Europe recognizes chemical recycling as part of plastic recycling targets

Saturday 07 February 2026 - 11:15

By: Sahili Aya

Europe recognizes chemical recycling as part of plastic recycling targets

The European Union has officially approved counting chemical recycling toward mandatory recycled content in plastic bottles, marking a significant shift in EU recycling policy.

On Friday, the 27 EU member states voted in favor of including chemical recycling in the calculation of recycled content. Previously, only mechanical recycling—such as washing, shredding, and remelting—was recognized. Currently, plastic bottles must contain at least 25% recycled material, a figure set to rise to 30% by 2030. The European Commission proposed integrating chemical recycling to help meet these targets, describing Friday’s vote as “an important first step toward defining EU-wide rules for chemical recycling,” according to Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen.

Chemical recycling includes two main approaches: depolymerization, which breaks long polymer chains using solvents or other techniques, and thermal processes such as pyrolysis, which heat plastics to high temperatures to break molecules apart. While energy-intensive and costly, these technologies offer options for plastics that cannot be mechanically recycled.

Jean-Yves Daclin, General Director France of Plastics Europe, called them “innovative technologies” at early stages of development, noting that it could take years before production reaches significant volumes.

Environmental organizations, including Zero Waste, have criticized the method for being energy-hungry and potentially polluting, arguing that it perpetuates the misconception of infinitely recyclable plastics. Worldwide plastic production reached 430.9 million tonnes in 2024, with only 10% considered “circular” through mechanical, chemical, or bio-based recycling or carbon capture.