Is Packaging Really Recyclable? Experts Push for Economic Solutions at Packaging Innovations 2024

The question of what makes packaging truly “recyclable” took center stage at **Packaging Innovations 2024**, where industry leaders like **Julien Tremblin**, General Manager at **TerraCycle Europe**, explored the economic hurdles preventing widespread recycling adoption. While the technology to recycle almost any type of packaging exists, Tremblin emphasized that economic barriers often make recycling unfeasible.

Speaking at the **Circular Economy Stage**, Tremblin challenged the audience to rethink how packaging is labeled as recyclable. “We should only call something recyclable if the value of the recycled material is greater than the costs involved in the recycling process,” he said, underscoring the need to align recycling efforts with financial incentives.

In his speech, Tremblin highlighted how TerraCycle has worked with retailers like **Superdrug** and **Aldi** to tackle previously “non-recyclable” materials, such as blister packs and crisp packets. By creating dedicated collection systems and raising awareness in stores, TerraCycle has successfully recycled items previously thought impossible. “You can recycle almost anything,” Tremblin said, “but you need to keep the economic equation in mind.”

Tremblin also pointed to the important role that **retailers** play in the recycling equation. He noted TerraCycle’s collaboration with **Wal-Mart** to set up collection points for 12 different waste streams in the store’s car parks, incentivizing customers with coupons for recycling. “Retailers are where people buy products, so they should also be where products are returned for recycling,” he explained.

The conversation also touched on the **Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)** system, which is gaining traction in countries like France. Tremblin sees EPR as a potential game-changer for the recycling industry, providing consistent funding to upgrade recycling infrastructure and incentivize the use of recycled materials. “It’s not a silver bullet,” he cautioned, “but it could permanently shift the economic reality of recycling.”

As the recycling industry faces evolving challenges, discussions like those at **Packaging Innovations 2024** are critical to shaping its future. Tremblin’s call to action was clear: it’s time to rethink recycling and focus on making the impossible possible through economic and logistical innovations.