Visitor registration has opened for PRSE 2026, the 10th edition of the Plastics Recycling Show Europe. The global exhibition and conference dedicated to plastics recycling in Europe will return to the RAI Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on 5–6 May 2026. Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy at the European Commission, will deliver the conference keynote. More than 450 exhibitors from across Europe and the wider world are set to occupy the venue’s two premier halls 1 and 5. Two feature areas will focus on textile recycling and practical applications of artificial intelligence technology in plastics recycling.
According to Matt Barber, Global Events Director at Crain Communications, reaching the 10th edition marks a significant stage in the development of the event. He notes that what began as a focused industry gathering has evolved into what the organisers describe as the world’s largest plastics recycling event, reflecting the innovation and commitment within the sector. For 2026, the organisers aim once again to fill both halls at the RAI with more than 450 exhibitors and expect to exceed the 13,000 attendees recorded in 2025. At the same time, the market context for recyclers in Europe remains challenging, which is reflected in the thematic focus of the conference programme and the emphasis on collaboration across the value chain.
Industry context and conference focus
The organisers underline that the 2026 edition is taking place at a time when the European plastics recycling industry is under strong pressure. Ton Emans, President of Plastics Recyclers Europe, points to one of the most profound crises in recent years, driven by market pressures and policy uncertainty affecting the entire value chain. In his view, collaboration and innovation are essential under current conditions, and PRSE 2026 is positioned as a platform where the industry can address these issues directly, exchange practical solutions and strengthen partnerships aimed at advancing plastics circularity.
The two-day conference on the future of plastics recycling in Europe will run parallel sessions across two theatres. The programme opens with Commissioner Jessika Roswall’s keynote on restoring competitiveness in Europe’s recycling sector. Subsequent sessions on the first day in Theatre One will cover food-contact rules, future-ready design, flexible polyolefin circularity and a panel discussion on how innovation drives investment in recycling capacity and technologies. In parallel, Theatre Two will host discussions on voluntary sustainability pledges, improving feedstock predictability and advancing circularity in the construction sector.
The second day will continue to examine market and regulatory topics. In Theatre One, the agenda highlights issues of fair competition, niche opportunities in rigid packaging and the role of traceability systems in global plastics trade. Theatre Two will focus on future packaging trends, recycling challenges associated with end-of-life vehicles, new opportunities in textile recycling and circular systems for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). The dedicated feature areas for textile recycling and AI applications are intended to complement these discussions with concrete examples and solutions presented by exhibitors and partners.
Awards, networking and registration conditions
The Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2026 form an integral part of PRSE. Entries for the 2026 awards close on 5 December 2025. The winners in all seven categories will be announced during the event on 6 May 2026, and all finalist products and solutions will be showcased at the exhibition. Detailed conditions for participation and entry forms are available via the organisers’ website.
In addition to the exhibition and conference, PRSE 2026 will again include the PRSE Boat Party sponsored by FIMIC. The networking event is scheduled for the first evening, 5 May 2026. Ticket sales for the boat party are planned to open in January 2026. The organisers position this element as an additional opportunity for informal meetings between representatives of different parts of the plastics recycling value chain.
Visitor registration for the exhibition and conference is available via the PRS Europe website. Registration is free until 5 April 2026; after this date an attendance fee of €50 will apply. PRSE is organised jointly by Crain Communications and Plastics Recyclers Europe and is aimed at professionals involved in plastics recycling and the circular use of plastics. The event brings together plastics recycling machinery and equipment suppliers, plastic material suppliers and compounders, pre-processors, mechanical and chemical plastics recyclers, waste management specialists and industry associations. In 2025, PRS Europe attracted more than 13,000 visitors from across Europe and from more than 80 countries worldwide.
