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Oxo-degradable additives are causing a heated debate between manufacturers and recycling bodies that are calling for further testing to be carried out.

European Plastics Recyclers (EuPR) maintains its scepticism towards the additives and urged producers to test and prove the recyclability of their products with specialised structures such as the European PET bottle platform.

"All products are welcomed by the plastics recyclers as long as they are in line with existing European legislations and state of the art recycling activities," EuPR said in a statement.

Symphony Environmental criticised the organisation earlier this month for a lack of understanding about the additives.

EuPR said the European Waste Framework Directive did not mention oxo-degradables and the requirement to treat landfilled material meant the additives would be in products that entered recycling.

The impact this would have on recyclate was not clear, EuPR said. "In the past years, plastics recyclers have already experienced that new materials and technologies have caused problems to recycling activities."

"Producers first need to convince the plastics industry and environmental organisations that their products are as effectively sustainable as they claim before putting them on the market."

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