Zuid-Holland plastics processing hub. Research on impact and crucial preconditions

Very little plastic is recycled, both worldwide and in Europe, including in the Netherlands. Governments (national and EU) and companies have expressed the target of tripling the sharing of plastic recycling, from about 15% today to about 45% in 2030. To achieve this, a solid increase in both mechanical and chemical recycling is needed.

As part of the transition to a strong and healthy circular economy, the EBZ Taskforce Circular Economy is considering a circular raw materials hub with a focus on plastics in the Rotterdam port industrial complex and South Holland. In order to gain more insight into the possible interpretation and impact of such a circular raw materials hub, the EBZ Taskforce requested further research into:

• The potential economic and environmental impact.
• The possible uniqueness of South Holland.
• The crucial preconditions for success. And;
• The specific action that various parties in South Holland can take.

CE Delft & TNO conducted this study jointly. Some notable results are:

• A circular plastic valorisation hub in South Holland that could potentially create 2,000 to 3,000 jobs.
• The possibility of an annual emission reduction of 2 Mton CO2 in the Netherlands in 2030.
• More circular plastic is not something that will happen naturally in South Holland, the Netherlands and Europe. Government encouragement is absolutely necessary.

The report describes and elaborates the measures that South Holland could take to promote the circular plastic valorisation hub. This includes action in the areas of waste processing, sorting, logistics and policy.