In recent years there has been a renewed interest in chemical recycling technologies as demonstrated by various announcements for R&D developments and investments on chemical recycling plants in the EU and globally. The policy push towards diverting plastic waste from landfills and incinerators seems to open up opportunities for such technologies in addition to mechanical recycling. This surge of interest, however, has also been met with scepticism about possible risks and uncertainties linked to these technologies. While the debate is ongoing, there are upcoming regulatory developments (i.e. revision of EU Packaging and Packaging Waste and Waste Framework Directives) in the context of which questions will arise such as how chemical recycling technologies can account for in the calculations of recycled content and what would be the role of these technologies in a revised waste hierarchy.
Organised in the context of the CEPS Energy & Industry Transition Initiative, this initiative on chemical recycling will aim to steer the debate around the role that these technologies can play in the EU’s unfolding industrial transformation and provide recommendations ahead of upcoming regulatory developments. It will consist of meetings, public webinars and a report including policy recommendations.
