Metropolia student’s survey indicates that many Finnish companies are working on the recycling polyethene film plastics

Metropolia student Jesse Lehtinen’s survey on the circulation of polyethene film plastics in construction focuses on film plastics made from polyethene (PE) that are used in house construction and the construction chain for protection and packaging purposes. Polyethene is the most common grade of plastic in the world. Among other things, it is used for the production of film plastics, which can also involve recycled polyethene. Film plastic products that are used in construction for protection and packaging purposes include flat films, stretch films, shrink films and pallet covers. In this context, the products in question are referred to as plastic films for construction purposes.

The survey aimed to highlight the key companies and their roles in the circular economy of film plastics in construction. The operations of the key companies in this circular economy were examined based on the websites of and interviews with companies. The business interviews for the survey were conducted in cooperation between VTT and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. The current state of the circulation of film plastics in construction was also examined by means of studies and analyses of construction projects, for example. In addition to this, the document covers questionnaire that was carried out in spring 2024 to learn about the circulation of film plastic in construction from companies that manufacture construction supplies.

The survey covers various routes for reusing recycled materials in film production. There are many Finnish operators that recycling polyethene mechanically. In addition to the mechanical recycling of plastics within Finland, plastic is also transported to Sweden for the same purpose. In order to reach the recycling goals set by the EU for plastic packaging, the packaging can no longer be used for energy production, which leaves reuse and recycling as the only available options.

To be fully realised, the circular economy of film plastics in construction requires the effective separate collection of film plastic waste. Collecting film plastic separately from other waste ensures their easier utilisation as raw material for new plastic products. The main contractor is regarded as the holder of the waste. As such, it is responsible for agreeing on the collection of the waste and its transport for further processing with a waste management company. The effective separate collection of film plastic waste requires clear sorting instructions. The survey presents companies that operate in Finland in the context of polyethene recycling. In addition to film plastics for the construction industry, recycled polyethene can be used to make many other products, such as plastic bags.

The survey indicates that roughly 4–6 % of the global crude oil consumption goes into the manufacture plastic products. Entirely new plastic (“virgin plastic”) is currently primarily made from oil. The survey also mentions Neste’s new production facility for processing liquefied waste plastic and the ways in which Borealis can use it as a raw material for polyethene. Borealis sells the polyethene and recycled plastic granulate it produces to film blowers which can use it as one of the raw materials in the process.

In order to reach the recycling goals set by the EU for plastic packaging, the packaging can no longer be used for energy production, which leaves reuse and recycling as the only available options. The survey examined the future of plastic circulation based on the publications of the European Parliament, articles released across media in the technology field, and interviews with companies over the course of the project. The EU’s plastics strategy was published in 2018 with the aim of recycling or reusing all plastic packaging by the year 2030.

In addition to this, many companies have begun to direct their business activities towards integrating renewable or recycling raw materials into their production process and increasing the recycling efficiency of plastics. This is why manufacturers of film plastics and other plastic products are interested in using recycled plastics in their products. That said, the results of the questionnaire carried out during the project show that companies manufacturing and selling construction supplies have sometimes had difficulties finding film plastic that contain recycled materials on the markets.

The strict future requirements that the European Union has imposed on the recycling of plastics have contributed to forcing companies in Finland to come up with new innovation and cooperation projects to increase the recycling rate of plastics. There are already several on-going chemical recycling projects that support the mechanical recycling of plastics. WasteWise has begun the chemical recycling of waste plastic as the first industrial operator in Finland, and Neste’s chemical recycling plant will kick off its operations in 2025, for example. Nevertheless, mechanical recycling is currently the primary option for plastic waste, and chemical recycling will support it. This is why it is particularly important to increase the capacity of mechanical recycling to realise the circular economy of plastics in Finland.

Metropolia conducted the survey as a student work as part of the Closed Plastic Circle – From Regional Pilots to Implementation project.