Europe’s Circular Plastics Market Shifts with Major Recycling Deal

Agilyx buys 44 percent of Der Grüne Punkt to secure feedstock and strengthen integrated sourcing across Europe

25 Nov 2025

Europe’s circular-economy ambitions often hinge on dull but vital details, such as who controls the waste that recyclers need. On October 15th Agilyx bought 44% of Der Grüne Punkt, one of the continent’s largest packaging-collection systems. The purchase pulls the American specialist in hard-to-reuse plastics closer to the waste streams that power its plants.

Der Grüne Punkt manages a sprawling household-packaging network. Agilyx offers technology built for polymers that rarely get a second turn. Their decision to bind themselves through ownership, rather than looser alliances, reflects a market in which sorted rubbish has become the rarest resource. Brands, packaging firms and recyclers all want more recycled inputs as Europe tightens climate rules. Supply has struggled to keep up.

The tie-up gives Agilyx better access to upstream material. For Der Grüne Punkt it strengthens its place in a system where demand for recycled content often outstrips what collectors can provide. Both hope that closer coordination will make supply steadier and quality more predictable.

Not all are pleased. Cross-border integration can be messy. Smaller recyclers fear they will be edged out as bigger players seize control of valuable inputs. Some watchdogs warn that consolidation could weaken competition, raising costs or slowing innovation. Supporters counter that a more integrated chain can improve efficiency and reinforce Europe’s fragile recycling base.

Whether the partnership becomes a template depends on what happens next. If the firms can align collection and conversion at scale, they may show how a tighter plastics loop could work with less waste and more resilience. Europe is still searching for such examples. This pair now has a chance to offer one.