The European Plastics Recycling Branch (EPRB) aims to promote the recycling of different types of plastics as well as its industrial and environmental benefits in terms of CO2 and energy savings. The creation of this Branch started in 2018 at a time when plastic recycling became one of the priorities in Europe and globally. Nowadays it’s also widely acknowledged that plastics recycling is instrumental to curb marine litter and to foster circularity.
EPRB Members are national recycling federations active in Europe that represent the interests of hundreds of small, medium and large companies involved in the collection, processing, recycling and trade of different streams of plastics (from end-of-life vehicles, waste electrical and electronic equipment, packaging and packaging waste, etc.). They provide thousands of jobs that can’t be outsourced across the European Union.
Did you know?
On top of saving primary resources, plastics’ recycling saves a very significant amount of CO2 emissions and energy. For instance, recycling 15 million tons of plastics per year would save CO2 emissions equivalent to removing 15 million cars from the road1 by 2030. In addition, plastics recycling requires on average only 10% of the energy needed to produce virgin plastics.
1 COM (2018) 28 final ‘A European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy’.
The EPRB enables to adequately address the regulatory, technical and economic challenges related to plastics recycling in a specific Branch.
The primary focus of the newly founded EPRB will be end-of-life durable plastics. Among EPRB’s priorities are:
- Monitoring the implementation of the EU’s Plastics Strategy;
- Improving the interface between EU’s waste and chemicals laws to provide plastic recyclers with the predictability needed to make long-time investments;
- Easing shipments of plastic waste for recycling in Europe;
- Supporting ecodesign and minimum requirements to foster recyclability;
- Foster voluntary or binding targets to source recycled plastics and develop stable end-markets.
The EPRB is eager to work with European institutions as well as with all stakeholders involved in the value chain to advocate for plastics’ recycling.
The objectives of EPRB Branch are:
- To monitor and analyse at EU level all legal, environmental, economic and technical issues relating to the recovery, processing, recycling, and shipment of plastics.
- To ensure a proper representation of the European plastics recycling sector to the European institutions and liaise with relevant associations and other stakeholders inside and outside the EU that are active in the plastic value chain.
- To provide expert input on EU policy and regulatory initiatives that could have an impact on the recovery, recycling and trade of plastics.
- To promote a fit-for-purpose regulatory framework that incentivizes the recovery and recycling of plastics.
- To maintain a link between the European national member federations, in strict observance of the relevant legal requirements.
EPRB Branch Members
Swedish Recycling Industries' Association
British Metals Recycling Association
Bundesgremium des Handels mit Maschinen, Computersystemen, Sekundärrohstoffen, technischem und industriellem Bedarf
bvse-Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung e.V.
Dutch Waste Management Association
Fédération Professionnelle des Entreprises du Recyclage
Federación Española de la Recuperación y el Reciclaje
FED. NEDERLANDSE OUDPAPIER INDUSTRIE
Metal Recycling Federation
Verband Deutscher Metallhändler