Inventory of Regulations, Policies, and Market Trends on Recycled Plastics: EU, US, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and India Step Up Efforts

It has been noted that countries worldwide are showing diverse trends in regulations, policies, and market conditions regarding recycled plastics.

European Union

In terms of regulations, the EU has established a comprehensive policy and legal framework for plastic recycling.

The EU's "European Plastics Strategy for the Circular Economy" sets targets for plastic waste recycling rates in 2025, 2030, and 2035. The EU Plastics Strategy, launched in January 2018, plans to invest €350 million to modernize the production and recycling processes of plastics, with the goal of making all plastic packaging in the EU market recyclable or reusable by 2030.

The EU's "Single-Use Plastics Directive" banned single-use plastic items that can be replaced with non-plastic alternatives starting in July 2021, such as disposable plates, cutlery, and straws. It also established mandatory collection quotas for single-use plastic bottles, requiring a 90% collection rate by 2029. Starting in 2025, the recycled content in PET bottles must reach 25%, increasing to 30% by 2030, with bottles required to have caps.

Furthermore, the EU has issued the "EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles," which bans the use of plastic bottles in the production of textile fibers through physical recycling methods.

The new "Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation" mandates that by 2030, all packaging must be reusable, recyclable, or compostable. The recycling rate for plastic packaging must reach 55%, and plastic food packaging must contain at least 10% recycled content by 2030. Single-use beverage bottles must contain at least 30% recycled content, with plans to increase this to 50%-65% by 2040. Starting in 2029, all member states must introduce a deposit system for plastic bottles and aluminum cans, and quotas for reuse based on beverage type, such as requiring 10% of non-alcoholic beverage containers to be reusable or refillable by 2030, rising to 25% by 2040.

The "EU Waste Shipment Regulation" (EU) 2024/1157 imposes restrictions on the export of waste plastics, including clean, harmless waste (for recycling), requiring a "prior notification and consent procedure," effective from May 21, 2026.

The export ban to non-OECD countries: From November 21, 2026, it will be prohibited to export waste plastics to non-OECD countries until May 21, 2029. After this date, non-OECD countries interested in importing waste plastics must notify the EU Commission and demonstrate their ability to manage waste in an environmentally safe manner in order to be included on the import list.

Revised "End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Directive" specifies the proportion of recycled plastics to be used: At least 25% of the plastic in new cars must come from recycled materials, with 25% of this coming from recycled end-of-life vehicles. This regulation may come into full effect in 2031, with non-compliant vehicles being prohibited from sale in the EU market.

The "End-of-Life Vehicles Directive" (3R Directive) sets reuse and recycling requirements: New vehicles sold in the EU must have at least 85% of their weight as reusable and/or recyclable materials, and at least 95% of their weight as reusable and/or recoverable materials.

Specific Measures in EU Countries

Spain

Plastic tax: Starting January 1, 2023, Spain levies a plastic tax on all non-recycled plastic packaging materials circulating in the country, affecting manufacturers, importers, and domestic purchases. Starting January 1, 2025, new labeling requirements for packaging will be enforced, requiring clear recycling information, color-coded packaging material types, and standardized recycling symbols to improve resource recovery rates.

Italy

Plastic tax: Italy's plastic tax on single-use products, which was delayed several times, is now set to be implemented in July 2026. It aims to reduce the production and use of single-use plastics, promote the search for less harmful alternatives, and requires registration and submission of tax declarations depending on the manufacturing location of the product.

Denmark

Increase in recycled content: Denmark's packaging company Faerch will introduce at least 40% recycled PET (RPET) in its CPET ready meal trays starting January 1, 2025. These recycled materials will primarily come from curbside collected old trays, certified by third parties.

Germany

Germany has also mandated that by 2025, PET single-use beverage bottles must contain at least 25% recycled plastic, reaching 30% by 2030. The country has launched a national circular economy strategy with two targets for 2045: to gradually increase the proportion of post-consumer recycled materials while improving sorting and recycling capacities, and to increase the use of recycled materials in plastic products, with differentiation by material type. Specific measures include reducing material types, introducing mandatory recycled content quotas, incentivizing the establishment of recycling systems, supporting standardization, and developing chemical recycling technologies.

Netherlands

The Netherlands has banned the use of plastic microbeads and actively promotes the use of biobased and biodegradable plastics, as well as encouraging recycled plastics. It has improved the plastic bottle recycling system by requiring the packaging industry to change the deposit label and install additional deposit machines. It encourages the introduction of deposits on juice and milk bottles and studies increasing the deposit amount while expanding collection points to improve plastic bottle recycling rates.

France

Recycled content regulations: France requires that by 2025, all plastic packaging must contain at least 50% recycled materials.

Sweden

Enhanced sorting technology: Sweden uses fully automated sorting technologies, such as "zero waste factories" employing infrared light, lasers, cameras, and even artificial intelligence to sort waste plastics. These facilities can process 200,000 tons of waste per year and sort 12 different types of plastics, significantly improving recycling efficiency.

Austria

Deposit system: Starting January 2025, Austria will implement a deposit system on plastic bottles and beverage cans. Consumers will pay a 25-cent deposit when purchasing, which will be refunded upon return to encourage beverage industries to recycle and increase PET bottle recovery rates.

United Kingdom

Plastic packaging tax: From 2022, the UK has imposed a tax of ￡200 per ton on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content to incentivize businesses to use more recycled materials.

The UK is also exploring biological recycling technologies, such as the collaboration between Carbios and FCC Environment UK, to establish a plant using its PET biorecycling technology to process hard-to-recycle PET waste, such as colored, multilayer, or textile waste.

In 2022, 26.9% of plastic waste in Europe was recycled, for the first time exceeding the amount of plastic waste sent to landfills. Recycled plastics made up 13.5% of newly manufactured plastic products in Europe. However, challenges remain in EU plastic recycling, such as the difficulty of extracting toxic substances, the challenges in sorting laminated boards, and the high cost of recycled plastics.

United States

In the United States, both the federal government and multiple state governments have enacted regulations regarding recycled plastics.

Federal Level

• Draft National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution: On April 21, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Biden administration released this draft, suggesting measures to reduce the production and consumption of "single-use, non-recyclable, or frequently discarded plastic products." It also calls for the federal government to reduce its purchase of single-use, non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle plastic products.
• Single-use Plastic Packaging Rules in Government Procurement: On June 6, 2024, President Biden's administration emphasized alternatives to single-use plastics in government procurement. The General Services Administration (GSA) established rules for federal supply programs regarding single-use plastic packaging, encouraging federal agencies to prioritize purchases that do not include single-use plastics.
• 2024 Accelerating Plastics Circular Economy and Recycling Innovation Act: This bipartisan bill aims to innovate the U.S. plastic recycling system and increase the use of recycled materials in packaging. It suggests classifying chemical recycling as a manufacturing process, excluding plastic incineration as a recycling method, and establishing a third-party certification system for recycled plastics. The goal is for recycled content in plastic packaging to reach at least 30% by 2030.

State-Level Regulations

• California: The 2016 SB270 bill requires reusable plastic shopping bags to contain at least 20% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, increasing to 40% in 2020. The 2020 AB793 bill mandates that by 2022, all plastic bottles must contain at least 15% PCR, increasing to 25% by 2025 and 50% by 2030.
• Washington: The 2021 SB5022 bill requires plastic beverage bottles to contain at least 15% PCR starting in 2023, increasing to 50% by 2031.
• New Jersey: The 2022 SB2515 bill sets recycled content requirements for various packaging materials, such as requiring rigid plastic containers to contain at least 35% PCR.
• Maine: The LD1467 bill mandates that by 2026, plastic beverage containers must contain at least 25% PCR, increasing to 30% by 2031.
• Oregon: The HB2065 bill sets recycling rate standards for plastic packaging and mandates goals for producer responsibility organizations (PROs).

Asian Countries (including China)

Japan

• Plastic Resource Circulation Strategy: Japan introduced this in 2019, setting specific recycling and regeneration targets. The government plans to amend the “Law for the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources” in 2025, requiring manufacturers to use recycled plastic and set usage targets, with penalties for poor performance.
• Plastic Resource Circulation Promotion Law: Enacted in 2021, the law sets measures to recycle plastics throughout their lifecycle, including developing plastic product design guidelines, establishing municipal plastic sorting and recycling systems, and promoting voluntary recycling initiatives among manufacturers.
• Industry Initiatives: Companies like Honda, Nissan, and Toyota have set targets for increasing the use of recycled plastics in vehicle manufacturing, with some aiming for 30% of vehicle weight to be made from recycled materials by 2030.

South Korea

• Resource Conservation and Recycling Act: Revised in 2018, it evaluates the recyclability of packaging materials and mandates that producers label their products accordingly.
• Plastic Waste Management Law (Revised 2021): Bans certain single-use plastic items like plastic straws, stirrers, and balloons, and strengthens producer responsibility for waste management and recycling.
• Long-term Plans: The Ministry of Environment aims to increase plastic waste recycling rates from 54% to 70% by 2025 and replace petroleum-based plastics with bioplastics by 2050.

India

• Indian Plastic Pact: Launched in 2021, it sets a target of 25% recycled content in all plastic packaging by 2030.
• Plastic Waste Management Rules (2024 Revision): Extends producer responsibility to include manufacturers, importers, and waste handlers, and bans certain single-use plastic products such as cotton swabs and plastic balloons.

Thailand

• Plastic Waste Management Roadmap (2018-2030): Thailand aims to recycle 100% of plastic waste by 2027. It has already reduced plastic bag usage by 150,000 tons from 2020 to 2022.
• Recycling and Plastic Credits: Thailand has implemented a plastic credit system, similar to carbon credits, to encourage and fund recycling efforts.

China

• Plastic Waste Import Ban: After 2017, China sharply reduced imports of plastic waste, implementing various policies such as the “14th Five-Year Plan for Circular Economy Development” and the “14th Five-Year Plastic Pollution Control Action Plan” to enhance plastic waste recycling.
• Recycled Plastic Standards: In 2024, China plans to introduce several new standards for recycled plastic design and use, including guidelines for PET and HDPE materials.

Recycled Plastic Market Growth

The global market for recycled thermoplastic plastics continues to grow. In 2024, the market size will reach $50 billion and is expected to grow to $103 billion by 2029, with North America holding the largest market share. The Asia-Pacific region is anticipated to experience the fastest growth due to industrialization, large amounts of plastic waste, and government measures to reduce plastic dependency.