0 0 3 . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁had ▁about ▁ 5 0 % ▁of ▁world ▁share ▁of ▁the ▁waste ▁and ▁rec y cling ▁indust ries , ▁with ▁over ▁ ▁companies ▁employ ing ▁ ▁persons , ▁with ▁a ▁turn over ▁of ▁€ 2 4 ▁billion . ▁Count ries ▁have ▁to ▁reach ▁rec y cling ▁rates ▁of ▁at ▁least ▁ 5 0 %, ▁while ▁the ▁lead ▁countries ▁were ▁around ▁ 6 5 % ▁and ▁the ▁EU ▁average ▁was ▁ 3 9 % ▁as ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁The ▁EU ▁average ▁has ▁been ▁rising ▁stead ily , ▁to ▁ 4 5 % ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁changes ▁in ▁the ▁rec y cling ▁market ▁have ▁spark ed ▁a ▁global ▁" c ris is " ▁in ▁the ▁industry . ▁On ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁China ▁announced ▁its ▁" National ▁S word " ▁policy , ▁setting ▁new ▁standards ▁for ▁imports ▁of ▁rec y cl able ▁material ▁and ▁b anning ▁materials ▁that ▁were ▁de emed ▁too ▁" dir ty " ▁or ▁" h az ard ous ". ▁The ▁new ▁policy ▁caused ▁dr astic ▁dis ru ptions ▁in ▁the ▁global ▁market ▁in ▁rec y cling ▁and ▁reduced ▁the ▁prices ▁of ▁sc rap ▁pl astic ▁and ▁low - grade ▁paper . ▁Ex ports ▁of ▁rec y cl able ▁materials ▁from ▁G 7 ▁countries ▁to ▁China ▁dropped ▁dram atically , ▁with ▁many ▁exports ▁sh