Europe’s plastics recyclers hit record downturn as capacity shrinks

Iranpolymer/Baspar  Europe’s plastics recycling industry recorded its steepest decline in 2024, with turnover down 5.5% and installed capacity contracting at a record pace, according to the latest annual report published by Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE).

Preliminary 2025 data point to a 50% rise in facility closures, putting almost one million tonnes of capacity at risk over three years across Europe.

Installed capacity stood at 13.5 million tonnes in 2024, well below the 6% annual growth needed to meet packaging and waste regulation targets.

For the first time, both input volumes and recyclate output fell, with production slipping from 7.7 million tonnes in 2023 to 7.5 million tonnes in 2024.

Industry turnover declined from €9.1bn ($10.5bn) to €8.6bn year-on-year.   Half of the lost capacity was in the Netherlands and the UK.

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