Circularity of different plastic product sectors in Germany: Product interaction with surrounding infrastructure

Circular Economy (CE) potentials are often classified based on individual aspects such as material recyclability, failing to capture the complex interaction between products and surrounding infrastructure stemming from country-, product- and material-specific regulations and market conditions. While the circularity of individual product sectors has been discussed previously, a cross-sector comparison for the German plastics sector is missing. This study quantifies and compares the circularity of different plastic product sectors in Germany using the Material Circularity Indicator (MCI) for 2022 and projected 2030 scenarios. The applied polymer types and waste collection systems are further assessed regarding their contribution to circularity. The MCI results for 2022 range from below 0.20 (automotive, E&E, HLS, others) to almost 0.40 (packaging, agriculture), revealing large differences in circularity and untapped potentials for both using and providing circular materials. Projected 2030 scenarios based on current and planned recycling targets show substantial increases in several sectors. The polymer assessment shows that 43% to 97% of applied polymers are mechanically recyclable, yet apart from packaging, most sectors are limited by waste collection systems with only medium or low CE potential. Circularity is thus constrained less by polymer choice than by the institutional maturity and infrastructural embedding of each sector, and by missing regulations for recyclate reintegration. A successful CE implementation requires both a product and an infrastructure perspective to be considered together. The findings provide sector-specific circularity benchmarks and inform policy recommendations such as recycled-content quotas, quality standards and sector-specific roadmaps, relevant beyond Germany to other EU member states.