In recent years, governments around the world have intensively introduced policies and regulations targeting recycled plastic pellets, promoting the development of a plastic circular economy through multiple means such as mandatory standards, tax incentives, and trade controls. These policies are profoundly reshaping the market landscape and technological roadmap of the recyclable plastic pellet industry.

In terms of legislative constraints, the revised EU Directive on Disposable Plastics will officially come into effect in 2023, specifying that the recycled plastic content in PET bottles must not be less than 25% by 2025 and increased to 30% by 2030. The UK is implementing a plastic packaging tax simultaneously, imposing an additional fee of £ 200 per ton on plastic packaging with a recycled material content of less than 30%. In the Asia Pacific region, Japan has revised the Container Packaging Recycling Law, increasing the requirement for the use of recycled PET from 12% to 15% by 2025; The South Korean Ministry of Environment has released the "Basic Plan for Resource Recycling", which requires a plastic waste recycling rate of 70% by 2027. In the North American market, California has passed the Recycled Plastic Content Act, becoming the first state in the United States to legislate the proportion of recycled plastic products (15% by 2025 and 30% by 2030).

The standard certification system is accelerating its improvement. The EU REACH regulation has added pollutant limit standards for recycled plastics, setting stricter thresholds for harmful substances such as heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has released a new version of the "Traceability Standard for Recycled Plastics" (ISO 22095), establishing a full chain regulatory framework from recycling to finished products. The Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in conjunction with industry associations, has launched the "Green Certification for Recycled Plastics" system, covering 12 indicators such as carbon emissions during the production process and product quality. It is worth noting that after the update of Global Recycle Standard (GRS) 4.0, chemically recycled plastics have been included in the certification scope and testing requirements for different application scenarios have been refined.

Trade regulatory policies continue to tighten. After the formal implementation of the Basel Convention amendment, cross-border transportation of mixed plastic waste has been strictly restricted, prompting countries to establish local recycling systems. The second phase of the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) includes plastic products and requires importers to declare the proportion of recycled materials in their products. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has adopted the Common Standard for Cross border Waste Plastic Management to standardize the import testing methods for recycled pellets among member countries. The General Administration of Customs of China has strengthened the identification of solid waste properties of recycled plastic pellets, and has returned 37 batches of unqualified recycled pellet goods in 2023.

Incentive policies are showing a trend towards diversification. Germany has launched a "subsidy program for recycled materials", allowing companies to enjoy a tax reduction of 150 euros per ton for using food grade recycled plastics. France has established a 300 million euro "Plastic Recycling Fund" to focus on supporting the research and development of chemical recycling technologies. China has included the recycled plastic industry in the "Green Industry Guidance Catalogue", and eligible projects can enjoy preferential policies such as land and electricity prices. The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has implemented the "Innovation Subsidy for Recycled Plastics", with a budget of 4.5 billion yen for 2023.