A decalogue of actions that could be implemented by the EU and national authorities to increase mechanical plastics recycling in Europe was presented by EuPR (European Plastics Recyclers) to a delegation of politicians and EU officials during a dinner hosted by EuPR on October 4 at the European Parliament in Brussels to debate the issue of exports of plastics waste.
Today more than 2/3 of the total plastics waste is exported outside of the EU despite significant investments by plastics recyclers in new equipment, sorting lines and additional capacities. According to the association of European plastics recyclers, such waste belongs to EU citizens and any national or EU policy in favour of European recyclers could create up to 50,000 additional new "green" jobs. Emphasis was on this aspect at the meeting, underscoring the fact that recyclers are not asking for any financial assistance but merely that the waste flow should remain in Europe to create new jobs.