Plastic bottles: Commission adopts rules ensuring transparency in calculating recycled content

The European Commission adopted new rules on recycling of single-use plastic beverage bottles made primarily of polyethylene terephthalate (PET bottles). These rules (part of the December 2025 plastic package) establish, "for the first time", a methodology to calculate, verify and report chemically recycled content, declared the institution on 30/06/2026.

This transparency in calculating recycled content in new single-use PET bottles is "key to creating a level playing field and providing investment security for the plastic recycling sector", the Commission said.

Mechanical recycling is currently the most widely used method for recycling plastics, but cannot recycle some plastic waste streams. This includes for example plastic waste with food residues, additives and mixed materials which reduce recyclability. In these cases, "chemical recycling can complement mechanical recycling".

The new rules can be applied to any recycling technology, including chemical and mechanical recycling technologies. This will help Member States meet the recycled-content target set under the Single-Use…