Plastic and Industry: From Single-Use to Recovery
Plastic is one of the most widely used materials—and at the same time, one of the biggest environmental challenges of our time. Every year, the industrial sector generates millions of tons of plastic waste, most of which comes from packaging.
In 2024, despite growing awareness, the production of virgin plastic remains dominant, while recycling rates struggle to rise. In Europe, packaging accounts for approximately 40% of plastic production, but only a portion is actually recovered.
Today’s linear economic model—based on production, use, and disposal—is no longer sustainable. Industry must shift toward a circular system, where packaging is not seen as waste, but as a resource to be recovered and regenerated. This approach reduces waste, emissions, and the use of raw materials.
Industrial Packaging: A Circular Future by 2030
The European Union has laid out a clear path: by 2030, all packaging must be recyclable or reusable in an economically sustainable way. For companies, this means rethinking packaging management, limiting virgin plastic use, and relying on certified recovery solutions.
Data show that reusing industrial packaging is a strategic lever for reducing environmental impact. A study by the Italian Federation of Packaging Regenerators (FIRI) found that reusing a drum for three life cycles can cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 51% compared to manufacturing new packaging. This process also delivers a 53% energy saving compared to producing a brand-new drum.
But recovery is not just a sustainable choice. Optimizing industrial packaging management also boosts operational efficiency and meets the growing demand for transparency from investors, customers, and stakeholders.
From Regeneration to Reuse: The Packaging Life Cycle
Recovery takes place through a series of specialized operations, including washing, decontamination, and quality checks, to ensure the container retains its technical and safety properties. Regardless of what was previously stored, these containers can be reintroduced into the market with high quality standards.
The more regeneration cycles a container goes through, the lower the environmental impact from disposal. That’s why optimizing recovery processes is essential to reduce single-use packaging and promote reuse.
Second Life Plastic: Turning Waste into Reduced Emissions
A concrete example is found in plants certified under the Second Life Plastic standard, such as those operated by Repack. These facilities extract recycled HDPE from industrial plastic waste to produce new drums made from 100% recycled plastic.
This process allows producers of industrial plastic waste to reuse their own scrap materials to create new regenerated containers, reducing dependence on virgin plastic, cutting CO₂ emissions, and lowering the energy consumption tied to new material production.
Using recycled plastic not only lowers environmental impact—it also represents a strategic advantage for companies, helping them improve sustainability reports and comply with European standards for responsible packaging management.
