Resources

Plastics are a critical component of modern life, indispensable in sectors such as healthcare, construction, aerospace, renewable energy, and daily consumer use. However, plastic waste has become one of our most pressing environmental challenges. Traditional recycling methods, like mechanical recycling, have helped manage plastic waste, but they are not sufficient…

The value of plastics – used almost everywhere – has also created one of its most significant challenges. Plastics do not belong in our environment, food or drinking water. We believe any plastics waste in the environment is unacceptable.

The circular economy is about recognising and capturing the value of plastics as a resource, with the least impact on the climate. Over recent years, Plastics Europe has accelerated the transition to a circular economy, among other actions.

Developing high-quality and high-performance products and solutions that are sustainable can be highly complex and challenging. It requires innovative technologies and some of the best scientists, engineers and most innovative minds, and has been the bedrock of the leaders of our industry for over a century.

We should not only look for easy solutions; fixing one problem today and creating another tomorrow. Long-term vision is important, as is the need to act with urgency and to work collectively towards shared goals.