Growing demand for plastics, largely driven by the packaging industry, has led to a concerning accumulation of plastic waste in landfills. According to Plastics Europe, in 2022, 400.3 million tonnes of plastic were produced worldwide, with 58.8 million tonnes generated in Europe, 80% of which came from non-renewable fossil sources

Félix González and David Pérez - ITENE

 

The polyolefin family stands out for its high quantity consumed, with polypropylene (15.4%) and polyethylene (22.1%) being the most in demand, according to The Circular Economy for Plastics in ‘A European Analysis 2024’. 

 

 

In this context, it has become crucial to increase recycling rates and improve the quality of recycled plastic to meet the sustainability targets established by European legislation. The Directive (EU) 2018/852 and Royal Decree 1055/2022 require plastic packaging recycling rates to reach 50% by 2025 and 55% by 2030, with the goal of mitigating environmental impact and reducing dependency on virgin raw materials.

 

Moreover, the Royal Decree on Packaging also establishes minimum recycled content requirements for packaging, including those made of polyolefins. These requirements, combined with the scarcity of recycled materials suitable for high-demand applications, drive the research and...READING MORE AT https://www.infopack.es/revista/317/index54.html