PLASTIC RECYCLING

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According to a study commissioned by the Institute for the Promotion of Recycled Plastics from Plastic Consult, and also reported by the National Consortium for the Collection, Recycling, and Recovery of Plastic Packaging, the volume of regenerated plastics in Italy in 2022 grew by 22% compared to 2020 and by 4% compared to 2021, reaching 1,327 million tons. This value consists of 71% post-consumer (PCR) and the remaining 29% from pre-consumer industrial waste (PIR).

© Plastic Consult

Polyethylene (PE) represents 33% of the collected plastic (+13% compared to 2021), followed by polypropylene (PP), which accounts for 26%. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) represents 17%, while polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS) both reach 6%.
In absolute terms, packaging is the predominant market for recycled materials (35%), followed by construction (26%), hygiene and urban furniture (13%), household items, furniture, and furnishings (10%), with agriculture, textiles, and technical articles accounting for between 3% and 4%
PET has its own recycling system, standing at around 28% (while polyolefins, the top in terms of collection quantity, only reach 20%).
Expanding the view to the entire planet, the averages naturally decrease, especially since millions of people live without an organized waste collection system. Considering that humanity produces 400 million tons of plastic waste each year, half of which comes from items designed for single use, less than 10% of this plastic is recycled, as outlined in the following diagram

However, this percentage varies significantly from country to country, and this variation also occurs within Europe, where the average plastic recycling rate is 32%.

Plastec can be a reliable partner for managing productions that use post-industrial regenerated plastic, post-consumer recycled plastic, and biodegradable and compostable plastics. Having been committed to working with these materials for years, Plastec is also able to offer consulting and support services for selecting the best solutions.

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