November 18, 2024 15:44

The gap between global and European plastics production continues to widen. Global output rose from 400 million to 413 million metric tons last year (+3.4%), while Europe’s fell from nearly 59 million to 54 million metric tons, with 42.9 million of that being virgin resins—a sharp 8.3% decline within a year.

For the first time, the production of post-consumer recycled plastics in Europe also decreased, falling from 7.7 million to 7.1 million metric tons (-7.8%). Chemical recycling remains marginal at 120,000 metric tons, and bioplastics production increased slightly from 700,000 to 800,000 metric tons between 2022 and 2023.