It begins with an overview of the recycled plastics value chain, from initial waste collection and sorting activities through to the production of recycled plastics suitable for re-introduction into the economy. The second part of the chapter then looks at each stage of the value chain in more detail. Heterogeneous and dispersed waste generation contributes to this complexity which, for plastics, is also compounded by the large range of polymers involved. The private sector also plays a key role in waste management, providing services to businesses and citizens to treat and dispose of waste materials.