These proceedings provide a review of the current status of plastics recycling. Plastics waste management is set in context within the field of the total waste picture and the current status of plastics recycling and recovery in the EU is quantified. The importance of identifying plastics in order to separate feeds is emphasized and the application of mid-infrared spectroscopy as a method of identification is used to illustrate the techniques being developed for this purpose. Polyester, PET, PVC, acrylics and polyurethane recycling are all considered in depth, both in terms of processing and end-uses for recyclate. Of particular interest is the use of compatibilizers to enable two or more different plastics to be successfully processed.