Plastics

Plastics play an essential role in modern society. However, their value chain is currently unsustainable, contributing to the generation of climate changing emissions and increasing waste and pollution. Reducing such impacts while retaining plastics’ usefulness requires a shift towards a more circular and sustainable plastics system.

Assessment

Levels of plastics consumption in Europe are high and expected to grow in the future in line with projections of increased global plastics production. The consumption and production of plastics cause negative effects on the environment and climate change. Metrics show more and more marine litter found on Europe’s beaches, unintentional microplastics released to the environment and high levels of GHG emissions from the value chain.

Circularity of plastic material is increasing slowly with mechanical recycling capacity on a slow increase, EU exports of plastics waste decreasing, bioplastics production capacity growing slowly and plastic scrap price increasing.

Exports of plastics waste outside the EU

-57 %

was the reduction in the quantity of plastic waste exported outside EU-27 between 2016 and 2022.

Total plastics consumption by end-users in the EU

56.5 Mtonnes

of plastics was consumed in the EU in 2020.

Unintentional release of microplastics

0.7-1.8 Mtonnes

o f microplastics leaking into the environment in the EU, every year, are caused by unintentional release.

Litter on EU beaches

481 items

found per 100 m on European beaches in 2022.

Global bio-based plastics production

< 1 %

is the share of plastics globally produced from a bio-based feedstock.

Use of recycled plastics

8,1 %

is the share of consumed plastics that originates from secondary plastics in 2020 in the EU.

GHG emissions from EU’s plastics value chains

191 Mtonnes CO2 equivalent

was the estimated total GHG emissions of the European plastics value chain in 2020.

EU’s mechanical recycling capacity

11 Mtonnes

of plastic waste could be processed for recycling in the EU in 2021.

Average price of plastic scrap

467 EUR/tonne

was the average price of traded plastic scrap in 2022.