[IDEAS FOR GOOD] White paper “Turning regulation into competitiveness: 20 chemical recycling cases for PPWR readiness” released for free

IDEAS FOR GOOD, a web media platform operated by Harch that collects ideas to make society better, has jointly conducted research with Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. and released a free white paper titled “Turning regulation into competitiveness: 20 chemical recycling cases for PPWR readiness.”

Plastics are indispensable materials in our daily lives, yet they are also among the materials currently facing the greatest pressure for transformation. As the importance of resource circulation has long been emphasized in the pursuit of a sustainable society, the global conversation is rapidly shifting from setting ambitious goals to competing over concrete implementation.

A particularly significant turning point was the enforcement of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, known as PPWR, in Europe. This regulation mandates minimum recycled content requirements for plastic packaging by 2030 and 2040. Notably, strict targets are also set for contact sensitive applications such as food packaging, which have traditionally been considered difficult areas for the use of recycled materials.

In sectors where hygiene and safety are top priorities, including food, medical products, and cosmetics, it is not easy for conventional mechanical recycling, also known as material recycling, to meet these regulatory requirements and societal expectations on its own. As a result, expectations are growing rapidly for chemical recycling, which enables waste to be circulated as a resource while maintaining quality equivalent to virgin materials, as well as for the mass balance approach that appropriately allocates its environmental value. The recycling of waste plastics through chemical recycling has now progressed beyond demonstration projects and reached the stage where products are available on the market not only in Europe but also in the United States and Japan.

This white paper is a collection of adoption cases compiled through joint research by Mitsui Chemicals and IDEAS FOR GOOD. The report examines 20 advanced cases that have already been implemented in society, while considering global regulatory trends including PPWR. Why is chemical recycling gaining attention now? How have companies transformed their supply chains? The report aims to provide practical insights for building sustainable value chains in the future.

Contents

• Introduction
• 20 Case Studies (Europe, United States, Japan)
• Conclusion
• Notes and requests regarding the use of this report
• References

Examples featured in the report

• Waste plastics recycled into food grade pet food packaging (United States)
• Recycled polypropylene containers introduced for cream cheese products (Europe)
• From car to car: end of life vehicle waste recycled into steering wheels for new vehicles (Germany)
• Medical waste recycled into advanced packaging materials (Netherlands)
• Waste packaging from a company’s own factory recycled into cosmetic containers (Japan)

…including a total of 20 case studies.

Overview of the white paper

Recommended for

• Brand managers and product planning teams at companies
• Professionals considering the implementation of recycled materials in sectors such as food, cosmetics, automotive, and healthcare
• Those seeking to advance product design and material procurement in response to international regulations such as PPWR
• Those who want to understand the mass balance approach and its practical applications
• Those looking for insights on implementing resource circulation across the entire supply chain
• Corporate professionals who want to transform environmental compliance from a cost into competitiveness

【Reference article】IDEAS FOR GOOD “Turning regulation into competitiveness: 20 chemical recycling cases for PPWR readiness [Free white paper]” (in Japanese)
【Related page】Harch Europe (in Japanese)