Value chain actor perceptions to enhance plastics circularity in Europe—recommendations for future action
The transition to a circular plastic economy is a priority within the European policy landscape, necessitating enhanced recycling and market uptake for recycled plastics. However, the plastics industry remains governed by linear business models with little focus on circularity, and limited recyclabi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Sustainability |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsus.2025.1531428/full |
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| author | Malin zu Castell-Rüdenhausen Tatu Marttila |
| author_facet | Malin zu Castell-Rüdenhausen Tatu Marttila |
| author_sort | Malin zu Castell-Rüdenhausen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The transition to a circular plastic economy is a priority within the European policy landscape, necessitating enhanced recycling and market uptake for recycled plastics. However, the plastics industry remains governed by linear business models with little focus on circularity, and limited recyclability and markets for recycled plastics often leave incineration and export as the primary methods of waste management. This study examines the current barriers that impede the circularity of plastics in the EU, focusing specifically on non-packaging plastic waste from the automotive, construction, and electronics sectors. We assess value-chain perceptions gathered from a series of semi-structured interviews and workshops conducted within the EU Horizon 2020 NONTOX project, to identify barriers and potential solutions and to produce overarching recommendations for action. These recommendations include enhanced collection and recycling, expansion of recycling capacity, better positioning of new recycling technologies, improved recyclability of products, and support for markets for recycled plastics. The results also highlight the need for high-impact policies to promote a circular plastic economy in the EU. Not only would this support plastics circularity, it would also prevent material loss due to incineration and the export of plastic waste, while contributing to the EU's self-sufficiency in raw materials. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4b2775dee4544d83b7b0c122f7775f5a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2673-4524 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj-art-4b2775dee4544d83b7b0c122f7775f5a2025-08-20T02:19:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Sustainability2673-45242025-04-01610.3389/frsus.2025.15314281531428Value chain actor perceptions to enhance plastics circularity in Europe—recommendations for future actionMalin zu Castell-Rüdenhausen0Tatu Marttila1VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., Espoo, FinlandDepartment of Design, Aalto University, Espoo, FinlandThe transition to a circular plastic economy is a priority within the European policy landscape, necessitating enhanced recycling and market uptake for recycled plastics. However, the plastics industry remains governed by linear business models with little focus on circularity, and limited recyclability and markets for recycled plastics often leave incineration and export as the primary methods of waste management. This study examines the current barriers that impede the circularity of plastics in the EU, focusing specifically on non-packaging plastic waste from the automotive, construction, and electronics sectors. We assess value-chain perceptions gathered from a series of semi-structured interviews and workshops conducted within the EU Horizon 2020 NONTOX project, to identify barriers and potential solutions and to produce overarching recommendations for action. These recommendations include enhanced collection and recycling, expansion of recycling capacity, better positioning of new recycling technologies, improved recyclability of products, and support for markets for recycled plastics. The results also highlight the need for high-impact policies to promote a circular plastic economy in the EU. Not only would this support plastics circularity, it would also prevent material loss due to incineration and the export of plastic waste, while contributing to the EU's self-sufficiency in raw materials.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsus.2025.1531428/fullplastics circularitynon-packaging plasticscircular economyrecyclingpolicy recommendationsstakeholder interaction |
| spellingShingle | Malin zu Castell-Rüdenhausen Tatu Marttila Value chain actor perceptions to enhance plastics circularity in Europe—recommendations for future action Frontiers in Sustainability plastics circularity non-packaging plastics circular economy recycling policy recommendations stakeholder interaction |
| title | Value chain actor perceptions to enhance plastics circularity in Europe—recommendations for future action |
| title_full | Value chain actor perceptions to enhance plastics circularity in Europe—recommendations for future action |
| title_fullStr | Value chain actor perceptions to enhance plastics circularity in Europe—recommendations for future action |
| title_full_unstemmed | Value chain actor perceptions to enhance plastics circularity in Europe—recommendations for future action |
| title_short | Value chain actor perceptions to enhance plastics circularity in Europe—recommendations for future action |
| title_sort | value chain actor perceptions to enhance plastics circularity in europe recommendations for future action |
| topic | plastics circularity non-packaging plastics circular economy recycling policy recommendations stakeholder interaction |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsus.2025.1531428/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT malinzucastellrudenhausen valuechainactorperceptionstoenhanceplasticscircularityineuroperecommendationsforfutureaction AT tatumarttila valuechainactorperceptionstoenhanceplasticscircularityineuroperecommendationsforfutureaction |