Europe’s plastics recycling industry is entering its sharpest decline — with turnover down 5.5% — putting at risk Europe’s circular economy, industrial resilience and thousands of local jobs.
The latest annual report [1] shows the largest capacity contraction ever recorded. Preliminary 2025 data reveal a 50% rise in recycling facility closures, resulting in the loss of nearly one million tonnes of European recycling capacity over just three years.
With a total installed capacity of 13.5 million tonnes in 2024, plastics recycling in Europe remains well below the 6% annual growth required to achieve the PPWR targets. The sector is facing growing pressure from high production and energy costs, falling demand, and increasing volumes of low-priced, unregulated imports from outside the region. Polyolefin films and PET are most severely affected, each accounting for 25% of total closures in 2023-2024.
The data highlights issues that threaten the long-term viability of plastics recycling within Europe. We urge EU institutions and Member States to take coordinated action immediately. Priority actions include establishing fair and enforced market regulations, implementing stronger controls on imports, cutting energy costs and harmonising reporting requirements via third-party certification across the region [2].
Source: Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE)
