Sustainability/News/ In numbers: Europe’s plastic problem Europe's still only recycling 14% of its plastic waste. By Freya Pratty 24 March 2022 Underwater pollution:- A discarded plastic carrier bag drifting in a tropical, blue water ocean Underwater pollution:- A discarded plastic carrier bag drifting in a tropical, blue water ocean \Sustainability What does the ESG reckoning mean for VC? By Freya Pratty 23 June 2022 Sustainability/News/ In numbers: Europe’s plastic problem Europe's still only recycling 14% of its plastic waste. By Freya Pratty 24 March 2022 This chart first appeared in our sustainability-focused newsletter, Sustain. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox every Thursday. The world’s producing twice as much plastic waste as it was two decades ago, and plastics account for 3.4% of global emissions. In Europe, every person uses an average 114kg of plastic per year. That’s less than the USA (where it’s 221kg) but notably higher than some other regions (in both Japan and Korea it’s around 69kg). That’s according to a new report from the OECD. The pandemic led to a slight drop in plastic use. 2.2% less plastic was used globally in 2020 than 2019 but, as economic activity has resumed, plastic use has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels. So how much of that is recycled? According to data from Europa, as plastic use has increased, the percentage that’s recycled has increased at a similar rate. 14% sounds low but it is comparatively good — it’s actually the highest proportion in the world, with the global average at 9%. It’s much better than the USA, for example, where 4% of plastic waste is recycled. What’s being done? A number of countries have brought in bans on single-use plastics. A ban in the European Union also came into effect in July last year, preventing the sale of a list of items made from single-use plastics where sustainable alternatives are available (things like cotton buds, plastic cutlery and straws). It’s part of the EU’s plastic strategy, aimed at moving the continent towards a circular economy. Individual countries are also enforcing tighter legislation, with France banning single-use plastics on most fruit and vegetables in January, and Spain planning to do the same next year. Where do startups fit in? Startups across Europe are working to develop alternatives to single use plastic. They’re using everything from wool to sea algae to produce new packaging materials that don’t rely on plastic. There’s also a whole bioplastics industry — where companies like Ginko Bioworks and Zymergen use bacteria to produce plastic alternatives through a form of fermentation. Other companies are working on improving the recycling process for plastic. Cirplus, a German startup, has built a software procurement system that matches companies with waste plastic to those who could use it. Found this chart useful? Sign up our Sustain newsletter, where we run through sustainability stats and send them to your inbox every Thursday. Related Articles Does construction have a sustainable future? We asked the experts Sponsored by Drees & Sommer Click here to read more Delivery Hero’s now ‘carbon neutral’ in Europe and Latin America. What does that mean? By Sarah Drumm Click here to read more Eastern Europe’s climate tech needs stronger networks and more commercialisation, investors say By Eleanor Warnock Click here to read more Member Meet the European startups making fashion sustainable By Miriam Partington in Berlin Click here to read more Most Read 1 \Startup Life Where are Europe’s top digital nomad villages? 2 \Public & Academic UCL and Oxford are Europe’s ‘worst universities for spinouts’ 3 \Venture Capital The top early-stage investors in the Netherlands 4 \Fintech Payment flows API startup Formance raises $3.1m pre-seed 5 \Venture Capital Top early-stage investors in the Nordics Join the conversation Subscribe Notify of new follow-up comments new replies to my comments
Does construction have a sustainable future? We asked the experts Sponsored by Drees & Sommer Click here to read more
Delivery Hero’s now ‘carbon neutral’ in Europe and Latin America. What does that mean? By Sarah Drumm Click here to read more
Eastern Europe’s climate tech needs stronger networks and more commercialisation, investors say By Eleanor Warnock Click here to read more
Member Meet the European startups making fashion sustainable By Miriam Partington in Berlin Click here to read more