The debate surrounding the future of plastics is no longer just about waste management. It is about our ability to transform a material essential to the global economy into a truly circular resource. This awareness is what inspired “A more transparent future: exploring chemical and mechanical recycling”, the event we hosted at our headquarters together with key customers to examine, through scientific rigor and an industrial lens, the role of post-consumer recycling in packaging.
Our special guest for the day was Professor Paola Fabbri from the University of Bologna, one of the leading authorities in the field of polymeric materials. Her keynote extended beyond technologies, delving into the systemic challenges currently shaping the future of plastics. In a sector where more than 95% of material value is lost after first use, discussing recycling means rethinking an entire production model, not simply adding a downstream treatment.
The new European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) moves precisely in this direction, setting clear targets for waste reduction and recycled content. One of the most significant measures concerns PET used in sensitive-contact applications, which by 2030 must contain at least 30% post-consumer recycled content. This is a transformational milestone that requires not only material availability, but also quality, traceability and processes capable of converting end-of-life plastics into new, high-performance raw materials.
This is where the discussion between mechanical recycling and chemical recycling becomes central. Mechanical recycling, widely adopted today, preserves the macromolecular structure of the polymer. It is a well-established, lower-energy-intensity process, but it also retains part of the material’s “history,” including additives and potential contaminants.
Chemical recycling, on the other hand, operates at the molecular level: polymer chains are broken down into basic components, as in PET glycolysis, which produces the monomer BHET. Once purified, BHET can be reintroduced into polymer synthesis, yielding a material equivalent to virgin resin and potentially recyclable multiple times without quality degradation.
As highlighted by the scientific contribution, the key is not to position these technologies in opposition, but to recognize their complementarity. Mechanical recycling offers accessibility and immediacy; chemical recycling delivers superior purity, enhanced performance and deeper circularity. Together, they expand the volume of plastics that can effectively be recovered and help reduce dependence on virgin materials.
To translate theory into practice, during the event we showcased two production lines operating simultaneously: one using mechanically recycled material, the other chemically recycled. This real-world comparison, on industrial machinery and parameters, allowed participants to observe differences in rheology, processing behavior and aesthetic output, bringing scientific considerations directly into the manufacturing environment.
The day concluded with a discussion among key stakeholders across the value chain, highlighting an essential point: the quality of recycled materials does not originate from any single process, but from the sector’s ability to evolve collectively, integrating technologies, expertise and shared responsibility.
For us, this event reaffirms our commitment to promoting packaging where innovation, quality and sustainability converge toward a single goal: a circularity that is authentic, measurable and concrete.
