European Commission clarifies plastic bottle recycling rules
They establish how to calculate, verify and report chemically recycled content in single-use bottles made primarily of PET.
The rules aim to ensure transparency in the process of determining recycled content, as part of the Commission’s December 2025 plastics package.
The Commission says this will help Member States meet the recycled-content target set under the Single-Use Plastics Directive, which is key to creating a level playing field and providing investment security for the plastic recycling sector.
The first phase of the rules will include recycled plastics from European Union (EU) and European Economic Area countries, where compliance with EU environmental rules can be fully verified.
From 21 November 2027, material from OECD countries will also count, unless excluded under the Waste Shipment Regulation.
Material from non-OECD countries will also count when covered by arrangements ensuring equivalent standards related to human health and environmental protection requirements, for example in the Waste Framework Directive and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.
Recycled content is counted towards EU targets based on credible, traceable and environmentally sound standards.
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