• Waste efficiency
• Better waste management
• Promote materials cycle
• Greater biodiversity: reduce ecological footprint by reducing soil, water and air pollution
• Climate mitigation Reduce GHG emissions both in oil production, raffination and burning plastic

Direct connection with solutions:

• Expanding the use of bio-based and compostable materials , sustainably sourced bio-based
• Reducing demand for (over)packaging/ packaging waste, improved circular design and strategies that fully replace the need for packaging
• Reduction of raw materials, waste and integration of secondary materials
• Circular economy design principles to increase the durability, reparability, upgradability or reusability of products, in particular in designing and manufacturing activities

Plastic waste characteristics

Mixed plastic waste is heterogeneous in composition and quality. The treatment (technologies) of plastic vary between plastic types (polymers). Thus, a pre-condition for plastic recycling is a sorting system that allows for homogenization of the waste stream.

Waste sorting

A sequence of sorting steps needs to be implemented in order to treat plastic waste, either manually or optical, that homogenize the feedstock and eliminate foreign materials.

A functioning value chain

Plastic waste management implies having a function management infrastructure from collection to recycling to repurposing and distribution.

Policy barriers

• Misalignment of regulations
• Financial stimulation
• Minimum recycled content
• Public awareness
• Lack of enforcement of waste legislation

Economic barriers

• High costs of recycling
• Price competitiveness of recyclate
• Fluctuating costs
• New markets and applications
• Increased prices for consumers
• Costs for research and development
• Reluctance to invest in more expensive recycling methods
• Lack of economies of scale for new investments
• Investment costs for capital and infrastructure
• Supplier transaction costs
• Long-term contracts for more security of investments
• Growing demand from existing markets

Technical barriers

• Heterogeneous waste streams
• Lack of infrastructure for separate collection and recycling
• Hazardous additives in plastics, such as flame retardants and plasticizers
• Lack of efficient sorting technologies for homogenization of the feedstock
• Processing requirements for using recyclates differ from requirements when using virgin plastics

Cultural barriers

• Internal organisation and decision making
• Consumer demand and acceptance
• Resistance to change
• Lack of knowledge, information and education

• Dependency on waste generation
• Maintenance and operational costs

[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666016421000645

[2] https://www.oecd.org/newsroom/plastic-pollution-is-growing-relentlessly-as-waste-management-and-recycling-fall-short.htm

• the annual or monthly production of waste (in kg or liter)
• annual or monthly production of recycled products
• annual or monthly costs for waste management
• the number of collections detected

• Supporting municipalities to monitor resource flows in line with impact targets and measurement processes
• Capacity building and engagement with municipalities to identify and co-create circular solutions and roadmaps
• Educational/ Capacity building barriers identification
• Circular economy design principles to increase the durability, reparability, upgradability or reusability of products