Italy’s sector for recovering plastics from economic activities is facing an unprecedented recent structural crisis, industry association Unirima has warned. The organisation cited rising operating costs, a sharp decline in recovered-material prices and increasingly limited commercial outlets.
The issue is no longer only the value of recovered plastic, but whether a market still exists for the material, Unirima said. Competition from low-cost virgin polymers and falling demand for recycled materials are undermining the economic balance of recovery operations and making plastic recycling less competitive.
The sector is also being affected by the progressive loss of sales outlets and new European Union restrictions on exports. These measures block plastic exports to countries outside the EU, while industrial alternatives capable of absorbing the flows previously sent abroad are not yet available, according to the association.
Unirima is calling for action on the economic and industrial conditions facing the plastics sector. Its proposals include supporting demand for recycled materials, encouraging their use and ensuring that new export restrictions are accompanied by genuinely available alternatives.
Sources: ANSA Economia.