Plastic has become one of the worldwide used material both in industries and consumer field, due to its high versatile, durable, and unrivalled adaptable characteristics. Since the creation of the first synthetic polymer, global plastic production has increased very rapidly, from 2 million tonnes in 1950 [1] to 368 million tonnes worldwide in 2019, of which 57,9 only in Europe [2].
While nobody can deny the positive contributions of plastics, there are still important challenges we need to solve especially regarding their end-of-life and marine littering [5]. The end-of-life of plastics is a key issue for the industry, institutions, whole value chain, citizens, in order to deploy a strategic, sustainability-driven development. Despite the growing sensibility about the plastic pollution issue, no global agreements are available focused primarily on combating plastic pollution. However, in Europe the need to enhance environmental footprint, to boost the economy competitiveness of industries and to ensure the welfare of citizens, has driven to the development of several options, legislative and otherwise. In collaboration with the initiative undertaken by the Authorities, European industries embraced the necessity to develop circular economy models for plastics, also in response to requests from stakeholder about more sustainable business models. Versalis, Eni's chemical company, is very committed in developing solutions to solve the plastics waste issue: we are investing into the enhancement of available and emerging recycling technologies, boosting the creation of a secondary raw material market, and putting on the market innovative and sustainable products.
Plastic has become one of the worldwide used material both in industries and consumer field, due to its high versatile, durable, and unrivalled adaptable characteristics. Since the creation of the first synthetic polymer, global plastic production has increased very rapidly, from 2 million tonnes in 1950 [1] to 368 million tonnes worldwide in 2019, of which 57,9 only in Europe [2].
