April 3, 2025 17:05

The Plastics Recycling Awards Europe were handed out in Amsterdam during the Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE), celebrating the most outstanding process and product innovations in plastic recycling.

Now in its eighth edition, the awards recognized winners across seven categories, selected from a shortlist of finalists announced on Jan. 16.

“Many of this year’s shortlisted entries showcase innovations in plastics recycling that, just eight years ago, would have been considered unattainable,” said Ton Emans, Plastics Recyclers Europe’s president.
“This demonstrates just how far the industry has progressed since the inception of these awards and underscores the critical value that plastic recycling plays for the future of European industry.”

In the Automotive, Electrical or Electronic Product category, the award went to Ford Otomotiv Sanayi for its PP recycled material interior trim parts for Ford Transit and Ford Truck vehicles. The jury highlighted the high post-consumer content and emission-reduction potential of the manufacturing process.

Pretty Plastic claimed the Building & Construction category with Second High, a closed-loop recycled plastic wall cladding applauded for offering a tangible response to the growing demand for sustainable materials in construction.

In Household & Leisure, the award went to C. Josef Lamy and HolyPoly for the aquaplus re watercolor set, made with a high percentage of recycled content in a product engaging a broad audience, from children to adults.

Tray2Tray (pictured) by Klöckner Pentaplast (Linpac Packaging) won in the Plastic Packaging category. The product is a PET food packaging tray made entirely from recycled material and fully recyclable, designed to support closed-loop recycling while enhancing on-shelf presentation.

In the field of technological innovation, the Product Technology Innovation of the Year award went to CleanStream by Berry Global. This closed-loop mechanical recycling system for post-consumer polypropylene waste enables the production of food-grade packaging and promotes regional circularity. The jury recognized its potential to boost the use of recycled plastics in increasingly demanding applications, including food and cosmetic contact.

Still in the technology realm, but focused on equipment, the Recycling Machinery Innovation of the Year award went to Tomra Recycling for GAINnext (pictured), an AI-powered sorting solution for packaging. The jury recognized its potential to unlock an ever-growing uptake of recyclates in new applications, including contact-sensitive ones.

Finally, Olivier Vilcot, former general manager of SRP, received the Plastics Recycling Ambassador of the Year award, a personal honor recognizing his outstanding contribution to plastic recycling in Europe. His name was chosen by the jury in a closely contested category of high-profile nominees.

The seven winners received a trophy made with a 3D-printed base of 100% recycled ABS sourced from car dashboards, and a multicolored top section created from bottle caps collected on beaches, then compressed and laser-shaped.

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