Recyclability is not enough: the path to a truly circular economy

From recycling to a circular economy

A piece of packaging may be technically easy to recycle, yet never be turned into new packaging again. There are several crucial steps between theoretical recyclability and a functioning circular economy: collection, sorting, processing and, finally, the reuse of the recovered material.

All four material groups can benefit from functioning circular systems. Recycled glass reduces the demand for virgin raw materials and energy. In the case of aluminium, recycling significantly improves the energy balance. Recycled fibres are an essential component of paper production. And in the case of PET and HDPE, high-quality recyclate reduces the need for new fossil-based materials.

Glass: Collection is not yet recycling

Recycled glass can replace some of the original raw materials. Glass cullet requires less energy to be remelted than the original raw material mix. The higher the proportion of high-quality waste glass, the lower the demand for raw materials, energy consumption and direct CO₂ emissions. 

Europe has well-established collection systems. In 2023, 80.8 per cent of glass packaging was collected for recycling in the EU. The recycling rate reported by Eurostat for the same year was 74.9 per cent.

This discrepancy highlights an important distinction: a high collection rate is a prerequisite for recycling, but is not synonymous with the quantity that is subsequently actually recycled.

Aluminium: significant impact through recycling

The effect of recycling is particularly evident in the case of aluminium. Melting down aluminium scrap requires up to 95 per cent less energy than producing primary aluminium. A high proportion of recycled material can therefore significantly reduce the environmental impact. 

The recycling rate for European aluminium drinks cans reached 76.3 per cent in 2023. However, this figure relates to drinks cans in the EU as well as in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland – not to all aluminium packaging.

Paper: Recycled fibres need to be supplemented

Paper fibres can be recycled multiple times. However, in the process they gradually lose length and quality. Fresh fibres therefore remain necessary to keep the paper cycle functioning in the long term.

In 2024, 75.1 per cent of the paper and cardboard consumed in Europe was recycled. However, this figure includes graphic papers, packaging and tissue paper, and is therefore not directly comparable with material-specific packaging recycling rates.

PET and HDPE: Recycled materials replace virgin materials

For PET and HDPE, a key strategy is to replace virgin fossil-based materials with high-quality recycled materials. Mechanically recycled PET and HDPE can be reused for packaging, provided that collection, sorting, cleaning and product design work in tandem. Mechanical recycling processes are already widely established for both types of plastic. 

In 2023, 42.1 per cent of plastic packaging waste was recycled in the EU. This figure covers all plastic packaging and is therefore not a specific rate for PET or HDPE.

PET beverage bottles often perform significantly better in collection. Thanks to separate collection systems and, in particular, deposit-refund schemes, they achieve return rates of over 95 per cent in many countries. At the same time, there remains potential for improvement in the collection, sorting and high-quality recycling of plastic packaging as a whole.

Recycling rates are not a ranking

The figures for the various materials should therefore not be interpreted as a simple ranking. They differ in terms of the reference year, geographical scope, material definition and calculation method.

In some cases, they refer to all packaging made from a particular material; in others, to individual types of packaging; and in others still, to material streams that extend beyond packaging. The rates show how effective existing systems are. However, they do not automatically answer the question of which material is the best choice for a specific packaging application.

Collection schemes increase return rates

For recyclability to become an effective circular economy, packaging must be designed in such a way that, after use, it can be identified, sorted and processed at a reasonable cost. This is precisely where ‘Design for Recycling’ comes in. At the same time, collection systems, suitable recycling capacity and reliable demand for secondary raw materials are required. Only when the material is actually returned and reused does an effective circular economy emerge. 

The potential of this interplay is particularly evident in the case of PET and HDPE: They are lightweight and material-efficient, mechanical recycling processes are widely established, and recycled materials can replace virgin fossil-based materials. Well-functioning collection systems also demonstrate that very high return rates are possible. 

This brings our series full circle. There is no single packaging material that always causes the least environmental impact, regardless of its application and the prevailing conditions. A well-informed decision takes into account the quantity of material, the proportion of recycled content, protective and barrier functions, reusability options, transport conditions and the actual recycling process after use.&

The most sustainable packaging is therefore not automatically the one with the best image. It is the solution that fulfils its purpose using as few resources as possible and keeps the material in circulation for as long as possible. This is precisely where lightweight, material-efficient and easily recyclable plastic packaging can make a significant contribution – provided that design, collection, recycling and the use of recycled material are seamlessly integrated.

Click here for Part 1: Why the life cycle matters

Click here for Part 2: Where the environmental impact arises