Ref. Ares(2021)6235733 - 13/10/2021
Ref. Ares(2022)110688 - 07/01/2022
To:
(ENV);
(ENV);
(ENV);
)
Cc:
SADAUSKAS Kestutis (ENV);
(ENV)
Subject:
Flash report: Meeting CAB Timmermans with Plastics Europe on chemical
recycling and mass balance
Flash report: Oct 13 Meeting CAB Timmermans Plastics Europe
Topic: Chemical recycling and mass balance
Participants:
•
– CEO, Covestro & President, PlasticsEurope
•
– Managing Director, PlasticsEurope
•
– External Affairs Director, PlasticsEurope
•
– CEO Europe & VP Olefins/Polyolefins Europe and Asia, Braskem
•
- CEO, INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe North
•
- Director Government Relations & Public Affairs, SABIC
•
ta (???), Exxon
•
COM: Helena Braun (CAB Timmermans),
(ENV B.3),
(ENV.B.3)
Plastics Europe:
•
Green Deal is important to them.
•
Industry is changing but asks for a supportive policy framework.
•
Plastics Europe is conducting a Flagship study with SystemiQ. This study will come up with new
investment needs. They offered to present findings by Jan 2022 to EVP Timmermans directly.
•
Plastics industry wishes to contribute to CE, but they need to develop scenarios related to the 7
billion euro investment needs that have been identified for chemical recycling.
•
Chemical recycling is an umbrella for several technologies, is complementary to mechanical (not
an either or).
•
Industry wants to be at the forefront of circular economy globally.
•
Key points are required to open the door. Acceptance of a mass balance approach is essential.
Necessary to integrate existing facilities fast. Accountability will be ensured. LCAs are important.
•
They want Europe to become the leader in this field. Unintended consequences by not setting
the framework conditions in the right way should be avoided.
Helena Braun:
•
Stated that so far they took a rather cautious approach.
•
Research needs on energy consumption, overall environmental impacts and LCA. Also negative
impacts on CE need to be avoided.
•
The relation to product design related efforts also would need to be better clarified, if and how
product design will be effected.
•
On mass balance she indicated that she had not yet the time to dive deeper into the topic but
that some stakeholders brought forward that this could be problematic for transparency.
I made the following points:
•
It is important that also the technologies summarised under chemical recycling adhere to the
provisions of the existing legal framework given in the WFD, i.e. that plastic waste used for
internal energy consumption or resulting in fuel products cannot count towards the targets.
•
It is important to ensure complementarity with mechanical recycling instead of being in
competition, as mechanical recycling tends to have a better environmental profile.
•
Trust building by verification, certification and audits will be as important as calculation rules in
the context of the SUPD and the PPWD.
•
Some concerns were raised on the transfer of credits of recycled content from a food contact
materials perspective as the actual recycled content does not seem to be under control
anymore.
Next steps:
•
Helena Braun invited all to send relevant documentation to her.
•
Plastics Europe indicated the wish for a follow up meeting with Env.B.3 to provide further
input on how to appropriately reflect chemical recycling in ongoing and upcoming
initiatives.
Thanks and best regards,