#PlastinfoAnalysis

• Plastinfo publishes PPWR 15, dedicated to the EN 18120:2026 family of Design for Recycling standards for plastic packaging.
• The 15 standards provide a technical framework covering general principles, sortability, design guidelines and evaluation protocols for six packaging streams.
• PPWR 15 explains the difference between designing packaging for recycling and technically evaluating its behaviour in relevant sorting and recycling processes.
• EN 18120 should not be confused with legal compliance under PPWR: the criteria and methodologies required under Regulation (EU) 2025/40 are still being completed at European level.
• PPWR 15 is available free of charge on Plastinfo.eu.

• Plastinfo publică PPWR 15, dedicat seriei EN 18120:2026 privind Design for Recycling pentru ambalajele din plastic.
• Cele 15 standarde introduc un cadru tehnic care acoperă principii generale, sortabilitate, ghiduri de proiectare și protocoale de evaluare pentru șase fluxuri de ambalaje.
• Articolul explică diferența dintre a proiecta un ambalaj pentru reciclare și a putea evalua tehnic comportamentul acestuia în procesele relevante de sortare și reciclare.
• EN 18120 nu este prezentat ca echivalent al conformității juridice cu PPWR: viitoarele criterii și metodologii prevăzute de Regulamentul (UE) 2025/40 trebuie încă finalizate la nivel european.
• PPWR 15 este disponibil gratuit pe Plastinfo.eu.

↑ Energy costs and some key feedstocks came under renewed upward pressure in Europe.
↑ Low Rhine water levels disrupted logistics and affected operations at several German chemical producers.
↓ Weak demand and ample supply continued to limit producers’ ability to pass higher costs through to polymer prices.
↓ Recycled polymers remained under pressure, although the pace of decline began to moderate for some grades.
↕ Recovered paper and cardboard markets moved in different directions across Europe, with no single regional trend.
○ For recycled glass, available evidence was insufficient to establish a reliably documented European price trend.

• The European Commission is proposing harmonised End-of-Waste criteria for plastic waste.
• The draft covers thermoplastics and mixtures of thermoplastics processed through mechanical recycling or solvent-based dissolution recycling.
• It introduces requirements concerning material quality, traceability, statements of conformity and quality management systems.
• The proposal also contains important provisions for recycled materials produced outside the EU and placed on the European market as non-waste.
• The regulation has not yet been adopted. The deadline for comments is 20 September 2026.
• Plastinfo has published a detailed examination of the proposal and its potential consequences for industry in the ANALYSIS section.

• The Plastinfo PPWR Series is now complete, with 14 articles available free of charge.
• The series covers the main areas of PPWR implementation, including packaging design and minimisation, recyclability, recycled content, reuse and refill, labelling, technical documentation, EPR and operator responsibilities.
• The articles were developed from an industry perspective, focusing on how regulatory requirements translate into practical decisions inside companies.
• PPWR 14 brings the previous topics together in a practical readiness checklist and implementation roadmap towards 2030.

 • The report analyses macroeconomic developments, virgin and recycled polymer markets, secondary raw materials, European legislation and key corporate developments shaping the industry.
 • Rather than simply reporting market events, Market Monitor explains how these developments are interconnected and what they mean for manufacturers, recyclers, converters, traders and investors.
 • Designed as an executive market intelligence publication, the report provides strategic insight into the forces driving the European plastics and circular economy sectors.

Related Plastinfo Analysis – Corporate Radar CR-001
Dacia Between Romania, Morocco and Türkiye

Renault Group CEO François Provost has described the company's Romanian operations as having reached a "critical point", highlighting the growing challenges facing the European automotive industry. Following his visit to the Dacia Mioveni plant and Renault Technologie Roumanie (RTR), Provost stressed that improving competitiveness, strengthening engineering capabilities and expanding Dacia's domestic market presence are now strategic priorities for the Group.

 •  Plastinfo has published the second edition of its executive market intelligence report covering the European plastics and recycling industry.
 •  The report analyses key market developments during the period 01–15 July 2026, providing an independent assessment of polymer markets, recycling, regulatory developments and short-term market outlook.