New study outlines technologies, policy support and investment strategies to increase recycled content in flexible plastic packaging.
The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) has released a comprehensive report outlining how advanced mechanical recycling can significantly improve the recovery and reuse of discarded flexible plastic packaging. The study presents a technical and economic roadmap for processing up to 50,000 metric tonnes of flexible plastic waste annually, demonstrating the potential to produce premium recycled materials suitable for demanding packaging applications.
Titled “The Quest for Quality: Scaling Advanced Mechanical Recycling to Meet Recycled Content Targets for Flexibles,” the 34-page report concludes that advanced mechanical recycling technologies can enable the production of recycled plastics containing more than 30% recycled content, making them suitable for high-performance flexible packaging.
According to the Singapore-based alliance, achieving circularity for flexible plastics will require a combination of advanced mechanical recycling and chemical recycling, with both technologies playing complementary roles across different waste streams. While advanced mechanical recycling is best suited for cleaner and more homogeneous plastic waste, chemical recycling can help process mixed and contaminated plastics that are difficult to recycle through conventional methods.
Policy and Market Support Essential
The report emphasizes that technological capability alone is not enough to drive widespread adoption. It identifies Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, stronger market demand for premium recycled materials, and supportive policy frameworks as critical enablers for commercial-scale investment.
The findings are particularly relevant for companies preparing to meet the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which sets ambitious recycled-content targets for plastic packaging by 2030. These regulations are expected to encourage greater investment in recycling infrastructure and stimulate demand for high-quality recycled polymers across the packaging industry.
The Alliance notes that collaboration between governments, recyclers, packaging manufacturers, converters and brand owners will be essential to build a sustainable circular economy for flexible plastics.
Tackling One of the Most Difficult Packaging Streams
Flexible packaging remains one of the most challenging materials to recycle due to its complex construction. Many flexible packages combine multiple polymer layers—including polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE)—along with barrier materials such as aluminium or aluminium oxide to deliver product protection and extend shelf life.
These multi-material structures complicate sorting and recycling, making improvements in collection, separation and processing technologies essential. The report points out that better waste segregation at source, advanced optical sorting systems and improved washing processes can significantly improve the quality of recycled materials produced from flexible packaging.
Shift from Commodity Recycling to Premium Recyclates
One of the report’s key recommendations is a change in the recycling industry’s operating model. Rather than focusing primarily on producing low-cost mixed plastic commodities, recyclers should adopt a market-driven strategy aimed at manufacturing high-quality recycled resins that satisfy the performance requirements of converters and brand owners.
The report notes that this transition may require substantial investment in advanced sorting technologies, which could impact project economics. To address this challenge, it recommends upgrading existing recycling facilities where possible and transferring more intensive sorting activities to centralized Plastics Recovery Facilities (PRFs), allowing Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to operate more efficiently.
Such an approach could improve material consistency, reduce contamination levels and create recycled polymers capable of replacing virgin resin in more demanding applications.
Industry Collaboration Needed
Commenting on the report, Jacob Duer, President and CEO of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, said flexible plastic packaging remains one of the industry’s greatest recycling challenges but also represents one of the most important opportunities for advancing a circular plastics economy.
He noted that the technologies required to produce high-quality recycled materials are already available. The next step, he said, is to accelerate commercial deployment through stronger collaboration across the plastics value chain, backed by supportive policies and financial mechanisms that encourage investment.
According to Duer, aligning technology providers, recyclers, policymakers and brand owners will be critical for expanding advanced mechanical recycling capacity and meeting future recycled-content commitments.
Outlook for the Plastics Industry
The report is intended as an open-source resource for recyclers, brand owners, policymakers and technology providers seeking practical strategies to improve the recycling of flexible plastic packaging while supporting global sustainability and recycled-content objectives.
As governments worldwide introduce stricter regulations on plastic waste and recycled content, the findings provide valuable guidance for companies looking to modernize recycling operations and develop higher-value recycled materials. For the plastics and packaging industry, the report reinforces that combining innovation, supportive policy frameworks and value chain collaboration will be key to scaling flexible packaging recycling and achieving long-term circularity goals.