Lüdenscheid Plastics Institute and BKV pool expertise on the use of recycled materials

In September 2026, the “Recycling 3” joint project run by the Lüdenscheid Plastics Institute will get underway with BKV GmbH as a new project partner.

The aim of the project is to support companies in the use of recycled materials and to provide them with guidance in the face of increasing regulatory requirements. The focus is on current and future legal requirements, including, for example, the EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR), the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELVR) and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, as well as sources of information on available recycled materials and the analysis of post-consumer waste streams and their recovery pathways. The project aims to establish a practical knowledge platform for the circular economy of plastics, including a market overview of recycled materials available worldwide, which is to be continuously updated and made available as a digital database with a filter function. According to the information provided, this currently covers around 2,000 materials. In supplementary analyses of post-consumer feedstocks, their composition and recycling pathways, mechanical, physical and chemical recycling processes are also to be examined and compared. Furthermore, practical investigations into odour reduction in PCR are planned. Company-specific testing on the use of recycled materials is also offered as an additional module.
 
BKV is contributing its expertise as a new project partner. As a nationally and internationally networked expert platform for the German plastics industry, BKV has been committed to resource efficiency and the circular economy for plastics for many years. The think tank brings together companies across the entire value chain and provides the industry with a sound basis of data and facts for strategic decision-making. To the “Recycling 3” collaborative project, the BKV contributes, in particular, its expertise on regulatory developments, waste streams, and recycling and recovery technologies.
 
The participating companies are to receive sound decision-making support through the project to enable them to accurately interpret legal requirements, evaluate technological developments and align themselves with future-proof strategies to meet statutory recycling targets.
 
The kick-off meeting to mark the start of the project will take place on 16 September 2026 from 9.30 am to around 3.00 pm at the Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid and online. The free event is aimed at project participants and interested companies. The BKV will provide an overview of regulatory developments and the current state of plastics recycling in Europe. The car manufacturer Audi will also report, using specific examples, on the challenges posed by the European End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation (ELVR) and possible solutions.
 
Further information and registration: Website of the Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid
 
Sources:

• Kunststoff-Institut Lüdenscheid (10.8.2026)
• Photo: © Frank / Pixabay (illustrative image)