On 13 April 2026, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development published a report titled “Chemical Content Validation of Recycled Plastics,” examining challenges associated with identifying and managing chemical substances in recycled plastic materials. The report highlights that plastics may contain thousands of chemical substances, including hazardous chemicals that can negatively affect human health and the environment if not adequately controlled throughout product lifecycles and recycling processes. According to the OECD, chemical traceability becomes significantly more complex during recycling because information on original material composition may be incomplete or lost across value chains. Additional contaminants, degradation products, and reaction by-products may also emerge during product use and recycling activities. The organisation noted that the heterogeneity of plastic waste streams and limited separation of closed-loop recycling systems further complicate chemical safety management. The report provides an overview of existing standards, certifications, and quality control measures applicable to recycled plastics and reviews analytical techniques used to characterise chemical content in secondary materials.
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