Plastics circular economy can reduce environmental impacts and strengthen national resilience

Although the circular economy for plastics has advanced in Finland in recent years thanks to cooperation between businesses, research organisations and public authorities, additional policy measures, investments and stronger demand for recycled materials are still needed.

Durable and reusable products should be the preferred choice in everyday life

Greater emphasis should be placed on designing, manufacturing and importing products that are durable, repairable and reusable, rather than relying on single-use alternatives. At the same time, repair and maintenance services should be readily available to consumers throughout the country.

Increasing the reuse of products and packaging could create new service and circular economy business opportunities while reducing the need for virgin raw materials.

To support business investments and the adoption of new operating models, policy measures are needed, including tax incentives and regulation. Such measures would help make reuse a more common part of everyday consumption and services.

Domestic recycling can provide raw materials for plastic products

Finland is still a long way from meeting the European Union’s plastic packaging recycling targets. In 2023, less than one third of plastic packaging was recycled, despite a target of increasing the recycling rate to 50 per cent by 2025.

Unrecycled plastic packaging waste also imposes significant costs on Finland. The country pays approximately EUR 90 million annually to the EU in so-called plastic packaging waste contribution.

The collection and recycling of plastic packaging waste therefore need to be intensified rapidly. At the same time, recycling systems should also be further developed for plastic products beyond packaging.

Better alignment between the supply of and demand for domestically recycled materials would reduce dependence on virgin raw materials and strengthen Finland’s security of supply.

Increasing demand for recycled plastics must be a priority

The use of recycled plastics as a raw material in new products must increase if investments and new recycling technologies are to continue developing in Finland.

Market growth can be accelerated through measures such as recycled-content requirements, which increase the use of recycled plastics in products. Additional policy instruments are also needed to strengthen demand for recycled materials.

At the same time, high-quality recycled materials with verified origins should be available, enabling their use across as wide a range of products as possible.

Plastic is a good material when used responsibly

The environmental impacts associated with plastic use can be reduced through knowledge, cooperation and effective solutions. More research is needed, for example, to identify sources of litter and microplastics and to better understand their impacts, allowing measures to be targeted as effectively as possible.

Research-based knowledge helps decision-makers assess in which applications plastic is an appropriate material from the perspective of sustainable development.

PlastLIFE is a large-scale national collaboration project funded by the European Union, developing solutions for a sustainable plastics circular economy. One of its objectives is to support national decision-making and the development of legislation through research-based knowledge.