For decades, the plastics and chemical industries operated with virtually no oversight regarding waste management. The European Commission’s regulatory framework existed only on paper; officials remained insulated in Brussels, never verifying if actual recycling took place. This allowed industry players to be treated like royalty while they sold the public a “recycling” illusion…. yes, the consumers paid a premium for their packaging to be supposedly recycled.

For 35 years, European consumers paid a premium for recycling, yet their waste was largely incinerated or exported to developing nations. This created a lucrative, unregulated trade route for unscrupulous entrepreneurs. The plastic waste route …

Now, the tide is turning. Companies face a genuine risk that authorities will finally investigate this “waste business” and uncover decades of malpractice. This legacy of deception is now stifling new investment in Europe. Much like a high-society party where the drinks were free, the last ones left are realizing they will be stuck with the bill. Ultimately, there is little incentive to produce new packaging in Europe if the end result—incineration or illegal dumping abroad—now carries the threat of a knock on the door from regulators. 

On the plus side, the “recycling roadshow” has finally been paused; consumers are waking up to the fact that they’ve been watching a low-budget fiction. The downside? These companies are now packing up like a traveling circus, scouting for a new venue to set up their “flying” act outside of Europe.

We are faced with a grim dilemma:

1. Prioritise the Truth: Crack down on these firms and drive them out. This results in mass job losses, while the waste is still ultimately incinerated or exported.
2. Turn a Blind Eye: Leave the industry to its own devices. The outcome remains the same: waste is incinerated or exported.

The European Commission and Member States, however, have opted for the worst possible path:

3. Subsidize the Deception: They are handing out grants to the industry, even though the waste—predictably—continues to be incinerated or shipped abroad.

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Message to our American Friends

You are likely facing the same dilemma.

However, there is a viable alternative that Europe isn’t yet brave enough to attempt. Currently, only about 9–10% of plastic waste is truly recycled—mostly PET bottles. The method could skyrocket that figure to 65–70%. While that is the ceiling for what is physically possible, it would represent genuine recycling.

It will require breaking a few eggs.

The price tag is approximately $75 to $100 billion, with a rollout period of 5 to 7 years to reach full operational capacity across the United States. To be clear: it will be disruptive, but it should work.

The primary advantage is scalability. Americans could export this model globally, building a true recycling empire. Furthermore, you could include and structure a royalty for the U.S. government into the system to ensure the initial $100 billion investment is fully repaid.

The European Union doesn’t have the balls to do it. The Amercian and Chinese government could do it.

The Chinese could probably do it in 4 years time