This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant

Nylon chips

• New enzyme technology for environmentally friendly plastic recycling

Nylon chips

Eight Countries Call for Critical Chemicals Act to Support European Industry

France, Spain, the Netherlands, Czechia, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia have urged the European Union to introduce a Critical Chemicals Act, seeking to classify 15 key chemicals as ‘strategic’ to ensure industrial competitiveness and sovereignty. However, Germany, the EU’s largest chemicals producer, has not joined the initiative. Nylon chips

The Call for Action

During a Competitiveness Council meeting on March 12, 2025, the seven nations expanded upon an earlier French proposal, emphasizing the urgent need for EU-wide policy support. The proposed act aligns with the Critical Raw Materials Act, aiming to protect the European chemical sector from external threats and unfair global competition.

Industry in Crisis

Europe’s chemical industry faces a ‘major crisis,’ having experienced a 12% decline in production between 2019 and 2023. High energy costs and fierce competition from non-EU producers threaten the sector’s survival. The signatories warn that as many as 20 steam crackers could shut down by 2035, risking 50,000 jobs. Recent closures at ExxonMobil’s Gravenchon plant in France, Sabic’s Geleen site in the Netherlands, and Eni-Versalis’ operations in Italy illustrate this trend. LyondellBasell has also placed several European plants under strategic review. Nylon chips

Strategic Chemicals List

The proposed act identifies 15 chemicals deemed essential for key industries, including defense, healthcare, food, automotive, construction, and green technology:

-Basic Petrochemicals: Ethylene, propylene, butadiene, benzene, toluene, xylene, styrene, phenol.

-Industrial Chemicals: Ammonia, methanol, chlorine, sodium hydroxide.

-Specialized Materials: Sulfur, silicon, sodium carbonates.

-Critical Compounds: Hydrofluoric acid (for batteries, healthcare, electronics), methionine, and lysine (for food and health industries).

Several of these chemicals, such as ethylene, butadiene, benzene, ammonia, and sodium carbonates, could be classified as both ‘strategic’ and ‘critical’ due to their limited production sites and reliance on non-EU imports.  Nylon chips

Sustainable Alternatives

Recognizing the need for sustainability, the signatories advocate for strategic investment in bio-based and low-carbon chemicals. Their tentative list includes:

-Readily Available Bio-Based Molecules: Glycerol, ethanol.

-Bio-Based Molecules Without Fossil Equivalents: Lactic acid, itaconic acid, glutamic acid, pelargonic acid.

-Key Bio-Based Platform Chemicals: Furans (FDCA, HMF), succinic acid, propanediol.

To facilitate industrial transformation, the proposal suggests investments in bioplastics, plastic recycling, biofuels, and downstream chemical chains. Additionally, EU funding should prioritize first-of-a-kind plants using innovative, sustainable production technologies.  Nylon chips

Clean Industrial Deal and Chemicals Industry Package

The EU recently introduced the Clean Industrial Deal, aiming to make industrial decarbonization profitable. However, the signatories argue this initiative alone is insufficient and must be complemented by a Critical Chemicals Act. The forthcoming Chemicals Industry Package, set for adoption in late 2025, is another key measure, but industry representatives warn it may not fully address the sector’s challenges. Plastics Europe has also cautioned that the Clean Industrial Deal risks undervaluing the plastics industry’s role.

Conclusion

The eight countries urge swift EU action to support the chemical sector, emphasizing that a Critical Chemicals Act is essential to safeguarding European industrial leadership and economic stability. The proposal highlights the need for strategic chemical classification, sustainable alternatives, and targeted funding to counter global competition and energy cost challenges. Nylon chips

Coveris Highlights Circular Packaging Solutions with ReCover at PRSE

Coveris is set to showcase its commitment to closing the plastic packaging loop at Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE). As a leading European packaging manufacturer, Coveris joins the plastic recycling supply chain at PRSE for the first time, highlighting opportunities to drive circularity within the industry.

Amid evolving regulations, Coveris remains at the forefront of sustainable innovation through its dedicated recycling business, ReCover.  Nylon chips

With the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reshaping industry standards, ReCover plays a vital role in Coveris’ No Waste vision while ensuring compliance with new legislation.

A Proactive Strategy for Regulatory Compliance

ReCover aligns with EU PPWR targets, which mandate minimum recycled content in plastic packaging by 2030. By strengthening its recycling capabilities, Coveris ensures a steady supply of high-quality recyclate to integrate into its packaging solutions. This initiative supports both PPWR’s recyclability and recycled content requirements, as well as EPR’s broader sustainability goals. Nylon chips

Scaling Up Recycling Capacity

To meet rising sustainability demands, ReCover aims to increase its plastic recycling capacity to 50,000 tonnes by 2026 and 90,000 tonnes by 2030. Expanding its infrastructure and pioneering advanced recycling methods, ReCover enhances material recovery from diverse film waste streams. This effort not only supports Coveris’ operations but also contributes to strengthening the industry’s recycling ecosystem.

Innovating with De-inking Technology

Since 2023, Coveris’ ReCover facility in Louth, UK, has employed cutting-edge de-inking technology to remove ink from printed polyethylene films. This process transforms waste into high-quality recycled PE resin, known as ReGen. The facility processes bailed and reeled feedstock, which is ground into flakes, de-inked, washed, dried, and repelletised. By enabling printed plastic waste to remain within the supply chain, the de-inking process ensures that previously downcycled materials—such as building films—can now be repurposed into high-performance packaging like tissue overwrap films, collation films, and mailing bags. Nylon chips

Philipp Niehues, Coveris’ ReCover Business Development Director, emphasized, “Plastic recycling has always been integral to our business. Through ReCover, we are expanding capacity and innovating with de-inking technology to support the development of sustainable packaging solutions. Our customers are increasingly interested in circular solutions, and we can process their high-quality waste films into recycled content for our packaging. We are excited to engage with industry leaders at PRSE and demonstrate our commitment to sustainable innovation.”

Engaging the Industry at PRSE

PRSE, the premier event for the plastics recycling sector in Europe, takes place on April 1–2 at RAI Amsterdam. Attendees can visit Coveris at stand G116 to learn more about its pioneering recycling initiatives and how ReCover is driving a closed-loop system within the plastic packaging industry. Nylon chips