Climate Friday at K 2025: Balancing circular economy and competitiveness
Frankfurt am Main/Düsseldorf, 30 September 2025 – On 10 October, Climate Friday will be the third theme day of K 2025, the world’s leading trade fair for plastics and rubber. The focus will be on how to accelerate the transition to a circular economy without undermining Europe’s industrial base. At the special show Plastics Shape the Future (Hall 6 / C40), representatives from industry, science, politics, and public administration will discuss the balancing act between climate targets, regulation, and competitiveness.
The Plastics Transition Roadmap: an action plan for circularity
The opening keynote will present the Plastics Transition Roadmap, developed by Plastics Europe the association of plastics manufacturers, in 2023 together with its member companies. Chris McArdle, Vice President Global Marketing, Borealis, and Paula Sanabria Luque, Senior Director Marketing & Commercial Development, LyondellBasell, will outline the measures needed to increase recycling rates, cut CO₂ emissions, and stimulate investment in circular technologies. These include advances in mechanical and chemical recycling, greater use of biomass, and approaches to circular product design. The roadmap identifies the priority steps for industry and policymakers to accelerate the shift to closed value chains (10:30–11:00 CEST).
Round Table: Circular products as a business case
At the round table Monetizing Circular and Sustainable Products in the Chemical Industry (13:30–14:00 CEST), experts will discuss how circular products can be marketed in the chemical sector and made economically viable. Topics include assessing CO₂ savings and the potential of new business models for circularity.
Participants:
- Dr. Amadeus Petzke, Partner, Leader Pricing and Monetization, Monitor Deloitte
- Paula Sanabria Luque, Sr. Director EMEAI Marketing & Commercial Development, LyondellBasell
- Frank Richter, Consultant Material Compliance and Plastics, mentorichter
- Annika Huomo, Business Development Manager – Renewable & Biobased Polyolefins – Base Chemicals, Borealis
- Dr. Mateusz Wielopolski, Manager, Deloitte Sustainability & Climate GmbH
Presentation of the paper Circular & Competitive
The highlight of Climate Friday will be the first public presentation of the expert paper Circular & Competitive by Ralf Düssel, President of PlasticsEurope Deutschland (14:30–16:00 CEST). Developed jointly by representatives from industry, science and trade unions, the paper outlines how the plastics sector in Germany can contribute as an innovation driver to the circular economy while safeguarding its competitiveness.
The presentation will be followed by a political panel discussion on the policy and economic framework conditions required to achieve this transformation, and what lessons Europe can draw from the expert paper.
Panel participants include:
- Nicklas Kappe, Member of the German Bundestag (CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group)
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans-Josef Endres, Head, Institute of Plastics and Circular Economy, Leibniz University Hannover (LUH)
- Dr. Thorsten Dreier, Chief Technology Officer and Labour Director, Covestro
- Dr. Claas Oehlmann, Managing Director, BDI Initiative Circular Economy
- Dr. habil. Volker Strauß, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals and Substance Testing, German Environment Agency (UBA)
Program of Climate Friday (10. October 2025, Hall 6, Stand C40)
| Date & Time | Speaker/Host* |
|---|---|
| Fri, 10:30 – 11:00 (CEST) | Keynote: How can we accelerate the transition towards plastics circularity Speaker/Host*: |
| Fri, 11:00 – 11:30 (CEST) | Expert Talk: Tackling Microplastics Pollution by Preventing Plastic Pellet Loss: Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) and the new European Regulation? Speaker/Host*: |
| Fri, 11:30 – 12:15 (CEST) | Expert Talk: Additives: Drivers of Performance and Progress Speaker/Host*:Thomas Schmutz, Chair of (ELiSANA Cefic) |
| Fri, 12:15 – 12:30 (CEST) | Expert Talk: Product Carbon Footprint of Performance Polymers Speaker/Host*:Gregor Daun, Director Manufacturing Technologies (BASF) |
| Fri, 12:30 – 12:30 (CEST) | Expert Talk: on LCA Speaker/Host*:Florian Hermes, Sustainable Business Solutions at High Performance Polymers (EVONIK) |
| Fri, 13:00 – 13:30 (CEST) | Presentation: The importance of environmental impact analysis. How can we adapt to future requirements? Speaker/Host*:Sonia Albein Urios, Head of Circular Economy and Environment (AIMPLAS) |
| Fri, 13:30 – 14:00 (CEST) | Round Table: Monetizing Circular and Sustainable Products in the Chemical Industry Speaker/Host*:Annika Huomo, Business Development Manager – Renewable & Biobased Polyolefins – Base Chemicals (Borealis)Dr. Mateusz Wielopolski, Manager (Deloitte Sustainability & Climate GmbH) |
| Fri, 14:30 – 16:00 (CEST) | Keynote and Political Panel Discussion Competitiveness as a driver for transformation towards a circular economy from different perspectives Speaker/Host*:*, President (Plastics Europe Deutschland) |
About K 2025
K 2025 will take place from 8 to 15 October 2025 at Messe Düsseldorf and is considered the world’s leading trade fair for plastics and rubber. More than 200,000 visitors from around 160 countries are expected.
Press photos of the special show and K 2025 are available for download here:
https://plasticseurope.org/de/pressemitteilungen/
About Plastics Europe Deutschland
PlasticsEurope Deutschland e.V. is the association of plastics producers in Germany. The association is a trade association of the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) and part of the European network Plastics Europe, with representation in Brussels and the European economic centers and capitals.
Your contact at Plastics Europe Deutschland
Bettina Dempewolf
Head of Communications
+49 171 9713962
bettina.dempewolf@plasticseurope.de
Including press photos of the K 2025 special show “Plastics Shape the Future”