The ERJ reporrts that the European Chemical Industry Council has urged the European Commission to establish EU-wide end-of-waste criteria for chemical recycling, warning that inconsistent national interpretations are creating uncertainty for investors and slowing the development of circular plastics markets. In a position paper published on June 25, Cefic said the Commission’s draft implementing act for plastics from mechanical and solvent-based recycling is a positive step toward harmonization, but added that chemical recycling still lacks a dedicated regulatory framework. The association said clearer and technology-neutral rules are needed to support investment, cross-border trade and the scale-up of chemical recycling capacity in Europe.

Cefic says chemical recycling framework is missing

Cefic said the European Commission’s draft implementing act on end-of-waste criteria for mechanically and solvent-recycled plastics is welcome, but does not address the specific regulatory needs of chemical recycling. According to the association, this leaves an important recycling route without the legal clarity required to scale industrial capacity and support circular economy objectives.

Regulatory fragmentation seen as investment barrier

The association said that, in the absence of EU-wide criteria, member states continue to apply different interpretations of when waste ceases to be waste. Cefic said this regulatory fragmentation creates uncertainty for operators, complicates cross-border value chains and may discourage investment in chemical recycling infrastructure.

The industry group warned that the current approach could slow innovation and limit Europe’s ability to expand recycling routes that complement existing mechanical and solvent-based technologies.

Chemical recycling described as complementary technology

Cefic described chemical recycling as a complementary route to mechanical and solvent-based recycling, rather than a replacement. The association said chemical recycling can support the treatment of waste streams that are difficult to recycle through conventional mechanical processes, helping increase the availability of recycled feedstocks for plastics and chemical value chains.

The group said scaling chemical recycling could contribute to EU circularity and recycled-content targets while supporting efforts to reduce emissions across industrial supply chains.

Industry group calls for technology-neutral criteria

Cefic called on the European Commission to adopt harmonized end-of-waste criteria for chemical recycling and to apply a technology-neutral approach. The association also said EU rules should recognize that waste may cease to be waste at different stages of the chemical recycling process, depending on the technology, output material and intended industrial use.

Clearer rules linked to circular plastics investment

The position paper argues that a dedicated framework would provide greater certainty for companies planning investments in chemical recycling capacity. Cefic said harmonized rules would also help avoid market fragmentation and support the movement of recycled materials across EU borders.

Without such a framework, the association warned that regulatory fragmentation will continue to affect innovation, disrupt cross-border value chains and delay investment in Europe’s chemical recycling sector.

To learn more, read the original article by the ERJ.