Munich, October 19, 2021: Europe and US are leading innovation in plastic recycling and alternative plastics – Shepard Fox helps promote green technologies tackling the plastic waste issue via media relations across Europe

Europe and the US are leading innovation in plastic recycling and alternative plastics technologies, a new study published today by the European Patent Office (EPO) shows. Europe and the US each account for 30% of patenting activity worldwide in these sectors, or 60% combined. Plastic recycling and bioplastics are the two key technologies in reducing plastic waste, a key challenge at the heart of the EU Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. – 50.000 tons of new plastic end up in our environment every year. Packaging and textiles account for most of the plastic waste (47% and 14% respectively). In the EU, only 42% of plastic waste is currently collected for recycling. – Shepard Fox helps the EPO raise media awareness for the issue via media relations support. The support comprises the development of key messages, media content creation, the localisation of press releases into French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Flemish, local media outreach on country levels across Europe, arranging and preparing media interviews with the authors of the study, and media monitoring.