Chemical Recycling Europe Concludes 2024 Conference with New Leadership and Vision
PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, Wednesday 28 November, 2024 – Chemical Recycling Europe (CRE) has successfully concluded its annual conference, held on Wednesday 27 November 2024, at the BluePoint conference venue in Brussels, Belgium. The event gathered over 120 participants, including industry leaders, policymakers, investors, and key stakeholders from across the value chain, to foster meaningful discussions on the future of chemical recycling and its critical role in achieving Europe’s circular economy goals.
A major highlight of the conference was the introduction of Valentijn de Neve (BlueAlp) as the new President, Daniel Odenthal (Arcus) as the new Vice-President and Cord Matthies (Promeco) as new Treasurer of Chemical Recycling Europe. Mr. De Neve, Mr. Odenthal and Mr. Matthies will serve a two-year term, guiding CRE through a pivotal era of innovation, collaboration, and growth within the chemical recycling sector.
The association’s members extended heartfelt appreciation to the outgoing President, Carlos Monreal (Plastic Energy), Vice-President, Maurizio Crippa (Gr3n) and Treasurer, Christian Lach (Quantafuel) for their outstanding leadership and dedication over the past years. Their contributions helped the organization establish a solid foundation, and supported the progress of the industry at large.
"Uniting for a circular future"
This year’s conference theme emphasized the transformative potential of chemical recycling in addressing the global plastic waste crisis. Through dynamic panel discussions, compelling keynotes, and interactive sessions, the event delved into the regulatory landscape, supply development, and investment opportunities shaping the industry’s trajectory.
Key highlights from the conference
- Regulatory Landscape: Annick Meerschman (CEFIC), Alexander Röder (Plastics Europe), Mohamed Elkhalifa (BPF) and Christian Lach (Quantafuel/CRE) provided critical insights into policy frameworks essential for accelerating circularity.
- Supply Development & Market Reporting: Egor Dementev (ICIS) and Graham Houlder (CEFLEX) shared groundbreaking developments in market reporting and project advancements, followed by a lively panel discussion featuring Lars Krause from nova-Institut.
- CRE LCA Guidelines: Marco Tomasi Morgano (on behalf of CRE) and Alejandra Martinez (Sphera) unveiled the results of CRE’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study.
- Success Stories: CRE members showcased real-world applications and innovations, with milestones highlighted by companies such as Itero, BlueAlp, Gr3n, Intecsa Industrial, and LBC Tank Terminals.
- Investors’ Perspective: A forward-looking panel, featuring Marc Borghans (ING), Florent Bick (Siemens Financial Services), Husam Taha (Wood Mackenzie) and Carlos Monreal (Entrepreneur/CRE), explored the financial ecosystem necessary to advance chemical recycling technologies.
A shared vision for 2025 and beyond
This year’s conference underscored the urgency of overcoming systemic and regulatory barriers to unlock the full potential of chemical recycling. CRE remains steadfast in its commitment to engaging policymakers, industry stakeholders, and society to build a robust, sustainable circular economy.
Newly elected President Valentijn de Neve expressed gratitude and optimism, stating:
"This conference has demonstrated the incredible potential of chemical recycling when we unite as an industry. Over the next two years, our focus will be on strengthening partnerships, driving innovation, and cementing chemical recycling as a cornerstone of Europe’s circular future."
The success of the 2024 conference sets an inspiring precedent for CRE’s future initiatives.
For more information about CRE and updates from the conference, visit the organisation’s website or LinkedIn page.
Media Contact:
Lilla Mezriczky
Secretary General
lilla.mezriczky@pceu.eu
END
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