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Klaus Wohnig is the CEO of APK AG, an innovative plastic recycling company that focuses on high-quality recycling of flexible multilayer packaging waste. Klaus and his team are actively involved in the work being done by the Circular Plastics Alliance.

The growing pressure being placed on the plastics and packaging not – based on harmonized definitions – understand the relevance of these industries by the European Commission, NGOs, and consumers will technologies both today and in the short- and mid-term in order to know: lead to long-overdue changes in how plastic packaging is produced • what is recyclable packaging? and recycled. It is high time for us to wake up and become more circular, • what level of quality can be produced with which technology? and yet, current approaches are too one-sided to be able to create a truly • which of these recyclates can be used in a particular product segment? sustainable and long-term path forward for plastics packaging. • what volume of recyclates (of which quality) will be available on an EU Re-design – coming semi-circle • which investments into a resilient future recycling infrastructure The pressure to change has resulted in a strong focus on rethinking make sense? the design of plastic products – to make them more reusable and more So, here is the good news – from a recycling point of view, multi-layer recyclable. Of course, this is a valid approach, but the underlying debate flexible plastic packaging does not need to be declared dead just yet! on ‘what is recyclable’ was not sufficiently resolved before the first major When assessing innovative recycling technologies, it quickly becomes initiatives tried to complete this line of thinking with their initial results. apparent that there are advanced physical processes – building on existRe-designing plastic products will be a valid approach for some types of ing mechanical practices – that can handle mixed flexible plastics packagpackaging. It will also lead to negative results for others. ing waste and that can separate the different layers of polymers from each

So, where would re-design of plastic packaging be sustainable? other in the recycling process to produce close to virgin quality recyclates. Which criteria will we consider? Or, are we just supposed to use ‘mono- And no – this does not refer to chemical recycling approaches, but to only’ design and potentially compromise the performance and resource physical approaches, such as dissolution recycling (in which the molecular efficiency of plastic packaging? Is recyclability trumping other criteria, chain of the polymer stays intact). Dissolution recycling is currently already such as performance? Especially in the food packaging sector, this available at industrial scale. could create a food waste disaster. A clear distinction of the categories physical recycling (e.g. mechani-

Two years after launching the EU Plastics Strategy and in the same cal recycling/dissolution recycling) and chemical recycling (e.g. solvolyyear as the publication of the Green Deal, this is exactly the right time sis) and an assessment of the corresponding technologies involved is a to take a look at our achievements so far and to realize that they will must for our work on circularity in plastic packaging. only bring us ‘semi-circle’ to a circular economy. secondary raw materials market?

Innovation in recycling technology – Right now, we need to extend our approach from ‘re-design only’ coming full circle to ‘innovation in design & recycling technology’. Both aspects are The second aspect that is put on the backburner in most current discus- intertwined, and we therefore cannot afford to deal first with A, and sions on plastic packaging and recycling, but which is highly relevant as only then move on to B, as this will lead to incomplete and distorted the missing and complementary link to re-designing certain products, is conclusions. The spring 2020 European Academies Scientific Adviinnovation in recycling technology. A comprehensive overview of technologi- sory Council (EASAC) report on plastic packaging and recyclability cal innovation is badly needed. Design guidelines are set against the aver- also suggests a twofold approach, comprising re-design and a focus age status quo of mechanical recycling. But why take today’s technological on advanced technological processes. average as the guiding principle for future recyclability? Should we not have Let’s get straight on the basics and then move forward an overview of established and innovative recycling processes? Should we to upcycling. n