Recycling is a duty, not a choice! Trends for World Recycling Day 2025

18 March is World Recycling Day, an opportunity to reflect on the benefits we derive from returning materials to circulation. For businesses, meanwhile, it is an ideal time to look at the environmental impact of the products and waste they produce and to take action to reduce resource waste.

According to the statutory definition, recycling is the recovery by which the waste is reprocessed into products, materials or substances used for the original purpose or other purposes[1]. Its aim is to minimise the use of primary raw materials in favour of reusing materials that have already been put into circulation.

[1] Act of 14 December 2012 on waste (Journal of Laws 2013, item 21)

As a result of Polish and EU regulations, it is now the responsibility of many businesses to send their waste for recycling.

• Introducers of packaged products, tyres, lubricants and electrical and electronic equipment have an obligation to ensure recycling of waste produced from the products and packaging they introduced.
• From 2025, PET beverage bottles up to 3 litres must contain min. 25% of recycled plastic. This will increase to 30% from 2030.
• Under the PPWR, by 31 December 2025. at least 65% of packaging waste must be recycled. After 5 years, this share will increase to 70%.
• All packaging placed on the EU market must be recyclable (i.e. they must be designed with recycling in mind and recycled on a large scale).
• From 2030, plastic packaging will have to contain a certain amount of recyclate (depending on the packaging material).

Pressure regarding the recyclability of products and packaging is not only put on businesses by regulations, but also by consumers. The European Consumer Packaging Perceptions study 2025 conducted by Pro Carton shows that recyclability of packaging is the most important attribute respondents pay attention to when making their daily choices.

On Recycling Day, we are particularly pleased that as many as 84% of those surveyed are aware of which types of packaging materials are recyclable and which are not necessarily. As many as 65% consumers taking part in the survey specifically identified recyclability, as well as resealability and the use of renewable raw materials, as among the key features of any packaging. Furthermore, as many as four out of ten consumers indicated that they had refrained from choosing a product from a particular brand because of various concerns about its environmental impact, and 54% of them put a product back on the shelf whose packaging was not recyclable!

It follows that placing an emphasis on the recyclability of packaging and products can give businesses a huge competitive advantage and build a favourable image of their company in the eyes of consumers. This is all the more important as it is in recycling that as many as 67% consumers see a remedy for climate change.

62% respondents indicated that they had increased the amount of waste they recycled in the last 12 months. We can therefore see that Consumers are making an effort to take stronger care of the environment. They also expect the same from businesses, or more specifically, from the manufacturers.

• 62% of those surveyed wish manufacturers would use more renewable materials.
• 52% Respondents would prefer manufacturers to produce only easily recyclable packaging.
• 38% consumers want clear segregation instructions on packaging.
• 37%, on the other hand, would see room to set up deposit systems for hard-to-recycle materials[1].

[1] Pro Carton, European Consumer Packaging Percertion Study 2025, https://issuu.com/procarton/docs/european_consumer_packaging_perceptions_study_2025.

As environmental consultants, we want to emphasise that placing an emphasis on recycling not only allows you to increase revenue, but also to reduce the company's waste management costs. More and more companies are recognising that effective waste management helps to reduce the frequency and cost of waste collection and helps to generate additional revenue from the sale of either raw materials or recycling documents (DPR, EDPR).

World Recycling Day is the perfect time to take action to better manage your company's waste. If you want to optimise your waste management processes and reduce your environmental impact, contact us - we will help you make changes that will increase the competitiveness and profitability of your business!

At Interzero, we support entrepreneurs in their efforts to turn back raw materials and close material cycles. We are well aware that this recycling is one of the pillars of GOZ, which is why we offer our customers, among other things:

• assumption of recovery and recycling obligations for packaging, tyres, batteries and accumulators, oils and lubricants, vehicles and WEEE. This not only benefits the environment, but also the company budget. see how much you will save by handing over your duty to us!
• implementation of public education campaigns, in which we show how to handle waste to maximise its chances of being recycled,
• modern industrial composterswhich accelerate the recycling of biowaste,
• unique Recycled-Resource plastics recycling processresulting in the production of high-quality regranulate in accordance with customer specifications.

The most important research work on plastics recycling technology takes place in the newly opened Interzero Plastics Innovations doo laboratory in the Lenart industrial zone in Maribor in Slovenia. Thanks to him we can supply our customers with the highest quality recycled plasticswhich can successfully replace virgin raw materials.