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Action recommendations | PlastLIFE Project | March 2026
Sustainable plastics value chain strengthens national resilience The circular economy for plastics has progressed in Finland as a result of cross-sector collaboration. A sustainable circular economy for plastics supports the economy, security of supply and the environment. However, further actions are still needed to achieve it.1,2
• Measures targeting the entire plastics value chain are needed to reduce
unnecessary consumption of plastic and increase recycling. Regulation and incentives should support, among other things, the transition from singleuse products to reusable alternatives.
• The recycling rate for plastic packaging remains low. Finland currently pays
the EU around 90 million euros annually in plastic own-resource fee for nonrecycled plastic packaging waste. Collection and recycling of plastic packaging waste must be increased to meet the EU’s recycling targets.
• The use of recycled plastic as a raw material in new products must be increased. Mandatory recycled content requirements and other measures that boost demand for recycled plastics should be introduced as quickly as possible.
• The recycling and plastics industries must be strengthened and kept in operation. Solutions are needed to prevent unsustainable and low-quality recycled plastic raw materials imported from outside the EU from entering the market. Domestic industry supports national security of supply.
• The environmental impacts of plastic use, such as carbon footprint, littering
PHOTO: STOCK.ADOBE.COM
and microplastics, should also be studied in Finland.
syke.fi/en | environment.fi
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