Plastic waste is a valuable resource that can be used to produce new plastic raw materials to manufacture new plastic products, and in cases where it is not feasible, to generate energy.

Currently, the plastics industry is looking for alternatives to replace fossil resources with renewable sources and carbon dioxide (CO2). The new approach, along the entire value chain, focuses on increasing the rate of waste converted to recycling, maximizing resource efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Along these lines, the recycling industry, supported by legislation that encourages reuse, is undergoing a clear expansion and transformation based on growth and the creation of new facilities.

According to the Mechanical Plastics Recycling report, prepared by AMI Consulting, regions such as Europe and Northwest Asia are actively promoting the reduction of excessive use of packaging, although these efforts are negated by the growth in the use of plastics in other areas of the world, such as Africa or India, which is currently growing.

According to the document, global production of plastic recycling from mechanical processes will reach almost 55 million tons in 2030. This figure indicates that the volume of 2022 has increased by 52%. There is still a long way to go, as the estimates that have been published, referring to global calculations of recycled basic plastics for 2030, only reach 16.5% of the total, indicating that it is an industry with potential growth. In fact, the analysis highlights that Europe and Northeast Asia have developing infrastructures for the collection of recyclable materials, although part of the volume is used for incineration.

In the above-mentioned report, we found an extensive assessment of the current state of the mechanical recycling market by region, analyzing supply and demand. In addition, it provides a detailed analysis of the raw material supply, the value chain of plastic waste and the end-use applications of recycling, with an examination of possible future absorption.