What Do Europe's New Plastics Rules Mean for Manufacturers?
As the European Union introduces legislation requiring higher recycled content, greater recyclability, and stronger evidence for environmental claims, manufacturers are under increasing pressure not only to recycle plastics but also to prove exactly where recycled materials come from and how they move through the value chain.
Boosting the value of recycled plastics
"We're seeing a fundamental shift in how recycled plastics are valued," says José Vicente Zaragoza, Technical Manager at Kiwa IVAC Instituto de Certificación SL in Spain. "Today, manufacturers, regulators, and consumers all want confidence that recycled content is genuine, traceable, and produced through credible processes."
Each stage of the plastics value chain – like recycling, certification, and manufacturing – grows more important as circular economies mature.
Collaboration across the entire plastics value chain is essential, from policymakers to consumers. Innovation must go hand in hand with regulation and public awareness to truly scale sustainable practices and increase demand for recycled materials.
The starting point of a circular plastics value chain
Once a plastic product reaches the end of its useful life, consumers and businesses play an important role by making sure it’s separated correctly for recycling – the first step in the product’s new life cycle. Efficient waste collection systems get materials to recycling facilities where they can be processed into valuable secondary raw materials.
These collection and sorting technologies have also improved in recent years. "AI-driven optical sorting systems and near-infrared sensors are making it much easier to separate plastics by polymer type and color," explains José. "Combined with improved washing and decontamination processes, these technologies are producing cleaner recycled materials that can be used in increasingly demanding applications."
Manufacturers know well that the cleaner an incoming waste stream is, the higher quality their recycled material will be, too.
Mechanical and chemical recycling: a tale of two systems
Once sorted, plastics typically follow one of two recycling pathways. Mechanical recycling remains the most widely used process. Plastics are shredded, cleaned, melted, and formed into pellets that manufacturers can use to make new products. Advancements in additives and compatibilizers now allow different polymer types to be blended while maintaining material performance.
Chemical recycling continues to gain momentum as well. Instead of melting plastics, chemical recycling breaks them down into their basic chemical building blocks using technologies such as pyrolysis, depolymerization, and solvolysis. This makes it possible to recover materials from mixed or contaminated plastic waste streams that would otherwise be difficult to recycle mechanically.
"Chemical recycling isn't replacing mechanical recycling," says José. "It's becoming an important complementary solution that can help recover plastics that were previously difficult to reuse."
These developing technologies are expected to play an increasingly important role within Europe's circular plastics strategy. The European Commission is also working on new rules for calculating chemically recycled content using a mass-balance approach, which will improve consistency across the market. As these rules change, independent certification will play an increasingly important role in verifying chemical recycling processes and maintaining confidence in recycled content claims.
Soon, certification will matter more than ever
Producing recycled plastic is only part of the equation. Manufacturers, retailers, regulators, and consumers increasingly want and need independent verification that recycled content claims are accurate and that materials remain traceable throughout the supply chain.
Beginning in August 2026, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) introduces ambitious recycled content requirements across different types of plastic packaging. The PPWR also requires companies to show that their recycled material originates from post-consumer waste. On top of this new regulation, the proposed Green Claims Directive will require businesses to prove environmental claims with concret evidence and independent verification.
These developments are making reliable traceability and certification essential for companies with products in the European market. Kiwa supports organizations through several certification schemes, including:
Kiplas-T
Which confirms the traceability of recycled materials throughout the supply chain.
Kiplas-ecoR
A framework for verifying packaging recyclability using the CIRCULARCHECK© tool developed by ECOEMBES and based on the current EN 13430 standard. It provides companies with an initial step toward preparing for the PPWR.
End-of-Waste certification
An ENAC-accredited scheme that verifies when recovered plastics meet the conditions to be classified as raw materials rather than waste, allowing them to circulate without the regulatory constraints associated with waste classification.
RecyClass
An internationally recognized certification scheme assessing both recyclability and recycled plastics processes.
Kiwa is also developing certification schemes for chemical recycling, expanding its End-of-Waste certification approach to other material streams, and supporting packaging reuse models that promote a more circular economy.
Regulation is accelerating demand
The new regulatory landscape is also changing how products are designed and manufactured.
The PPWR aims to make all packaging recyclable by progressively increasing minimum recycled content requirements for plastic packaging: 40% starting in 2030 and 70% from 2040. These targets are expected to increase demand for high-quality recycled materials across Europe.
Demand for certified recycled plastics is predicted to rise considerably as new recycled content requirements take effect, putting greater pressure on the entire plastics value chain.
Meanwhile, the Circular Plastics Alliance is entering a new phase, bringing together industry stakeholders to help increase the uptake of recycled plastics and strengthen Europe's circular economy. Europe has expanded its recycling capacity in recent years, but the next phase of the circular economy will require more than increased volumes.
Building trust and addressing industry concerns
As recycled plastics become a mainstream raw material, trust is becoming just as valuable as the material itself. According to José, three priorities will determine how successfully the industry scales circular plastics:
Scaling chemical recycling so it becomes both economically and industrially viable.
Improving collection and sorting systems to generate higher-quality waste streams.
Designing plastic products that are easier to recycle by using compatible materials and circular design principles.
Addressing these challenges will require continued collaboration between governments, manufacturers, recyclers, certification bodies, and consumers.
Independent certification is a durable solution. It gives manufacturers confidence in the quality of recycled inputs, supports compliance with evolving legislation, and provides customers with greater transparency about sustainability claims.
"In Spain, we offer certifications such as Kiplas alongside recognized schemes like RecyClass," says José. "They provide manufacturers, converters, and consumers with confidence in both the quality and sustainability of recycled content."
For José, the motivation goes beyond certification itself. "What inspires me is the belief that today's actions shape the future of our planet. Transitioning to a circular economy isn't just about preserving resources. It's about building a fairer, more responsible society. I'm motivated by the opportunity to create practical solutions that reduce pollution, improve material efficiency, and drive sustainable innovation."
The new legislation makes credible evidence of recycled content, traceability, and recyclability a business requirement rather than a competitive advantage. As regulation gets stronger, technology improves, and demand for certified circular materials continues to grow, certification will be a critical link between plastic waste and the trusted recycled materials – in turn helping to build Europe's circular economy, where recycled plastics will no longer compete on price alone. They will increasingly compete on trust, transparency, and verified performance.
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