Recycling is regarded by many as one of the key solutions for tackling plastic pollution, but recycling for the sake of recycling is not enough. Recycled plastics should also be integrated into new products in an intelligent and sustainable way. As part of the European Plastics Strategy, the European Commission has called on industry to make voluntary commitments to boost the uptake of recycled plastics in order to “ensure that by 2025 ten million tons of recycled plastics find their way into new products on the EU market”. The Commission’s preliminary assessment of the pledges received, published on 20 November, welcomed the commitments, but recognised that achieving a well-functioning EU market for recycled plastics requires further effort.

How successful has the campaign been? What kind of pledges has the Commission received? To what extent are the voluntary pledges supporting also other objectives, such as restrictions on single-use plastics? What else needs to be done to increase the share of recycled plastics in products? This Policy Dialogue, organised in cooperation with UNESDA, Soft Drinks Europe, addressed these and other questions.

Speakers included: Annika Hedberg, Head of Sustainable Prosperity for Europe Programme, European Policy Centre, Hugo-Maria Schally, Head of Unit, Sustainable production, products and consumption, DG Environment, European Commission, Jean-Pierre Schweitzer, Policy Officer on Circular Economy & Product Policy, European Environmental Bureau, Isabelle Maurizi, Head, Sustainability & Environment, EuroCommerce, Hans van Bochove, Vice-President Public Affairs and Government Relations, Coca-Cola European Partners, Chair of UNESDA Packaging Task Force, Louise Bünemann, senior consultant from the Confederation of Danish Industries.