Swedish Plastics Recycling has had a record year for the amount of plastic recycled into raw materials in 2024. This is according to the company’s latest sustainability report, published today. Over 30,000 tonnes of plastic packaging were recycled – an increase of 20 per cent compared with the previous year. However, Sweden still risks missing its recycling targets. “We have the technology. We have the capacity. Now we need to get the entire population involved in the collection,” says CEO Mattias Philipsson.
2024 was the first full year of operation for Site Zero – the world’s largest and most advanced sorting facility for plastic packaging. During the year, 30,651 tonnes of plastic packaging were sorted and recycled, which is an increase of 20 per cent (5,000 tonnes) compared with the previous year. This means that a full 42.2 per cent of all plastic packaging that came to the facility was recycled into raw material.
Nearly half of all plastic that came here was recycled – and over 80 per cent of what was recycled became new plastic packaging or other high-quality plastic products, says Mattias Philipsson, CEO of Svensk Plaståtervinning. He adds:
Every piece of plastic packaging that we manage to divert from incineration is a climate win. That is why it is extremely important that we get the population involved in the collection. We have the technology and the capacity – now we need to get the plastic packaging in.
Traceability – from collected plastic packaging to new product
Svensk Plaståtervinning has built a robust and transparent traceability system with full control over plastic flows and recycling. It is audited annually by an external auditor.
Deficiencies in traceability in recycling open the door to fraud, mishandling and, in the worst case, environmental crimes. That is why we have built a robust and transparent system with full control over the entire flow – from collected packaging to recycled raw materials. Traceability is crucial to ensure that the plastic is actually recycled and does not simply disappear from the system, says Mattias Philipsson.
Exporting plastic innovation
With Site Zero, Svensk Plaståtervinning sorts more types of plastic than before. Several are new to the market, which creates new business opportunities. Several recycling facilities are currently under construction across Europe to receive materials from Svensk Plaståtervinning.
We are building more markets for recycled plastic raw materials, and at the same time an infrastructure for a circular plastics economy in Europe. It is not only recycling facilities that are now being built, but also similar sorting facilities such as Site Zero. This is excellent and important, says Mattias Philipsson.
Eight out of ten plastic packages that are sorted at source by Swedish consumers go to Svensk Plaståtervinning’s facility in Motala. Svensk Plaståtervinning also receives plastic packaging from Finland and Norway.
For further information, please contact:
Mattias Philipsson, CEO Svensk Plaståtervinning
0703-80 82 76
mattias.philipsson@svenskplaståtervinning.se
Svensk Plaståtervinning’s sustainability report for 2024 is available here:
