Plastics - the Facts

2021
An analysis of European
plastics production,
demand and waste data
 Plastics - the Facts
is an analysis of the
data related to the
production and demand
of plastic materials and
provisional plastic waste
management data.
It provides the latest
business information on
production and demand,
trade, and recovery as
well as employment
and turnover data in
the plastics industry. In
short, this report gives an
insight into the industry’s
contribution to European
economic growth.
2
The data presented in this report was collected by Plastics Europe (the Association
of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe) and EPRO (the European Association of Plastics
Recycling and Recovery Organisations).

Plastics Europe’s Market Research Group (PEMRG) provided input on the production
and demand of plastics. Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH helped assess
waste collection and recovery data. Official statistics from European or national
authorities and waste management organisations have been used for recovery
and trade data, where available. Research or expertise from consultants completed
gaps. Figures cannot always be directly compared with those of previous years due
to changes in estimates.

Some estimates from previous years have been revised in order to track progress,
e.g. for use and recovery of plastics across Europe over the past decade. All figures
and graphs in this report show data for EU27 plus Norway, Switzerland and the
United Kingdom, which is referred to as Europe for the purposes of abbreviation –
other country groups are explicitly listed.

3
 ENABLING
a sustainable future
Today, plastics deliver numerous benefits to society. They help feed the world in a safe and
sustainable manner; they contribute to more energy efficient buildings and houses; they allow
great fuel savings in all transportation means ensuring the transition to a green mobility, and
they can even save our lives.

Undoubtedly, plastics are key materials in innovation and in reducing energy demand while
reducing green gas emissions. And as essential materials for society, our sector must ensure
that plastics are sustainable and have a positive impact on people and on the planet.

The plastics industry supports the European Union’s Green Deal and climate-neutrality
ambitions, and the Paris Climate Agreement - our collective blueprint for accelerating the
transformation to a more sustainable Europe. Our committment as an industry is to relentlessly
focus on ensuring plastics continue to enable and deliver benefits valued by society, while
minimising their environmental footprint.

4

The current report is an analysis of
plastics EU trade data, virgin plastics
production, virgin plastics converters
demand and preliminary post-
consumer plastic waste management
in the EU27+3 in 2020. This report
does not show data related to the
production and use of recycled
plastics.
For a more exhaustive analysis
of plastics progress towards
circularity in Europe, including
more in-depth post-consumer
plastic waste management figures;
information on the production and
uptake of recycled plastics in new
products; and the different available
technologies to turn plastic waste
into new resources, please refer to
the report “The Circular Economy of
Plastics – A European Overview”. An
update of this report will be released
early 2022 by Plastics Europe.
Despite the unexpected challenging circumstances,
in 2020, the European plastics industry rapidly
adapted its capacities to continue delivering safe
and sustainable solutions to society.
As a consequence of the COVID crisis, in 2020,
the European plastics value-chain, composed
by plastics producers, plastics converters,
plastics recyclers and machinery manufacturers,
experienced a decrease both in its production and
demand levels. Nevertheless, this sector was still
able to maintain a high level of employment. With
close to 1.5 million people working in over 50,000
companies, most of them SMEs distributed all over
Europe, the plastics sector is key to the European
economic recovery.
Regarding end-of-life management, the industry
increased its efforts to accelerate the circularity
of plastics and, although the overall European
recycling activities faced serious difficulties,
especially in the second quarter of 2020, the
plastics post-consumer waste recycling rate
increased and the quantities sent to energy
recovery processes remained stable and to
landfill decreased.
5
 1 CONTRIBUTION
to European
society
6
 The European plastics industry:
KEY FIGURES*
The European plastics industry includes plastics
producers, plastics converters, plastics recyclers and
plastics & rubber machinery producers in the EU27+3.
8
EMPLOYEMENT
CLOSE TO 1.5 MILLION
In 2020, the European plastics industry
maintained its level of employment with
a brief slowdown compared to 2019.
COMPANIES
CLOSE TO 52,000
In 2020, the number of companies slightly
decreased but still remained over 50,000 –
demonstrating the contribution of this sector
to the European industrial fabric.
TURNOVER
CLOSE TO EUR 330 BILLION €
In 2020, the turnover of the European
plastic industry showed a slight decrease
compared to the previous year, mainly due
to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the
majority of customer industries.
KEY FIGURES
* 2020 Plastics Europe estimations – Eurostat
official data only available until 2018.
EMPLOYEES PER COMPANY
LESS THAN 30
The vast majority of companies in the plastics sector in Europe are SMEs
as the average number of employees per company is around 29 people.

INDUSTRIAL VALUE ADDED INVESTMENTS

8TH MOST IMPORTANT INDUSTRY*
The European plastics industry ranks 8th in Europe
in industrial value-added contribution. It stands at
a similar level with the electrical equipment and
close to the pharmaceutical industry.
IN CHEMICAL RECYCLING
In 2021, plastic producers planned
significant investments in chemical
recycling technologies – ramping up from
EUR 2.6 billion in 2025 to EUR 7.2 billion in 2030.

RECYCLING
10,2 Mt
In 2020, almost 10.2 million tonnes of post-
consumer plastic waste were collected and
sent to recycling facilities inside and outside
Europe.

INDUSTRIAL VALUE ADDED

* Measured by value added

at factor cost, 2018.
9
2 PRODUCTION
and trade
11
 WORLD AND EUROPEAN
plastics production evolution
WORLD PLASTICS PRODUCTION
These figures do not include the production
Mt of recycled plastics
380

368 367 EUROPEAN PLASTICS PRODUCTION

359 These figures do not include the production
360 of recycled plastics
Mt
349
70
64.4
340 335 61.8
60
60 57.9
55

50
320

40

300 30
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Includes Thermoplastics, Polyurethanes, Thermosets, Elastomers, Adhesives, Coatings and Sealants and PP-Fibers.
Not included PET-, PA- and Polyacryl-Fibers.
12 SOURCE: Plastics Europe Market Research Group (PEMRG) and Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH.
Estimated data.
DISTRIBUTION
of the global plastics production

CHINA 32%

NAFTA* 19%

REST OF ASIA 17%

EUROPE 15%

MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA 7%

LATIN AMERICA 4%

JAPAN 3%

CIS** 3%
367 Mt***

* North American Free Trade Agreement.

** Commonwealth of Independent States.
*** Includes Thermosets, Elastomers, Adhesives, Coatings and Sealants and PP-Fibers.
Not included PET-, PA- and Polyacryl-Fibers. 13
SOURCE: Plastics Europe Market Research Group (PEMRG) and Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH. Estimated data.
 TRADE BALANCE
Close to EUR 16 billion in 2020
In 2020, the European plastics industry achieved a positive trade balance of EUR 15.8 billion.

PLASTICS MANUFACTURING EXTRA EU27 PLASTICS PROCESSING EXTRA EU27

€ bn

40
35.5
35 34.5 34.6
33.2 EXPORT
30 31
28.4 28.8 30 28.1
27.3 27.9 IMPORT
26.7 26 26 26.4
EXPORT 25.4
25
23.1 23.9
20.2 20.2
20
17 18.6
16.3 16.7
IMPORT 15
10.4
EXPORT 9.9 9.3
8.9 8.6 10 7.8 8.2
7.7
SURPLUS 7.1 7.1
6.9 6.5 EXPORT
5 SURPLUS

0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

14 SOURCE: Eurostat.
TOP EXTRA EU TRADE PARTNERS
in value
In 2020, the USA, United Kingdom and China were the top trade partners of the EU27 plastics industry.

PLASTICS MANUFACTURING IMPORTS PLASTICS MANUFACTURING EXPORTS

USA 22.8% UNITED KINGDOM 15%

UNITED KINGDOM 14.3% CHINA 12.7%
SOUTH KOREA 11% TURKEY 12.3%
SAUDI ARABIA 8.6% USA 10%
CHINA 6.4% RUSSIA 6%

PLASTICS PROCESSING IMPORTS PLASTICS PROCESSING EXPORTS

CHINA 33.8% UNITED KINGDOM 18.4%

USA 11.7% USA 12.9%

SWITZERLAND 7.8% SWITZERLAND 9.5%

TURKEY 6.8% CHINA 7.8%

SOUTH KOREA 3.3% RUSSIA 5.9%

SOURCE: Eurostat. 15
 3 MARKET
demand

16
17
 Converters plastics demand
BY COUNTRIES
Mt

14 
COUNTRIES WITH MORE THAN 3 Mt

12  23.3%

10 

8 
14.1%
6 
9.3%
4  7.5% 7.4% 7.0%
4.7% 4.3%
2 
2.8% 2.1% 2.1% 1.9% 1.8% 1.7%

GERMANY ITALY FRANCE POLAND SPAIN UNITED BELGIUM / NETHER- CZECH AUSTRIA PORTUGAL SWEDEN HUNGARY ROMANIA
KINGDOM LUX. LANDS REPUBLIC

Data primarily based on expert estimations by PEMRG (Plastics Europe Market Research Group). 2020
Country-specific quantities can differ from data provided by national statistical institutes (e.g. GUS Poland etc.). 2019
18 SOURCE: Plastics Europe Market Research Group (PEMRG) and Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH.
Demand estimations do not include recycled plastics.
 CONVERTERS
PLASTICS DEMAND
IN EU27+3
THE 6 LARGEST
49.1 Mt
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
REPRESENT ALMOST
70%
OF THE MARKET
DEMAND

COUNTRIES WITH LESS THAN 0.5 Mt

1.4% 1.4% 1.1%

SWITZER- GREECE DENMARK FINLAND SLOVAKIA BULGARIA LITHUANIA SLOVENIA IRELAND NORWAY CROATIA LATVIA ESTONIA CYPRUS /
LAND MALTA

Data primarily based on expert estimations by PEMRG (Plastics Europe Market Research Group). 2020
Country-specific quantities can differ from data provided by national statistical institutes (e.g. GUS Poland etc.). 2019
SOURCE: Plastics Europe Market Research Group (PEMRG) and Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH. 19
Demand estimations do not include recycled plastics.
 EU27+3 converters plastics demand
BY SEGMENTS 2020
Packaging and Building & Construction by far represent the largest end-use
markets.
The third biggest end-use market is the Automotive Industry.
"Others" includes plastics for furniture, medical applications, machinery and
mechanical engineering, technical parts etc.

S
RT
S
IC

PO
N

,S
O
TR

RE
EC

SU
EL
N

EI
O

,L

RE
&
VE
*

TI

LD
G

AL

TU
ST &
C

TI
IN

O
RU

IC
N G

UL
G

EH

S
O N

TR
KA

ER
C
C LDI

US
TO

RI
EC
C

TH
I

HO

AG
AU
BU
PA

EL

O
40.5% 20.4% 8.8% 6.2% 4.3% 3.2% 16.6%
Total
* Including commercial and industrial packaging.
SOURCE: Plastics Europe Market Research Group (PEMRG) and Conversio Market
49.1 Mt
20 & Strategy GmbH.
Demand estimations do not include recycled plastics.
 PLASTICS DEMAND
IN EU27+3
EU27+3 converters plastics demand

Mt
BY POLYMER TYPES 2020 49.1 Mt
10 9. 87
9. 70
9 8 .85
8 .57
8

7
6 .32
6.29
6

5 5 .09
4 .70
4 .14 4 .01
4 3 .99 3 .81
3 .78 3 .65
3
2 .70 2 .61
2
1 .58 1 .54 1 .55 2020
1 .43 2019
1 1 .02
0.85
0.97 0.83
0.77 0.73
0.26 0.26
0

PE-LD PE-HD PP PS PS-E PVC PET ABS PMMA PA6 PC OTHER PUR OTHER
-LLD -MD SAN & PA6.6 THERMO- PLASTICS
PLASTICS

SOURCE: Plastics Europe Market Research Group (PEMRG) and Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH.
Demand estimations do not include recycled plastics.
21
 EU27+3 converters plastics demand
DISTRIBUTION BY POLYMER
TYPES 2020
PP Food packaging, sweet and snack wrappers,
PP PE-LD, -LLD hinged caps, microwave containers, pipes,
19.7% 17.4% automotive parts, bank notes, etc.
PE-LD, -LLD Reusable bags, trays and containers,
agricultural film, food packaging film, etc.

PE-HD, -MD Toys, milk bottles, shampoo bottles, pipes,

houseware, etc.

PVC Window frames, profiles, floor and wall

PE-HD, -MD PVC PET covering, pipes, cable insulation, garden
hoses, inflatable pools, etc.
12.9% 9.6% 8.4%
PET Bottles for water, soft drinks, juices,
cleaners, etc.

PUR Building insulation, pillows and mattresses,

insulating foams for fridges, etc.
PUR OTHER PS, PS-E
OTHER Includes other thermosets such as
PLASTICS
OTHER 7.8% 6.1% PLASTICS phenolic resins, epoxide resins, melamine
THERMOPLASTICS 7.4% resins, urea resins and others.
10.7%
PS, PS-E Food packaging (dairy, fishery), building
insulation, electrical & electronic equipment,
inner liner for fridges, eyeglasses frames, etc.

OTHER Hub caps (ABS); optical fibres (PBT); eyeglasses

THERMOPLASTICS lenses, roofing sheets (PC); touch screens
(PMMA); cable coating in telecommunications
SOURCE: Plastics Europe Market Research Group (PEMRG) (PTFE); and many others in aerospace, medical
and Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH. implants, surgical devices, membranes, valves
22 Demand estimations do not include recycled plastics. & seals, protective coatings, etc.
 Total:
49.1 Mt
EU27+3 converters plastics demand
BY SEGMENTS & POLYMER 2020

Packaging 40.5%

Building &
20.4%
Construction

Automotive 8.8%

Electrical &
6.2%
Electronics

Agriculture 3.2%

Household,
4.3%
Leisure, Sports

Others 16.6%

PE-LD PE-HD PP PS PS-E PVC PET ABS PMMA PA6 PC OTHER PUR OTHER
-LLD -MD SAN & PA6.6 THERMO- PLASTICS
PLASTICS
SOURCE: Plastics Europe Market Research Group (PEMRG) and Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH.
Demand estimations do not include recycled plastics.
Numbers behind this graph are available upon request. 23
 4 END-OF-LIFE
management
Preliminary data

24
25
POST-CONSUMER PLASTIC WASTE
treatment in 2020 (preliminary data)
In 2020, more than 29 million tonnes of plastic post-consumer waste were collected in the EU27+3.
Because plastics products have different life span (ranginging from 1 to 50 years or more), of post-
consumer plastic waste collection figures do not match demand or consumption figures.
More than one third was sent to recycling facilities inside and outside the EU27+3 but over
23% was still sent to landfill and more than 40% was sent to energy recovery operations.

*
G
N
LI
YC
C
RE
29.5 Mt 34.6%
Collected plastic
post-consumer waste

RY

LL
-16 %

C Y
VE

FI
RE ERG

D
O
Extra-EU plastic

N
EN

LA
waste
exports
42% 23.4%

2018
* RECYCLING: including 0.2% from chemical recycling.
SOURCE: Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH
26 2020 Above data are rounded estimations based on
extrapolations of 2019 waste data for 2020.
PLASTIC POST-CONSUMER WASTE
treatment in 2020 (preliminary data)
2006-2020 evolution
CAGR* of post-consumer plastic 117.7% 77.1% -46.4%
development waste treatment in EU27+3
2020 vs. 2018
Mt 15

4%
12.5
12.9 12.4 12.1 12.4 12.4
0.0% 11.3
10 11 9.9
10.2
10.4 9 10.2
8.9 8 9.4
7.5 8.7 8.4
-2% 8.2
7.4 7.6 7.7 7.4 7.2
7 7.2 6.9 6.9
6 6.3
5 5.5
29.5 5 5.2
4.7
2.5
24.5

0
2006—2020
Total waste collected
6

07

08

09

10

11

12

14

16

18

20
0

20

20

20

20
20

20
20

20
20
20

20

(Mt)

* CAGR: Compound Annual Growth Rate is the mean annual growth rate over a specific period of time.
SOURCE: Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH.
Above data are rounded estimations based on extrapolations of 2019 waste data for 2020. 27
 5 OUTLOOKS

28
29
PLASTICS INDUSTRY PRODUCTION
in EU27
The sharp decline in production for the European plastics industry due to the coronavirus pandemic in
the first half of 2020 was followed by an even stronger recovery.

Plastics industry production in EU27

(index 2015 = 100, seasonally adjusted quarterly data)

120

110

100

90

80

70
11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21
20

20
20

20
20

20
20

20
20
20

20
Plastics and rubber machinery Plastics in primary forms Plastic products

30 SOURCE: Eurostat.
Evolution of the production of
PLASTICS IN PRIMARY FORMS
European plastics manufacturers benefited from the high demand for plastics in 2021 due to the global
economic upswing. However, many companies had to deal with supply chain disruptions, bottlenecks
in precursors, and rising energy prices.

Production of plastics in primary forms, EU27

Index 2015 = 100 on a quarterly 120
basis; seasonally and working
day adjusted.

Growth rates
110

2019 -3.6%
2020 -5.2% 100
2021 forecast +8.5%

90

80
Production primary plastics

70
Average annual index
12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21
20
20

20
20

20
20

20
20
20

20
SOURCE: Eurostat. 31
GLOSSARY
of terms
ABS Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin
ASA Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate resin
bn Billion
CAGR Compound Annual Growth Rate
CIS Commonwealth of Independent States
Conversio Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH
EU European Union
EU27+3 EU Member States + Norway,
Switzerland and the United Kingdom
EPRO European Association of Plastics
Recycling and Recovery Organisations
Mt Million tonnes
NAFTA North American Free Trade Agreement
Other plastics Thermosets, adhesives, coatings
and sealants
Other
thermoplastics Includes polyacetals (e.g. POM),
polyesters excl. fibres (e.g. PBT), ASA,
EPDM / EPM and further thermoplastics
not shown separately
PA Polyamides. Plastics the Facts
demand figures only cover PA6
and PA6.6
PBT Polybutylene terephthalate
PC Polycarbonate
32
PE Polyethylene
PE-HD Polyethylene, high density
PE-LD Polyethylene, low density
PE-LLD Polyethylene, linear low density
PE-MD Polyethylene, medium density
PEMRG Plastics Europe Market Research Group
PET Polyethylene terephthalate
Plastics in
primary forms Virgin plastics
PMMA Polymethyl methacrylate
POM Polyoxymethylene
PP Polypropylene
PS Polystyrene
PS-E Expandable polystyrene
PTFE Polytetrafluoroethylene
PUR Polyurethane
PVC Polyvinyl chloride
SAN Styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer
Thermosets Urea-formaldehyde foam, melamine
resin, polyester resins, epoxy resins, etc.
Plastics Europe
Plastics Europe is the pan-European association of plastics manufacturers with offices across
Europe. F
​ or over 100 years, science and innovation has been the DNA that cuts across our industry. ​
With close to 100 members producing over 90% of all polymers across Europe, we are the catalyst for
the industry with a responsibility to openly engage with stakeholders and deliver solutions which are
safe, circular and sustainable. ​We are committed to implementing long-lasting positive change.

EPRO
European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisations
EPRO is a pan-European partnership of specialist organisations that are able to develop and
deliver efficient solutions for the sustainable management of plastic waste, now and for the future.
EPRO members are working to optimise national effectiveness through international co-operation:
by studying successful approaches, evaluating different solutions and examining obstacles to
progress. By working together EPRO members can achieve synergies that will increase efficient
plastics recycling and recovery. Currently 19 organisations in 14 European countries, South Africa and
Canada are represented in EPRO.

33
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