All hands on deck for circularity

Interesting article in De Standaard (15 September) highlighting the technical and economic challenges facing plastic recycling.

It reinforces our view that a circular economy for plastics will not be achieved through a single solution. Mechanical and chemical recycling are essential, but they cannot address every waste stream. Compostable packaging can offer advantages in specific applications, particularly where plastics are heavily contaminated with organic waste and conventional recycling is less effective.

The future will be built on complementary circular systems, where mechanical, chemical, and organic recycling each have a role to play, depending on the application and the most sustainable end-of-life route.

The question is not which solution will win, but how we can combine the right solutions to maximize circularity and environmental impact.