Plastics - List page News

Under current EU rules, the export of mixed municipal waste for recovery to non-EEA countries, such as Switzerland, will soon be banned.

The Commission published its first report under the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), showing Member States' progress.

Very small pieces of plastic – known as nanoplastic particles – are often under-represented in both research and policy contexts. A study estimates that they may be the dominant form of marine plastic pollution in the North Atlantic.

Two EU-funded projects are leading the way in lowering plastic waste, increasing circularity and showing that bio-based products are the future.

The PLAST2bCLEANED project has pioneered a revolutionary process that transforms hazardous plastic waste into high-value, circular resources.

A single car may contain around 240 kg of plastic – and much of this plastic waste is difficult to recycle at the end of a car's life. New research reveals ways to improve plastics circularity in the vehicle sector and offers policy insights.

In 2023, 79.7 million tonnes of packaging waste were generated in the EU, or 177.8 kg per inhabitant. While this marks a reduction of 8.7 kg per capita compared with 2022, the figure remains 21.2 kg higher than in 2013.

The Commission is participating in crucial negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty in Geneva to address our growing plastic problem.

The latest episode of Euronews’ 'The Road to Green' series explores ways to fight plastic pollution at source, ahead of negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty.