Moving forward, Finnish Plastics Recycling Ltd will be a producer responsibility organisation covering all
packaging materials. It will continue as an independent producer responsibility organisation, which will
expand operations to also cover glass, cardboard, metal and wood.
In the company’s annual general meeting on 29 April 2022, two thirds of the shareholders agreed that it
was better for Finnish Plastics Recycling to continue as an independent multi-material producer
responsibility organisation. In June, Finnish Plastics Recycling applied for a producer responsibility
organisation status from the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment, covering
all packaging materials. Competition improves the cost-efficiency of the sector.
The goals of Finnish Plastics Recycling Ltd in the new situation include the improvement of the collection
and recycling rate of packages. In order to reach the goal, Finnish Plastics Recycling is developing its
operations and will focus more on improving guidance. The goal is also to promote innovation and to
secure recycled raw materials for Finnish industry.
The new Waste Act encourages change
The Waste Act reform requires that the packaging producer responsibility organisation sector covers all
packaging materials. This has forced the producer responsibility organisation to change, as prior to the
change, there have been producer responsibility organisations operating in Finland that specialise in
packaging materials.
Finnish Plastics Recycling Ltd implements new operating model
The biggest challenges in the future have to do with the recycling of plastic and the obligations related to
producer responsibility, which build cost pressures. Currently, the share of plastic is two thirds of all
producer responsibility costs of packaging paid by the producers. Therefore, plastic will play a key role in
producer responsibility organisations producing packaging.
Despite the changed situation, all operative agreements concerning Finnish Plastics Recycling Ltd’s plastic
packaging and those agreed on with the processors (e.g. stakeholders, terminals) will remain as they are.
Finnish Plastics Recycling will negotiate similar agreements for other materials and strengthen its
organisation to tend to the producer responsibility concerning all packaging materials. In addition, Finnish
Plastics Recycling’s Board of Directors has been preparing a new strategy for the company.
Finnish Plastics Recycling Ltd wants to work in close cooperation with competing producer responsibility
organisations in order to avoid unnecessary and overlapping activities. This will result in cost savings that
will ultimately also benefit the consumers, as the recycling fees of the packaging show in product prices.
The producers will also benefit from the cost-efficiency and increased recycling rate gained through
competition.