Spain's plastic recycling industry faces waste supply shortage

The Spanish plastic recycling industry is facing a significant imbalance between its installed processing capacity and the actual volume of available waste. During the 5th National Plastic Recycling Congress organized by Anarpla in Madrid, industry leaders highlighted that while Spain maintains an installed capacity of approximately 2.4 million tons—representing 18% of the European total—the amount of material actually processed is insufficient.

In 2025, gross recycling stood at 1.67 million tons, leaving a gap of over 800,000 tons compared to the industry's potential. Experts warned that this deficit could approach 900,000 tons by 2028 if selective collection is not improved. Anarpla President David Eslava noted that while Spain has avoided the capacity losses seen elsewhere in Europe, the industry's resilience is limited by the lack of high-quality raw materials rather than a lack of technology or investment.

Beyond waste supply, the sector is also addressing challenges regarding regulatory evolution, the demand for recycled materials, and the need for fair competition between European recycled materials and imports.