European plastics converters association EuPC (Brussels / Belgium; www.plasticsconverters.eu) has produced a new questionnaire to collect first-hand information about the impact of the global pandemic on European processors and their use of recycled plastics materials (rPM). The association said the results from the additional poll will be compared with those from its third survey on the recyclate consumption launched last year (see PIEWEb of 11.09.2019) to “provide a comprehensive view on the use of rPM prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Preliminary conclusions from the earlier survey released in February 2020 showed an observable increase in the performance of all recycled polymers under review compared to 2017 and 2018, and that the supply situation for 8 of the 10 reviewed polymers “has become worse.” Only polystyrene and PET earned positive ratings in both areas, according to EuPC.

The group said the follow-up poll will remain open for three months, and the results will be published together with findings from its third survey on rPM usage in November 2020. EuPC released initial results of the survey in February but postponed publication of the report in its entirety in March due to the pandemic.

The new survey is open to all plastics converting companies in Europe, the group said, and can be accessed here. EuPC noted that all participants will receive the full report on the results free of charge.

In the first two editions of the survey that were conducted in 2017 and 2018, more than 860 participants from all over Europe provided information on their use of recycled polymers. The full reports on the results of the survey’s first two editions are available free of charge on the Polymer Comply Europe (PCE, Brussels; www.polymercomplyeurope.eu) website.