2026 BIR International Recycling Conference, Gothenburg, Sweden: "International Environment Committee Panel Discussion"

On the final day of the BIR International Recycling Conference 2026, held in Gothenburg, Sweden, sessions were held by the Rubber Plastics and the International Environmental Committee.

In the joint rubber and plastic category, presentations and panel discussions were held to discuss the recovery in demand for plastic and rubber recycled materials after a long period of stagnation in recent years, low prices, and margin compression. Rising crude oil prices due to the Middle East situation have pushed up virgin resin prices, leading manufacturers to return to recycled raw materials, resulting in improved prices and order environments worldwide. However, the participating panelists believe this upward phase is temporary and dependent on the crisis, and if crude oil prices stabilize, there is a high risk of reverting to the old pattern of low virgin materials, sluggish demand for recycled materials, and holding back on capital investment.

In both plastics and rubber, the price increase for recycled materials has not been as significant as for primary raw materials, and with insufficient regulatory support, recyclers are constantly forced to maintain price competitiveness. In this context, PET is positioned as the first resin where recycled materials can be traded at premium prices as long as the minimum recycled material content requirement is introduced, promoting "decoupling" from virgin material prices.

Gaps in Policy, EPR, and Transparency

Furthermore, the duality of regulation serving as both a "driving force" and a "constraint" for building a circular economy was discussed. In the EU, new waste transport regulations and recycled material content requirements such as those set by PPWR are changing logistics and market structures, moving toward retaining more plastic waste within the region. On the other hand, in the short term, disruptions such as insufficient exits and risks of equipment shutdowns have also arisen.

A recurring topic in panel discussions was the need for transparency and collaboration across the entire value chain. Although data sharing on material composition, flow, and cost-effectiveness is essential to achieving a true closed loop, many product manufacturers remain reluctant to involve recyclers from the early stages of product design, using operational secrecy as a cover. The panelists' vision for the next five years is a widely established mature partnership where recycled materials become mainstream as standard raw materials, content requirements are strictly enforced, and brands, EPR organizations, and recyclers collaborate on product and system design based on used conditions.

The session by the International Environment Committee featured presentations and discussions focusing on the End-of-Life Vehicle Regulation (ELVR), which is scheduled to take effect this year, its impact in the United States, and green steel.

The EU/ELV Regulation: A 'European Journey'

Julia Ettinger of Recycling Europe presented an overview of the EU's nearly finalized used vehicle (ELV) regulation, emphasizing that its greatest feature is not a "directive" but a "regulation" directly applicable to all 27 member states. This reduces individual discretion and establishes a framework where design, recycling, collection, and EPR are operated harmoniously as a whole.

Under this regulation, a new obligation is established to include recycled plastics in plastics. This is a closed-loop system where 15% of plastics in automobiles are sourced from recycled materials within 6 years, 25% within 10 years, and 20% of that is derived from ELVs. Additionally, to prevent the influx of inexpensive recycled materials from third countries that do not meet EU standards, the "Miller Clause" will be introduced, requiring that materials are processed under EU-equivalent conditions, along with independent audits every five years. Furthermore, effectiveness evaluations of recycled material content targets will be required for steel, aluminum, and key raw materials.

Regarding governance, Ettinger described the fact that recyclers and waste operators can formally participate as observers in the EPR's operating organization (PRO) as a historic step forward. On the other hand, new processing requirements and removal obligations, such as copper content and aluminum grade classification, will force EU operators to bear corresponding investment burdens and technical support. Furthermore, with the integration of the current ELV directive and type approval, 'circular design' has been clearly defined in the system, incorporating recyclability, reusability, and digital passports from the design stage.

The wave EU regulations bring to North American automotive recycling

Robin Wiener of ReMA in the United States reported that the ELV regulations, which at first glance seem limited to the European market, are now having a substantial impact on the U.S. through the "global platformization" of the automotive supply chain. Vehicles produced in the United States and exported to the EU are required to design and procure materials that comply with ELV regulations, even if there are no comprehensive (state-by-state) EPR or recycled material usage obligations in the US.

For U.S. recyclers, this presents business opportunities but also risks. As for business opportunities, there is the potential to open new markets for auto-derived plastics in shredder dust, which has traditionally been landfilled. In the past, it was technically and legally hindered by PCB regulations and profitability issues, but with the growing demand for recycled plastics in the EU and other regions, along with strengthened closed-loop requirements, the scenario where ASR plastics could become an important source of supply seems to be becoming a reality. As a result, projects by national research institutions, automobile manufacturers, and recyclers, as well as projects comparing shredder residue collection and pre-dismantling collection, as well as the development of recycling technologies for both materials and chemicals, are accelerating.

On the other hand, the EU's ELV requirements, which improve dismantling ease from the design stage, may lead to more upstream removal of valuable parts and metals, potentially affecting the economics of the shredder process due to changes in vehicle composition. Additionally, there is a practical challenge of adapting equivalence proofs, traceability, and closed-loop computational methods associated with the "Miller Clause" to the U.S. system assuming mixed streams without comprehensive EPR. Furthermore, since Mexico is considering the EU's ELV rule-type rules under the new circular economy law, there is a risk that multiple standards may intervene in a layered structure across the entire North American supply chain.

A Critical Perspective on the Definition of Green Steel

BIR Secretary Alexandra Vartan shifted the focus to steel and discussed how the definition of "green steel" should be. He stated that maximizing the input of recycled steel is the path to commercial scaling and rapid low-carbon steel, which directly affects not only energy consumption and CO₂ emissions but also reductions in primary resource extraction.

He also emphasized that truly reliable green steel standards should be based on "actual emission performance" rather than the width of raw material composition, and must not lack transparency and scientific validity. Furthermore, he introduced that numerous international initiatives—such as the ISO New Technology Committee on Recycled Steel Raw Materials, the Global Steel Climate Council developing standards, and WTO steel standards principles—are moving toward establishing definitions and calculation methods, and aims to ensure that the mass use of scrap and low-carbon routes are properly evaluated in future green steel classifications. He called for the recycling industry to actively engage in action.

The second BIR conference of 2026 is scheduled to be held in Malaga, a city in southern Spain, from October 26 to 27.

Archive: 2026 June BIR World Recycling Convention& Exhibition

Y.SCHANZ from Gothenburg, Sweden