More needs to be done to reach the recycling targets

Yesterday, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency released its report on how Sweden delivers on set material recycling targets. It shows that the material recycling rate for plastic packaging (including PET bottles with a deposit) has increased from 35 to 39 percent, the target is 50 percent. The same applies to paper packaging, which has increased from 78 to 81 percent, the target is 85 percent. One explanation for the increase is that the amount of packaging placed on the market has decreased in 2023, while collection has increased.

For glass packaging, the material recycling rate is largely unchanged, 85 percent was recycled in 2023, the target is 90 percent. Metal packaging in steel and aluminum reaches the set recycling targets.

The free riders’ packaging quantities are not included in the statistics

The material recycling rate is affected by several different factors and it is therefore important that all parts of the value chain contribute their part. This applies not least to the producers who today do not take responsibility for the collection and recycling of their packaging. The free riders’ packaging quantities are not included in the material recycling rate, which means that it is very likely higher than it should be, something that the Environmental Protection Agency also comments on in the report. In order for the statistics on material recycling rates to become more reliable, all producers must take their producer responsibility, join a PRO and report the amount of packaging they put on the market.

Design for recycling

Producers also need to continue to work to reduce the amount of packaging and ensure that the packaging is designed for recycling, so that those sorted by consumers can actually be recycled. We advise and support our affiliated producers in matters relating to material recyclability and design for recycling.

Higher demands on producers underway

Both Sweden’s packaging regulation and the forthcoming EU regulation PPWR place higher demands on producers when it comes to material recycling in the future. Packaging that is difficult or cannot be recycled is more costly for producers. In 2030, it will also be prohibited to put packaging on the market that cannot be recycled. In this way, the legislation creates incentives for producers

More information

Sveriges återvinning av förpackningar 2023 – uppföljning av producentansvar för förpackningar