The quality of recycled plastic materials (rPM) continues to be the biggest barrier to a stronger use of recycled as raw material, according to a recent survey by the European Association of Plastic Converters (EuPC).

The pan-European survey, which took five months to complete, and was conducted by 485 participants from 28 countries, revealed that almost 60% of European plastics converting companies find it difficult or very necessary to find a supply of rPM at “an acceptable level quality”.

Additionally, the survey found that customers of conversion companies do not endorse the use of RPMs “well enough.”

Only 27% of European plastics converting companies stated that their customers were sufficiently aware of the benefits and needs of using rPMs.

On the regulatory front, the majority of respondents believe that the current regulatory framework needs to be adapted to adequately support the use of rPM.

Nearly 60% of companies thought current regulations are not adequate to support stronger use of rPMs in the future, according to the survey.

The survey is part of a larger initiative by EuPC to gain more insight into the use of rPMs in the plastics converting industry.

More surveys and workshops with national plastics associations are expected in 2018 and beyond, the EuPC said.