The Advanced Recycling Conference (ARC) 2025 brought together nearly 220 experts from 28 countries to review advancements in recycling across plastics, textiles, automotive materials and other waste streams. The event focused on improvements in physical recycling methods such as extrusion and dissolution, chemical solvolysis, biochemical enzymolysis, and thermochemical processes, including pyrolysis and gasification.
The conference also highlighted the growing role of digital solutions—AI-based sorting and blockchain traceability—in improving feedstock quality and stabilising circular systems despite mixed waste streams and volume fluctuations.
A key discussion point was restoring industry confidence in chemical recycling through transparent processes and higher efficiency. Sessions on textile and automotive recycling addressed challenges caused by complex material blends and tightening regulations. Integration of carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) underscored the industry’s move toward more sustainable circular models. Speakers stressed the urgent need for infrastructure expansion to support advanced technologies and meet emerging regulatory demands.
Participants also toured Chemiepark Knapsack to observe industrial-scale recycling operations.
ARC 2025 outlined pathways to help the EU meet targets such as 10–35% post-consumer recycled plastics in packaging by 2030 and 25% recycled content in new vehicles. Collaboration across technology, policy and investment sectors was presented as essential for improving feedstock availability and strengthening renewable carbon value chains, supporting the chemical industry’s shift away from fossil-based materials.
The event received support from sponsors including Siemens as gold sponsor, and Buss ChemTech, Erema Group and Starlinger as bronze sponsors. Industry associations and research bodies also backed the conference, including Chemical Recycling Europe, Plastics Europe, Renewable Carbon Initiative, and the International Centre for Sustainable Textiles.