The recycling of plastic is increasing, but still far from the goal

In 2023, Svensk Plaståtervinning recycled 23.7 percent of the plastic packaging from households that their customers put on the market. In 2022 the figure was 19.3 percent, which means an increase of just over 20 percent. The material recycling target for plastic packaging in Sweden is 50 percent, so there is still a long way to go, even though recycling is making great strides forward.

Site Zero makes a difference – but more needs to be done on several fronts

In November 2023, Svensk Plaståtervinning inaugurated Site Zero, the world’s largest and most efficient sorting facility for plastic packaging. The full effect of Site Zero is therefore not yet visible in the results for 2023, but going forward Svensk Plaståtervinning expects a significantly sharper increase in the proportion of recycled plastic packaging. But now it is necessary that more actors contribute with what they can, mean Mattias Philipsson, CEO of Svensk Plaståtervinning.

– It’s really quite simple; consumer collection needs to increase, and plastic packaging needs to be designed to be recyclable. Then we can recycle more and emissions will decrease, says Mattias Philipsson.

What you as a producer can do is to ensure that the packaging you put on the market is designed for recycling and marked with sorting instructions so that it is easy for the consumer to sort at source.

If you need support in something related to this, you are welcome to get in touch! When affiliated with us, you have access to support in the form of design manuals and advice on design selection and marking. Contact our customer service, our material specialists or your account manager if you have questions.

Facts from Svensk Plaståtervinning’s sustainability report

With Site Zero, the opportunities to recycle plastic packaging are improved, but Svensk Plaståtervinning can only recycle the packaging that has actually been handed over for recycling, and those that are designed for recycling.

Climate calculations that Svensk Plaståtervinning has done of the entire recycling system show that the biggest climate impact from the waste management of packaging comes from the packaging that is thrown in the household waste instead of being sorted at source. The majority of them today go directly to energy extraction and account for 55 percent of the emissions in the system. The incineration of the reject that occurs during the sorting, washing and granulation also accounts for a significant part, 39 percent. It mainly consists of packaging that is not designed for recycling.