 17%.

The EU also wants to see 25% recycled content in PET bottles by 2025 and 30% by 2030.

Apparently, this would require 60 new reprocessing plants with an average annual capacity of 30,000 tonnes each.

That’s a tall order, but there’s no way round it. Plastic has to prove itself all over again