Santiago Sans Named Finalist for Plastics Recycling Ambassador of the Year at PRSE 2026

Recognising Leadership in European Plastics Recycling

GCR is proud to share that Santiago Sans, Industrial & Innovation Director, has been named a finalist for the Plastics Recycling Ambassador of the Year at the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2026.

This award recognises individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to advancing plastics recycling across Europe. Santiago’s nomination reflects more than two decades dedicated to strengthening industrial recycling capabilities. Throughout his career, he has also supported the integration of recycled materials into demanding applications while reinforcing technical standards across the sector.

Driving Industrial Progress in Mechanical Recycling

Throughout his career, Santiago has focused on translating innovation into industrial reality. By bridging R&D and large-scale operations, he has helped accelerate the adoption of high-performance mechanical recycling processes in Europe.

A significant milestone within this trajectory has been his involvement in the development of GCR’s Castellet Recycling Plant. In this context, the facility provides an annual capacity of over 100,000 tons of post-consumer recycled (PCR) polyolefins and 30,000 tons of pre-consumer recycled materials.

Beyond infrastructure, his role has focused on shaping technological integration, process optimisation and material validation — ensuring that recycled polyolefins meet performance, consistency and traceability requirements demanded by converters and brand owners.

Advancing Regulatory and Technical Standards

Scaling recycled plastics requires more than capacity. It demands regulatory alignment and technical credibility.

Under Santiago’s technical leadership, analytical and testing capabilities have been strengthened to support material characterisation, mechanical evaluation and migration testing. In parallel, EFSA dossiers have been launched within the PRE 3 consortium, and FDA dossiers have been submitted in cooperation with Fraunhofer.

These efforts contribute to strengthening regulatory readiness for recycled polyolefins in demanding and regulated applications, while building confidence in performance-driven circular materials.

Contributing to European Industry Alignment

In addition to industrial development, Santiago actively participates in European technical standardisation committees and industry platforms. Through this engagement, he contributes to advancing harmonised practices, operational excellence and circular manufacturing principles across the plastics value chain.

A Recognition of Long-Term Commitment

Overall, being named a finalist for Plastics Recycling Ambassador of the Year reflects Santiago’s sustained commitment to industrial innovation, regulatory rigor and the advancement of mechanical recycling in Europe.

It recognises not only technical expertise, but also the ability to connect industrial development, compliance and collaboration — key elements in strengthening Europe’s circular plastics ecosystem.

The winners will be announced at Plastics Recycling Show Europe 2026.
The full list of finalists for the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2026 is available on the official website.