Future of Chemical Recycling Europe 2027

During the afternoon of Tuesday, 2 February 2027, a limited number of conference attendees will have the opportunity to visit BASF’s Ludwigshafen Verbund site. The visit will provide first-hand insight into one of Europe’s most significant chemical production and circular economy hubs.

There is no additional charge to attend the site visit; however, places are limited and will be allocated on a first-served basis. Please register your interest when booking your conference place.

• Accelerating Regulatory Readiness for PPWR Compliance and Market Adoption
• Creating Sustainable Demand for Recycled Materials Before 2030
• Scaling Advanced Recycling Technologies for Commercial Success
• Building Collaborative Value Chains to Accelerate Circularity
• Financing the Next Generation of Recycling Infrastructure
• Driving Demand Through Downstream User Adoption
• Securing Feedstock Supply Through Collection, Sorting and Recovery Excellence
• Aligning Brand Owner Strategies with Circular Economy Targets
• Geopolitics, Energy Security and the Competitive Future of European Industry
• Unlocking Growth Opportunities Across High-Value End Markets

• Dr Jens Hamprecht, Vice President Sustainability Performance Materials, BASF
• Dr Peter Dziezok, Director R&D Open Innovation, Procter & Gamble
• Dr Stefanie Eiden, Enabling Technology, COVESTRO
• Peter Weidinger, Head of Materials Technology, BROSE
• Frank Fischer, Materials Engineer and Coordinator for Sustainability and Recycled Material Use in Materials Technology, AUDI
• Janina Nizol, Vehicle Development Sustainability, Circular Economy, Specialist Sustainability, BMW Group
• Marius Lehadus, Material Innovation Developer, IKEA
• Dr Thomas Lueder, Global Director Sustainability Partnerships, Beckers Group
• Christoph Lindner, Managing Partner, Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH
• Valentijn de Neve, CEO, BlueAlp & President, Chemical Recycling Europe
• Stephan Roest, Head of Circular Economy Business Development, Borouge International
• Senior Representative, LyondellBasell
• Arjen Wittekoek, Recycled Content Manager, Verpact
• Yiwon Sung, ISCC PLUS Team Lead & Senior System Manager, ISCC SYSTEM
• Fabian Loske, Senior Manager – Business Development Sustainability, Sphera
• Liesbeth Stockman, Program Manager Industry – Sustainable Transition, Antwerp Bruges Port
• Xavier Milcent, Global Plastics Strategic Marketing Manager, Exxon Mobil
• Arne Ringkowski, Senior Director SC Network and Reverse Logistics, ALDI Nord Group
• Dr Christine Bunte, Managing Director, Plastics Europe
• Dr Aliaksandra Shuliakevich, Climate Protection and Circular Economy, Plastics Europe
• Dorothee Arns, Director General, FECC
• Thomas Fehn, Group leader for recycling technologies, Fraunhofer UMSICHT
• David Walsh, CEO, Impact Recycling
• Gabriela Fedor, Renewable & Circular Transformation Lead, NESTE
• Carlos Ludlow – Palafox, Independent Technology & Sustainability Adviser
• Marina Bortoletto Sette, Senior Recycling Manager, ELOPAK

If you would like to be considered as a speaker for the event with a 20-25 minute presentation, please submit an abstract for consideration to:

Marta Hoffmann

+48 616 467 039

+44 (0) 20 7 593 0071

Email: [email protected]

– Waste-material chemical recyclers
– End-product Manufacturers (Automotive, Packaging)
– European Regulatory and Policy Officers
– Waste Management Solution Providers
– Pyrolysis Technology Developers
– Market & Project Consultants
– Senior Academics
– European & Global Associations

EREMA has its headquarters in Ansfelden near Linz in Austria and specialises in the development and manufacturing of plastics recycling systems and components. Founded in 1983, the company is now the world market leader. Some 7,900 EREMA recycling systems are now in use worldwide. With subsidiaries in the USA, China and Africa, as well as around another 50 representatives on all five continents, the company has a reliable network to implement customised plastics recycling solutions for customers around the world and promote a circular economy. This is based on innovative recycling technologies for the processing of plastics in the form of inhouse waste, bottle-to-bottle, post consumer and fibres to produce recycled pellets that meet the highest quality specifications.

www.erema.com

CENER BIO2C — Biorefinery and Bioenergy Centre

CENER (National Renewable Energy Centre of Spain) is a leading applied research institution founded in 2002, with researchers active across five continents and a proven track record of turning renewable energy challenges into real industrial solutions. At CENER’s Biomass Department, a team of over 40 specialists with deep sector expertise is doing exactly that; developing and scaling up the technologies that will define the future of waste valorisation and the circular bioeconomy. The centrepiece of this work is BIO2C (Biorefinery and Bioenergy Centre): a state-of-theart semi-industrial biorefinery and bioenergy platform where research meets reality. Our 2 MWt bubbling fluidized bed gasification plant (500 kg/h, 650-1000°C), paired with a 100 Nm³/h syngas cleaning system, is designed to handle the feedstocks others won’t (plasticrich waste streams, solid recovered fuels or mixed organic residues) and convert them into clean, high-quality syngas ready for advanced downstream applications. Combined with our pyrolysis, hydrothermal liquefaction, hydrolysis and fermentation capabilities, BIO2C offers a truly integrated pathway from waste to value: from feedstock characterisation and process development through to pilot-scale validation, techno-economic assessment and sustainability certification.

From waste to value. From lab to industry.

Sulzer is a global leader in critical applications for core infrastructure and processes for large essential industries around the world. We ensure the security, quality and durability of critical goods and services by supporting energy security, natural resource management, and efficiencies in process industries. This in turn supports the transition to a circular economy. Our integrated solutions add significant value by enabling energy efficiency, carbon emissions and pollution reduction, and process efficiency improvements. Customers benefit from our commitment to innovation, performance, and quality through our responsive network of 160 world-class manufacturing facilities and service centers across the globe.

Sulzer’s Chemtech division is also leading the way in ecological solutions such as biopolymers as well as textile and plastic recycling, contributing to a circular economy. Our product offering ranges from technology licensing to process components all the way to complete separation process plants. Customer support ranges from engineering and field services to tray and packing installation, tower maintenance, welding and plant turnaround projects – ensuring minimal downtime.

www.sulzer.com

ACI has put together a range of packages to suit your requirements. These range from branding options, to full scale partner solutions and can be tailored to meet your objectives and budgets.

If you are launching a new product or service and wish to gain visibility and brand recognition within your industry, contact us today!

For commercial opportunities, please contact:

Venkat Paramasivam

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3141 0642

Email: [email protected]

PlasticsEurope Deutschland e. V. is the association of plastics manufacturers in Germany. The association is a trade association of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) and part of the European network Plastics Europe, which has offices in Brussels and in European economic centers and capitals.

The English-speaking GLOBAL RECYCLING Magazine is dedicated to business opportunities in the recycling industry and informs the readership about the international recycling market. Thus, the magazine focuses on editorial coverage from the areas of international waste management, circular economy, and recycling industry. Nevertheless, the magazine does not disregard other topics such as waste paper, plastics as well as scrap and metal recycling. Additionally, every issue presents recycling processes, methods, and machinery.

The trade magazine EU-Recycling focuses its editorial content on topics related to recycling, waste and circular economy; introduces new recycling processes, facilities, and machinery; monitors the environmental technology industry both domestically and abroad; publishes market reports, company profiles, news, and personnel announcements; and provides commentary on important laws at the federal and state levels as well as the latest EU regulations in the field of waste management.

Fecc is the voice of the Chemical Distribution Industry in Europe. With a growing membership of companies and national associations, Fecc represents around 1,600 companies of which many are small and medium sized companies (SMEs). Fecc and its members contribute to innovation and sustainability besides adding value in the supply chain, by sourcing, developing, marketing, and distributing a wide range of specialty chemicals and ingredients to over one million downstream users ranging from automotive, electronics, paint, construction to pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food and nutrition industries, each with their own specialised needs. The Chemical distribution industry in Europe employs more than 30,000 people and has an annual sales leverage of approximately €28 billion.

https://www.fecc.org/

NOBLENET

www.noblenet.co

NobleNet^SM is a specialist professional network for people in connected Science and Technology based industries including Energy, Resources, Chemicals, Materials, Biosciences, Food, Environmental, Manufacturing, Digital Technology and more. Please join us if you have interest in these sectors. Membership is free.

Environmental Business Review is a print and digital magazine dedicated to management and engineering leaders across industries and government, focused on sustaining our planet. We offer a platform for sharing experiences, challenges, and insights on cost-effective environmental solutions, climate change, and sustainability. By featuring the most innovative companies and startups, we showcase technologies and services that drive environmental progress. Available through our website, magazines, newsletters, and at various industry events, we aim to pool industry knowledge and align with the innovation necessary to safeguard our planet for future generations.

If you would like to become an official Media Partner, please contact:

Marcin Janecki
Tel: + 48 61 646 7047
Email: mjanecki@acieu.net

Event Overview

The 2026 edition of ACI’s Future of Chemical Recycling Summit brought together chemical producers, recyclers, technology developers, polymer manufacturers, waste management companies, brand owners, regulators and sustainability experts in Düsseldorf to explore the commercial future of chemical recycling in Europe. Across two days of presentations and discussion, the event examined the regulatory landscape, commercial investment, feedstock security, value chain collaboration, technology innovation, circular product design and strategies for scaling chemical recycling technologies to industrial maturity.

Regulation, Investment and Market Development

One of the central themes of the conference was the role of regulation in shaping the future of chemical recycling. Presentations examined the impact of European legislation, including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), alongside mass balance methodologies and broader policy developments influencing commercial investment. Speakers highlighted the importance of regulatory clarity in creating market confidence and supporting long-term infrastructure investment.

The discussions also explored the relationship between compliance and commercial development. Rather than viewing regulation solely as a reporting obligation, the programme demonstrated how policy influences technology selection, financing decisions, recycled content claims and the wider commercial viability of chemical recycling projects.

Building Collaborative Circular Value Chains

Collaboration across the plastics value chain was a recurring message throughout the summit. Sessions explored how stronger partnerships between waste collectors, recyclers, polymer producers, converters, brand owners and policymakers are becoming essential for developing scalable circular business models.

Presentations examined successful partnership models, joint investment strategies and data-sharing initiatives that improve transparency across complex supply chains. Speakers consistently highlighted that commercial scale will depend upon greater coordination between upstream waste management and downstream manufacturers, supported by long-term market demand and shared sustainability objectives.

Feedstock Security and Supply Chain Challenges

Feedstock availability remained one of the industry’s most significant challenges. Discussions focused on improving collection systems, sorting technologies and feedstock quality to support reliable chemical recycling operations. Speakers examined the practical constraints surrounding post-consumer plastic waste, including contamination, inconsistent material quality and competition for suitable feedstocks.

The conference highlighted the importance of investing in collection infrastructure, pre-treatment technologies and stronger collaboration across the waste management sector to ensure stable feedstock supplies capable of supporting future commercial facilities.

Technology Innovation and Commercial Scale-Up

Technical innovation formed a major part of the programme, with presentations covering pyrolysis, depolymerisation, dissolution technologies, catalyst development and enzymatic recycling. Rather than focusing solely on emerging research, speakers concentrated on technologies approaching commercial deployment and the challenges associated with industrial scale-up.

Sessions examined methods for upgrading mixed plastic waste into petrochemical feedstocks, improving product quality, increasing recycling yields and processing more complex waste streams such as PVC, tyres and composite materials. Technology providers also demonstrated how catalyst innovation and process optimisation can improve efficiency while supporting integration with existing petrochemical infrastructure.

Discussions on the second day focused on technology readiness, project structuring and lessons learned from early commercial facilities, reinforcing the industry’s shift from pilot projects towards large-scale implementation.

Circular Product Design and Sustainability

The programme also examined the role of product design in improving future recyclability. Presentations explored how design-for-recycling principles can support chemical recycling technologies while enabling greater use of recycled content in finished products.

Sustainability discussions focused on lifecycle assessment, harmonised environmental methodologies and carbon accounting. Speakers highlighted the need for consistent LCA frameworks to support credible sustainability claims, regulatory compliance and customer confidence. Carbon reduction was discussed alongside broader circular economy objectives, positioning chemical recycling as one element within wider strategies for reducing emissions and improving resource efficiency.

Innovation Across Emerging Recycling Technologies

Alongside established recycling pathways, the conference explored emerging technologies capable of expanding future recycling opportunities. Presentations examined enzymatic hydrolysis, advanced thermochemical conversion, catalytic reforming and technologies designed to recover valuable materials from increasingly complex waste streams.

These sessions demonstrated that innovation continues across multiple technology platforms, with the industry’s focus moving towards commercially viable solutions capable of processing a broader range of plastics while improving environmental performance.

Value Chain Collaboration

A recurring conclusion throughout the event was that chemical recycling cannot develop successfully without closer collaboration across the full plastics value chain. Speakers emphasised the growing interdependence between technology developers, recyclers, chemical producers, waste management companies, regulators, brand owners and end users.

The conference demonstrated that many of the sector’s current challenges—including feedstock security, regulatory compliance, technology deployment and market development—require coordinated action rather than individual company initiatives. Greater transparency, stronger partnerships and shared commercial objectives were consistently presented as key drivers of future growth.

A Practical Industry Discussion

Overall, the 2026 Future of Chemical Recycling Summit reflected an industry moving from technological development towards commercial implementation. Across the programme, discussions consistently returned to the need to balance regulatory compliance, commercial investment, feedstock availability, technology innovation and sustainability. The event positioned chemical recycling as an increasingly important component of Europe’s circular economy, with future growth dependent on scalable technologies, credible environmental performance and stronger collaboration across the plastics value chain.

At the event we strive not only to bring you to the same location at the same time as your customers/suppliers/peers, we strive to ensure you meet face-to-face with each and every one of your target contacts and to provide you with the time you need to have multiple unhurried conversations with them and build a lasting business relationship:

• A pre-event informal introduction the evening before the conference
• A minimum of five hours’ networking built into the two day conference agenda
• A networking grid which enables you to make your target contacts aware you are looking for them
• The option to join either social drinks or dinner during the evening of Day One
• ACI’s on-site team will assist you in locating your hard-to-find target contacts & make face-to-face introductions

Of course, if there is anybody you are unable to meet over the two days, ACI’s event team will do their best to initiate contact after the event.