Advanced Recycling Conference 2026 to Spotlight Scale-Up and Regulation

The Advanced Recycling Conference 2026 will take place on 17–18 November in Cologne, Germany, and online, bringing together stakeholders from industry, research, technology development, finance and policymaking.

Organised by nova-Institut GmbH, the event will focus on the industrial scale-up of advanced recycling technologies, as well as the market, financing and regulatory conditions needed for commercial deployment.

The programme will cover solvent-based recycling, depolymerisation, pyrolysis and other thermochemical processes. Further sessions will address pyrolysis oil upgrading, life-cycle assessment, digitalisation, investment models and the transition from pilot and demonstration plants to commercial-scale operations.

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The scope extends beyond conventional plastic waste to include textiles, PVC, PET and Si-O-based polymers, with dedicated sessions on material-specific recycling technologies, certification and regulatory requirements.

Regulation is expected to be a key theme. Under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), plastic packaging will have to contain between 10% and 35% post-consumer recycled content from 2030, depending on the packaging category, with higher targets applying from 2040.

New EU vehicle rules are also set to increase demand for recycled plastics. Regulation (EU) 2026/1738 requires newly type-approved vehicles to contain at least 15% recycled plastic from post-consumer waste from September 2032, rising to 25% from September 2036. Part of this material will have to originate from end-of-life vehicles or vehicle parts removed during use.

These requirements are increasing pressure on the recycling industry to deliver sufficient volumes, consistent material quality and reliable verification and certification systems.

According to nova-Institut, the conference attracts close to 300 participants. The event will also include an exhibition and poster session, with poster submissions open until 9 October 2026. Sponsors include Siemens, Buss ChemTech, Yncoris and Erema Group.

More information: advanced-recycling.eu, nova-institute.eu

nova-Institut für politische und ökologische Innovation GmbH, Hürth, Germany

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