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2 clusters · 3 sources · 20 days · First seen about 1 month ago · Last updated 25 days ago

European plastic recycling industry challenges and evolution

Overview

The European plastic recycling industry is navigating significant economic and technical hurdles. Recent setbacks have seen a wave of cancellations and delays in chemical recycling projects across Europe and the United States. Companies such as Viridor have shuttered operations in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden due to unviable economics, while others like Plastic Energy entered administration and Mura Technology abandoned a planned site in Germany. Additionally, Eastman has paused a planned facility in France pending regulatory clarity.

Industry data indicates a sharp slowdown, with the annual growth of circular plastic production in Europe dropping from 13.6 percent in 2022 to 1.2 percent in 2024. Analysts and the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre note that chemically recycled plastic struggles to compete on cost with fossil-fuel-derived virgin plastics due to high capital costs, volatile energy prices, and technical scaling difficulties.

In response to these challenges, new technological approaches are emerging. BioBTX is developing a commercial installation at Chemiepark Delfzijl in the Netherlands to convert mixed plastic waste into aromatic chemicals using Integrated Catalytic Cracking Process technology. Supported by partner Covestro, the project aims to produce renewable aromatic oil and sustainable byproducts to provide essential building blocks for the chemical industry.

Entities

Dow · BioBTX · Viridor · Covestro · Chemiepark Delfzijl

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] Chemically recycled plastic in Europe currently cannot be produced at the same cost as new plastic derived from fossil resources.
[● 2 SOURCES] The annual growth of circular plastic production in Europe decreased from 13.6 percent in 2022 to 1.2 percent in 2024.
[○ 1 SOURCE] BioBTX is constructing the world's first commercial installation to convert mixed plastic waste into high-quality aromatic chemicals using ICCP technology.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The new facility in Delfzijl is expected to recycle approximately 20,000 tons of waste annually.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Covestro became a shareholder and strategic partner of BioBTX in 2024 with an investment of several million euros.

Timeline

25 days ago

[BUSINESS] 3 sources
BioBTX to build world-first commercial plastic recycling plant in Netherlands
While European circular plastic growth slowed to 1.2 percent in 2024 due to high costs, BioBTX is building a world-first commercial plant in the Netherlands to convert mixed plastic waste into chemicals.
about 1 month ago

[BUSINESS] 3 sources
Plastic Recycling Industry Hits Setbacks, Calls for Technology Mix
Chemical recycling projects in Europe and the US face delays and closures due to costs and market conditions, while BASF urges a mixed‑technology approach for technical plastics recycling.

Sources

afvalgids.nl · duurzaam-ondernemen.nl · processcontrol.nl