Meeting 65% demand of circular plastics would cost additional EUR 235 billion, projects Plastics Europe

Plastics Europe has launched the “Plastics Transition” roadmap to accelerate the transition to make plastics circular, drive lifecycle emissions to net zero and foster the sustainable use of plastics.

“Plastics Transition” is a response to the independent report “ReShaping Plastics: Pathways to a Circular, Climate Neutral Plastics System in Europe” commissioned by the European trade association in 2021. The report included recommendations for transitioning to the EU’s net-zero carbon emissions and circularity goals by 2050.

The roadmap provides a framework, milestones for 2030 and indicators to monitor progress, identify bottlenecks and find solutions to achieve the ambitious goal.

Members of Plastics Europe unite on common vision to accelerate plastics circularity. (Photo: Plastics Europe)

Unveiling the plan

“Plastics Transition” establishes a comprehensive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the overall plastics system by 28% by 2030 and towards net-zero by 2050. In parallel, it assumes a gradual substitution of fossil-based plastics, with circular plastics meeting 25% European demand in 2030 and 65% by 2050.

Cumulated additional investments and operational costs needed to reach the above ambitions are projected to be EUR 235 billion.

The roadmap also identifies key levers and enablers, and list out details of immediate, short and medium-term milestones and actions for plastics manufacturers.

In addition, it highlights that circularity intrinsically requires a whole value chain approach and includes recommended actions for policymakers and value chain stakeholders, between now and 2030.

Virginia Janssens, Managing Director of Plastics Europe explained that decisions taken in the next few years would determine whether and how quickly the parties can fulfil the ambitions set-out in the roadmap. There is an urgent need for policy and regulatory framework that stimulates circular markets and industry investments in Europe.

Furthermore, the roadmap emphasizes the need to establish a European waste management system, develop minimum circular plastics content targets for key plastics applications, and unlock industry investment in chemical recycling infrastructure.

Initiating collaboration with different stakeholders

“The roadmap should be viewed as an invitation to challenge our thinking and identify the areas where we can join forces and progress faster together. To promote this collaboration Plastics Europe is calling on the European Commission to develop a Clean Transition Dialogue for the European plastics system,” stated Rob Ingram, Plastics Europe Steering Board Roadmap Task Force Lead and CEO of INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe.

Plastics Europe believes that the “Plastics Transition” roadmap will make an important contribution to informing and promoting dialogue and collaboration with policy makers and the value chain. The roadmap is a dynamic process which will be progressively updated based on new insights and changes to the industry environment, policy framework and input from value chain.