Plastic manufacturers condemn illegal trade in plastic waste

Last week, Greenpeace released the results of an investigation into European plastic waste dumping in other countries, notably Turkey
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It is said that since China banned the export of plastic waste in 2017, there has been a large amount of waste in Turkey from the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe
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Photographs and video evidence released by the group show plastic bags and packaging from Britain and Germany being dumped and burned across southern Turkey
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PlasticsEurope, the Brussels-based pan-European association of plastics manufacturers, has now issued a statement condemning the practice, calling for stricter enforcement of waste transport controls and greater cooperation between law enforcement at the national level
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In August 2020, Interpol released a report that noted a significant increase in plastic waste crime
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"We agree with the report's conclusions and have since expressed the urgent need to strengthen the enforcement of existing global and national waste trade legislation that Europe fully supports," the statement said
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Virginia Janssens, managing director of PlasticsEurope, also said more aggressive steps were needed to stop the problem
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"This is why we also urge the international community to step up the development of effective monitoring systems to address the lack of waste traceability and improve the collection of reliable data
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The trade group further expressed its determination to work with the waste industry sector to develop, develop and implement a global waste recycling certification platform
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Furthermore, retaining these materials for recycling within the EU could help further stimulate Europe's transition to a circular economy
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“We need the right mechanisms, including innovative technologies like chemical recycling and waste minimisation business models
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And we need the right regulations to facilitate domestic recycling and remove barriers to the flow of waste recycling within the EU
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Plastics manufacturers are currently investing billions of euros in chemical recycling to complement mechanical recycling, and hope that by 2030, more than 7 billion euros will be invested in Europe, with the aim of providing large quantities of recycled plastic with the properties of virgin plastic
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In addition, PlasticsEurope is a member of the European Commission's Circular Plastics Alliance, which aims to achieve a target of 10 million tonnes of recycled plastic used in European products by 2025
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