The organisers of the Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRS), Crain Communications, and Plastics Recyclers Europe (PRE) have jointly announced the launch of the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe. Open to organisations and individuals across Europe who are involved in the recycling of plastic materials, the awards feature five different categories: Recycled Plastic Consumer Lifestyle Product of the Year, Best Building & Construction Product, Best Recycled Plastic Packaging Product, Best Technology Innovation in Plastics Recycling and Plastics Recycling Ambassador of the Year.

Award winners will be announced on the second day of the Plastics Recycling Show Europe at the RAI Amsterdam in The Netherlands, 25th April 2018. Online entry to the awards is now open at: http://prseventeurope.com/prse2018/en/page/awards 

“Recycled products and recycling need a special focus and the recognition of the industry and the consumers, the Awards are the perfect tool to achieve this. We need to highlight the real value of recyclates, their contribution towards resources and CO2 savings and their important role within the Circular Economy model. We need to demonstrate  the vast array of application in which they are used and to emphasize substantial advancement in recycling technologies,” said Ton Emans, PRE President.

“The success of the PRS Europe shows that the time is right to recognise the latest outstanding achievements in plastics recycling from across Europe,” added Matt Barber, Event Director of the Plastics Recycling Show Europe. “As PRS Europe continues to grow and evolve, this is the perfect way to promote and celebrate the use of recycled plastics in innovative products and applications.”

Product designers, design engineers, plastics processors, manufacturers and suppliers of recycled plastic products are all invited to enter. The awards judging panel will include Cyril Gutsch founder of campaigning organisation Parley for the Oceans, who himself was recently named 2017 Environmentalist of the Year by the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association.

Entries for the Recycled Plastic Consumer Lifestyle Product of the Year award need to demonstrate how they improve everyday life by using recycled plastics. Submitted products can be domestic products, sports and leisure goods, electronic products, fashion accessories or medical and pharmaceutical devices. The Best Building & Construction Product Made from Recycled Plastic award covers both indoor and outdoor applications including flooring, piping, window frames, insulation, roofing, doors and wall coverings. Among judges’ key criteria for this award will be both sustainability and durability.

The Best Technology Innovation award recognises companies that have developed or applied innovative technologies for recycling plastics. Entrants are asked to demonstrate how they have gained or provided tangible benefits through genuine plastics materials or processing innovations. Technology, machinery, equipment and innovative solutions for different processes of plastics recycling all fall within the scope of this award.

The Recycled Plastic Packaging Product award must be for a product with a minimum 50% recycled plastic content and can be for consumer goods or commercial packaging including both food and non-food applications. Nominations are also invited for the Plastics Recycling Ambassador of the Year award for individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to plastics recycling, be they politicians, civil servants, non-governmental activists or private citizens.

Finalists will be announced at the beginning of March 2018. The first Plastics Recycling Awards Europe will be presented at The Plastics Recycling Show Europe on 25 April 2018.

The Plastics Recycling Show is a pan-European, free-to-attend exhibition and a conference designed specifically for plastics recycling professionals. It brings together key players from the plastics and recycling sectors to showcase innovative technology, share best practice, network and do business. A broad cross section of the industry is represented at the event including plastics recycling machinery and equipment suppliers, plastic material suppliers and compounders, pre-processors, plastics recyclers, waste management specialists and industry associations. The PRS conference examines a wide range of the latest industry themes including plastics recycling technology and innovation, materials, the regulatory background and the dynamic economics of plastics recycling.