Urgent EU-Level Regulation Needed in Chemical Recycling: Cefic Calls for Harmonisation of “End-of-Waste” Status

The European Union’s circular economy framework is continuously evolving, yet critical gaps remain in the field of plastics recycling. In its position paper published on June 25, 2026, the European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) warns that to establish a circular plastics economy and unlock all recycling routes, the EU must urgently establish harmonised “End-of-Waste” criteria for chemical recycling.

The Current Situation and the Regulatory Gap

Cefic’s statement points out that the European Commission has already started developing a draft Implementing Act for End-of-Waste criteria for plastics from mechanical and solvent-based recycling, which is an important step towards harmonisation. However, a dedicated framework for chemical recycling is still missing.

The scope of the current draft is limited to specific recycling routes and does not reflect the specific characteristics of chemical recycling technologies, associated value chains, and output products. According to industry stakeholders, there is a risk that this crucial route will be left behind in terms of regulation.

Beyond Mechanical and Solvent-Based Processes: The Role of Chemical Recycling

Chemical recycling plays a distinct and complementary role alongside existing mechanical and solvent-based processes. Its primary significance lies in enabling the treatment of complex and mixed plastic waste streams that cannot be processed using traditional technologies.

During these processes, waste is converted into secondary raw materials that can directly re-enter industrial value chains. Scaling up these technologies is essential to achieving the EU’s circular economy and recycled content objectives, as well as to reducing emissions across the entire value chain.

Cefic’s Demands and Article 6(1) of the Waste Framework Directive

In its position paper, the industry organization calls on the European Commission to establish harmonised rules for chemical recycling without delay. Cefic’s proposals can be summarized in five main points:

1. Technology Neutrality: The criteria should be based on the conditions set out in Article 6(1) of the Waste Framework Directive, ensuring consistent application across all chemical recycling routes.

2. Application of Existing Chemical Legislation: Once waste ceases to be waste, the resulting materials must be subject to applicable product and chemicals legislation. These laws inherently guarantee robust quality assurance and traceability systems, thereby providing a high level of protection for human health and the environment without the need to introduce additional control mechanisms.

3. Recognition of Gradual Stages: Legislators must recognize that End-of-Waste status can be achieved at different stages of the chemical recycling process, where secondary raw material intermediates are produced under strict specifications that meet the conditions of Article 6(1).

4. Output- and Intended-Use Approach: The legislation must apply a system focused on the output and the intended use, which is also grounded in Article 6(1) of the Waste Framework Directive.

5. Unified Internal Market: Establishing EU-wide End-of-Waste criteria is essential to ensuring the smooth functioning of the internal market and providing the legal certainty necessary for investments.

The Dangers of Regulatory Fragmentation and the Future of Investments

In the absence of unified, EU-level criteria, Member States continue to apply their own differing interpretations of when waste ceases to be waste. Cefic emphasizes that this regulatory fragmentation creates an unpredictable environment for market players, which poses a significant barrier to cross-border trade and industry investments.

The lack of a dedicated framework will, in the long term, slow down innovation, disrupt cross-border value chains, and delay the deployment of critically important chemical recycling capacities in Europe. Guaranteeing a level playing field and legal certainty across the EU is a fundamental prerequisite for boosting investments, scaling up circular solutions, and accelerating industrial transition.

Used and Related Official Sources:

• Original News Source: Cefic calls for EU-wide harmonised End-of-Waste criteria for chemical recycling

• Official EU Background – Waste Framework Directive (European Commission Directorate-General for Environment): Waste Framework Directive & End-of-Waste criteria