TecPart – Verband technische Kunststoff-Produkte e.V. (Association for Technical Plastic Products) does not see a solid foundation for a functioning EU circular economy.
 

In a statement, TecPart welcomes the European Council's efforts to implement market-oriented recycling quotas in the automotive sector. However, the sector is already under considerable regulatory and economic pressure. In the combination of the EU Council's proposals for a regulation on end-of-life vehicles (ELVR) ‘reduction and phased introduction of quotas, parallel exclusion of available material flows in the EU, question marks regarding the verifiability of recycled materials from non-EU countries and multi-layered exemptions,’ the association sees no solid basis for a functioning and resilient EU circular economy and the long-term use of recycled materials in the automotive sector.
 
‘We believe that a higher entry rate than the 15 per cent specified in the Council proposal is feasible,’ says Frank Stammer, responsible for circular economy at TecPart. However, this is only possible if pre-consumer/post-industrial recycled materials are included, which are already an important source of recycled materials in engineering plastics, according to Stammer. ‘These recycled materials are available, high-quality and suitable for technical applications. Ignoring them means leaving climate-friendly alternatives to virgin materials in Europe unused,’ explains Stammer. ‘Anyone who is serious about the circular economy must take into account all technically suitable waste streams and the recyclates that can be produced from them – including those from industrial processes,’ adds Michael Weigelt, Managing Director of TecPart. Furthermore, when importing recyclates from non-EU countries, it should be ensured that they comply with EU requirements. The content of the planned exemptions also would be to be clarified. These were too vague and therefore difficult to verify. Aspects of the exemptions, such as technical hurdles, limited availability and rising prices, were foreseeable. Weigelt urges that the necessary transition should not be blocked: ‘The production of recycled materials in Europe must be freed from burdens.’ This will enable investment in infrastructure and contribute to a functioning and rewarding circular economy for all stakeholders.
 
Sources:

• Press release TecPart (24.6.2025)
• Photo: © TecPart