Plastic and Textile Circularity

Plastic and textile circularity brings together rules, standards, and implementation practices intended to reduce waste and improve the reuse or recycling of materials.

It includes EU restrictions on destroying unsold clothing, producer-responsibility measures, recycling assessments for polyester, and scrutiny of plastic packaging claims based on chemical recycling and mass-balance accounting. The subject also encompasses international debates over whether circularity policies should address plastic production itself, not only waste management. A central question is whether reported environmental benefits reflect real reductions in emissions and virgin-material use, while also accounting for energy sources, transport, feedstock quality, and labor conditions.