There is hardly a topic of our time in which plastics do not play a - much discussed - role: modern consumer habits and their effects on the environment, resource conservation and CO2-reduction in sectors such as mobility and construction, the generation of renewable energy by means of wind power or solar cells. For many years, a comprehensive life cycle analysis of plastics in Germany has looked at all these diverse areas of application and also provides figures and data on the production, processing and recycling of the material. The study thus makes a decisive contribution to objectifying the plastics debate and documents the industry's path towards a circular economy with plastics.
Higher recyclate volume in 2019
For the second time in a row, the biennial material flow diagram has determined the quantities of production and processing of recycled materials in addition to the production of new plastics. The result for 2019 shows that recycled plastics were used more frequently than before and are becoming increasingly important as a raw material for new plastic products. Last year, 13.7 per cent of the plastics processing volume was covered by recyclates; two years earlier, the share was still 12.3 per cent. Since the last survey in 2017, the volume of recycled material has increased by around five percent per year, which in turn has led to a decline in the amount of new plastics used. This decreased by 2.5 per cent in the same period.
Plastic recyclate found almost everywhere
Plastic recyclates are used in virtually all segments of the market: in highly technical applications such as vehicle construction or electrical appliances, and particularly frequently in the construction sector (approx. 43 percent), in packaging (approx. 24 percent) and agriculture (approx. 11 percent). The plastics value chain thus contributes to conserving natural resources by means of recycling and to securing the supply of raw materials for the future. This is also reflected in the figures for recycling in general, where increases are also being recorded. Of the plastic waste volumes generated in Germany, around 2.9 million tonnes were recycled in 2019. This means that the amount of material recycled increased in a two-year comparison by
3.2 per cent, mainly due to the increase in post-consumer waste.
More speed needed in the use of recycled material
However, there are still numerous hurdles that make plastics recycling difficult: be it the progressive landfilling of plastic-containing municipal waste in some parts of Europe, difficult market conditions for recyclates or partly contradictory legal regulations, for example in consumer and environmental protection. Rapid growth in recyclate volumes is needed in order to better meet the sustainability goals of politics, business and civil society and the associated market supply of secondary raw materials.
Material flow diagram at a glance
The figures of the material flow diagram in detail: In Germany, a good 20 million tonnes of plastic were produced last year, including about two million tonnes of recyclates. 14 million tonnes were used for the production of plastic products, of which 1.9 million tonnes consisted of recyclates. The amount of plastic waste was about 6.3 million tonnes, of which 46.4 per cent was recycled, less than one per cent raw material and 52.8 per cent energy.
With the presented study "Material Flow Diagram Plastics in Germany 2019", the German plastics industry once again presents a continuous and (almost) unique life cycle analysis from production to recycling of plastics and the reuse of recyclates. This forms an important basis for current sustainability discussions and thus for the development of closed cycles in the plastics sector. For the survey, more than 2,000 companies from plastics production, processing and recycling were interviewed and official and other statistics were consulted.
Originator Material flow diagram
The study was prepared by Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH, commissioned by BKV GmbH and PlasticsEurope Deutschland e.V., BDE - Bundesverband der Deutschen Entsorgungs-, Wasser- und Rohstoffwirtschaft e.V., bvse - Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung e.V., Fachverband Kunststoff- und Gummimaschinen im VDMA, IK - Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e.V., KRV - Kunststoffrohrverband e.V., AGPU - Arbeitsgemeinschaft PVC und Umwelt e.V., the GKV - Gesamtverband Kunststoffverarbeitende Industrie e. V. with its supporting associations AVK - Industrievereinigung Verstärkte Kunststoffe e.V., FSK - Fachverband Schaumkunststoffe und Polyurethane e.V., GKV/TecPart - Verband Technische Kunststoff-Produkte e.V. and pro-K - Industrieverband Halbzeuge und Konsumprodukte aus Kunststoff e.V., the IG BCE Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie and the VCI - Verband der Chemischen Industrie.
The abridged version of the study "Material flow diagram plastics in Germany 2019" can be downloaded here free of charge as a PDF version can be downloaded. The long version is available via the Website of the BKV can be ordered for a fee.