On 19–20 November 2025, the Advanced Recycling Conference (ARC) 2025 will once again take place in Cologne, Germany. It will bring together industry leaders, technology providers, researchers, innovators, and policymakers to address critical recycling challenges across diverse waste streams.
In addition to its traditional focus on plastics and polymer recycling, ARC 2025 emphasizes textile and automotive recycling—two pollution-intensive sectors that face significant environmental challenges due to complex material streams. Textile recycling rates in the EU still fall below 20% due to fibre blends, while automotive plastics and rubbers face regulatory pressures under the End-of-Life Vehicle Directive.
To tackle these challenges, ARC 2025 introduces four new focus areas: biochemical recycling, textile recycling, automotive recycling, and advanced digital tools such as AI-enabled sorting, traceability systems, and industrial-scale process optimisation. These complement established physical (extrusion, dissolution), chemical (solvolysis), and thermochemical methods (pyrolysis, depolymerisation, gasification), along with Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU).
Participants will gain insights into the latest technologies, regulatory frameworks, and market dynamics shaping advanced recycling and the circular economy. By placing collaboration at its core, ARC 2025 highlights that progress often begins with partnerships and shared decision-making.
The event comes at a pivotal time when EU legislation is tightening recycling targets. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation mandates post-consumer recycled plastic quotas of 10–35% by 2030, rising by 2040. Meanwhile, the End-of-Life Vehicle proposal requires 25% recycled plastic in new cars. Meeting these goals will require scaling innovative technologies and infrastructure.
The programme features experts from leading companies such as BASF, Covestro, Evonik, Fluor, Green Dot, ISCC, LEGO, LyondellBasell, NFIA, Siemens, Sulzer, Trinseo, and Vaude, along with research institutions including Chalmers University of Technology, Fraunhofer IVV, Forschungszentrum Jülich, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, and Recycario Data Science.
Focus sessions will cover:
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Advanced Recycling as a renewable carbon pillar
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Thermochemical Recycling
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Biochemical Recycling
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Textile Sorting & Recycling
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ELV (End-of-Life Vehicle) Recycling Solutions
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Pyrolysis oil quality & traceability
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Sustainable polymers
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Physical recycling via dissolution
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Thermochemical recovery of resources & energy
