Trade groups representing Europe's resin suppliers and recyclers are clashing over a report on recycling statistics.
European Plastic Recyclers, or EuPR, a Brussels, Belgium-based group that represents recyclers, claims that PlasticsEurope, a Brussels resin group, released data that inaccurately shows that mechanical recycling in Europe is on the rise.
PlasticsEurope promptly apologized for premature release of data ``not yet approved internally.'' It said it is ``working to rectify this information'' and will coordinate communication in that area with EuPR.
Despite the apology, formal contacts between the two groups have been severed, according to EuPR President Bernard Merkx.
EuPR said the PlasticsEurope figures appeared to calculate the percentage of all plastics waste collected in Europe - not just the waste that is mechanically recycled.
Merkx described as ``nonsense'' a reference to Germany achieving a recycling level of 60 percent in 2004. That figure includes incineration with energy recovery, feedstock recycling and mechanical recycling, according to EuPR.
EuPR believes the region's true level of mechanical plastics recycling is 4.1 percent. That figure includes not only packaging but plastics from all end markets.
EuPR said plastics recycling rates in Europe will improve only when the European Union mandates material-specific targets.