European Commission Launches Public Consultation on Recycled Plastic Content in Single-Use Plastics

The European Commission (EC) has begun a public consultation on a draft act aimed at establishing rules for calculating, verifying, and reporting on recycled plastic content in single-use plastic beverage bottles. This proposal is part of the EC's effort to increase the use of recycled materials in the EU economy and reduce plastic waste incineration and landfill. The consultation, which is open until August 19, 2025, seeks to repeal the existing Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2683 and introduce new rules to allow additional recycling technologies to contribute to the attainment of the recycled content targets.

Key Takeaways:

• The draft act proposes to repeal Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2683 and establish new rules for calculating, verifying, and reporting on recycled plastic content in single-use plastic beverage bottles.
• The draft act would introduce mass balance accounting to account for additional recycling technologies, which require substantial additions to the existing methodology.
• The draft act prioritizes mechanical recycling technologies over chemical recycling technologies from an environmental point of view, and recommends that waste that can be recycled mechanically should not enter into chemical recycling if mechanical recycling can produce recyclates with similar quality or performance characteristics.
• The draft act calls on the EC to review the methodology, including the rules for allocation of attributed amounts, to align with the provisions in Article 7(8) of Regulation (EU) 2025/40.
• The consultation is open until August 19, 2025, and comments are due on the draft act.
• The draft act aims to increase the use of recycled materials in the EU economy and reduce plastic waste incineration and landfill.

Statistics:

• The consultation is open until August 19, 2025.
• The draft act proposes to introduce mass balance accounting, which requires substantial additions to the existing methodology.
• The draft act prioritizes mechanical recycling technologies over chemical recycling technologies from an environmental point of view.
• The draft act recommends that waste that can be recycled mechanically should not enter into chemical recycling if mechanical recycling can produce recyclates with similar quality or performance characteristics.
• The draft act calls on the EC to review the methodology, including the rules for allocation of attributed amounts, to align with the provisions in Article 7(8) of Regulation (EU) 2025/40.

Sources:

• European Commission (EC) [ launched public consultation on draft act on recycled plastic content in single-use plastics on July 8, 2025 ].
• Regulation (EU) 2022/1616.
• Directive (EU) 2019/904.
• Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2683.
• Regulation (EU) 2025/40.