Plastic recycling, Italian companies: 'We are unable to continue'

"The private recycling industry, as a result of a series of negative economic situations, is no longer in a position to continue its activities," this is the complaint that Assorimap, the national association of plastics recyclers and regenerators belonging to Confimi Industria, brought to the attention of Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin in a letter. The sector - which has a total of more than 350 companies, employs more than 10,000 people and has an installed recycling capacity of 1 million 800 thousand tonnes - risks collapse.

The reasons? First the pandemic crisis, then energy costs and competition from the production of low-cost virgin polymers from Asia: for years, mechanical plastics recycling companies have been denouncing the crisis.

Although we reiterate our appreciation for 'the willingness shown by your structure at the meetings we have had, after several months we have not received any substantial feedback', reads the letter addressed to the minister. A lack of action that translates into 'an absence of support measures, unlike what happens in other countries such as France and Spain'.

We call for the timely initiation of the necessary actions and, at the same time, for the establishment of a permanent institutional table for the mechanical recycling of plastics, which is essential to avoid the closure of activities,' concludes the letter signed by Assorimap president Walter Regis.

Despite 883,000 tonnes of recycled polymer production (+3.2% compared to 2023),the Italian plastics mechanical recycling sector struggles to take off: in 2024, turnover will drop (-0.8%, 690 million euro) and raw material prices will fall to their lowest level since 2020.