The current Dutch recycling value chain for plastic packaging waste (PPW) has not reached its full circularity potential, as is apparent from two Circular Performance Indicators (CPIs): net packaging recycling rate and average polymer purity of the recycled plastics. The performance of the recycling value chain can be optimised at four stages: packaging design, collection, sorting, and recycling. This study explores the maximally achievable performance of a circular PPW recycling value chain, in case all stakeholders would implement the required radical improvement measures in a concerted action. The effects of the measures were modelled with material flow analysis. For such a utopic scenario, a net plastic packaging recycling rate of 72% can be attained and the produced recycled plastics will have an average polymeric purity of 97%. This is substantially more than the net packaging recycling rate of 37% for 2017 and will exceed the EU target of 50% for 2025. In such an ideal circular value chain more recycled plastics are produced for more demanding applications, such as food packaging, compared to the current recycling value chain. However, all stakeholders would need to implement drastic and coordinated changes, signifying unprecedented investments, to achieve this optimal circular PPW recycling value chain.

中文翻译：

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塑料封装圆度的技术限制

当前的荷兰塑料包装废物回收价值链 (PPW) 尚未充分发挥其循环潜力，这从两个循环性能指标 (CPI) 中可以看出：净包装回收率和回收塑料的平均聚合物纯度。回收价值链的性能可以在四个阶段进行优化：包装设计、收集、分类和回收。本研究探讨了循环 PPW 回收价值链的最大可实现性能，以防所有利益相关者将采取一致行动实施所需的根本改进措施。这些措施的影响是用物质流分析建模的。对于这样的乌托邦场景，可以实现 72% 的塑料包装净回收率，并且生产的回收塑料的平均聚合物纯度为 97%。这大大高于 2017 年 37% 的净包装回收率，并将超过欧盟 2025 年 50% 的目标。在这样一个理想的循环价值链中，更多的回收塑料被生产用于更苛刻的应用，例如食品包装，相比之下到当前的回收价值链。然而，所有利益相关者都需要实施剧烈和协调的变革，这意味着前所未有的投资，以实现这一最佳循环 PPW 回收价值链。