Marybeth Collins’ article, “EU Plastic Recycling Sector Faces Collapse Amid Imports Surge and Economic Strain” (March 21, 2025), correctly highlights several challenges facing Europe’s recycling industry, from mounting economic pressures to a surge of imported materials. However, her analysis misses a critical point: Europe’s recycling crisis isn’t only about imports undermining local recyclers—it’s about a fundamental disconnect between the recycled materials we produce and the lack of local manufacturing capacity to turn them into finished goods.
Europe may be collecting and recycling materials at scale, but what good is that if there is insufficient local industry capable of converting these recycled materials into viable products? Without a robust manufacturing base utilizing recycled polymers, the whole
concept of a circular economy becomes nothing more than a theoretical exercise.
Most imported goods entering the European market are produced using virgin materials. This influx of cheap, new products dilutes the market for recycled materials, making it harder for local recyclers to find buyers and turning the circular economy into a lopsided endeavor.
EU policies focus heavily on increasing recycling rates but do little to incentivize local production using recycled materials. Import restrictions alone won’t solve the problem unless Europe develops a strong industrial base capable of absorbing and processing these materials. Without it, all the ambitious targets and policies are just words.
Reparell’s #EndOfWaste initiative is demonstrating a viable alternative. By developing decentralized, small-scale production systems that transform recycled plastic directly into high-value products, we’re closing the loop locally. This approach not only reduces transportation costs and emissions but also provides local jobs and ensures supply security. It’s a clear example of how economically scalable solutions can emerge from practical,
innovative thinking.
Instead of focusing on defensive measures like import restrictions, policymakers should prioritize promoting innovative, decentralized production systems that turn local waste streams into high-quality raw materials. The recycling sector doesn’t need protectionism; it
needs innovation and a willingness to reimagine what circularity means. Europe cannot afford to simply collect plastic waste and outsource the value-adding processes to external markets.
Europe’s recycling crisis is not just about unfair competition from imported materials. It’s about a broken value chain where the recycled materials we generate have nowhere to go. Without meaningful investments in local manufacturing capacity and support for decentralized production systems, Europe’s circular economy will remain aspirational rather than operational. It’s time to acknowledge the real issue: We don’t just need to recycle more. We need to recycle smarter. And that means ensuring that recycled materials actually have a viable market within Europe.
Emil Pettersen is the founder of Reparell, a Scandinavian clean tech company dedicated to transforming waste streams into high-value industrial raw materials through decentralized, economically scalable production systems. With over 20 years of experience in the tech and sustainability sectors, Emil specializes in bridging innovation with practical, market-driven solutions. His initiatives, including the #EndOfWaste project, focus on developing new business models that address critical gaps in Europe's circular economy by turning local waste into valuable resources. Emil is a frequent speaker at global sustainability forums and has been featured in leading publications for his work on recycling and industrial innovation.
