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Making Europe the world’s first climate-neutral continent is a binding commitment under the EU Climate Law. Europe produces an average of almost 190 kg of packaging waste per capita per year. Most primary raw materials are used for packaging materials, as 40% of plastics and 50% of paper in the EU are destined for packaging materials. Goods need to be packaged for their protection and safe transport. However, packaging and packaging waste have a significant impact on the environment and the use of primary raw materials. The amount of packaging waste is increasing. The PPWR is intended to counteract this and ensure that a standardised legal framework is created for the handling of packaging and packaging waste in all EU member states by means of many different measures.
PPWR in the EU
The abbreviation PPWR stands for “Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation”, also known as the EU Packaging Regulation, which affects all EU member states. The plenary session of the EU Parliament voted on the English version of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation on 24 April 2024. It was adopted with 476 votes in favour (129 against and 24 abstentions). The provisional agreement will be submitted to the representatives of the Member States in the Council and the Parliament’s Environment Committee. If the text is approved, it must then be formally adopted by both institutions before it is published in the Official Journal of the EU and enters into force. The regulation will be applied 18 months after its entry into force.
What are the implications of the PPWR for producers and manufacturers who want to sell packaged products in the EU? What new obligations must be fulfilled?
What areas does the PPWR cover?
The PPWR is a European Union regulation that aims to create a standardised legal framework for the handling of packaging and packaging waste in all EU member states. It aims to strengthen the internal market and promote the circular economy through coordinated guidelines.
The main topics of the regulation are recyclability, mandatory recycled content in plastic packaging, packaging minimisation, labelling, packaging bans and reusability.
The main changes brought about by the PPWR at a glance:
- Recyclability: Packaging must be recyclable. Performance levels (A-C) are introduced for the assessment of recyclable design. The level of recyclability influences the financial contributions of manufacturers.
- Mandatory recycled content: Plastic packaging must contain a minimum percentage of recycled material.
- Packaging minimisation: Packaging must be reduced to a necessary minimum in terms of weight and volume. Packaging and packaging components that do not fulfil a function are prohibited.
- Labelling: Packaging (including e-commerce packaging but excluding transport packaging) must be labelled with its material composition. The labelling on the containers for separate collection must be the same as on the packaging.
- Packaging bans: A ban on certain single-use packaging is planned. This applies, for example, to single-portion packaging for products such as sauces, milk and sugar in the catering trade if they are not intended for consumption on the go.
- Reusability: Mandatory reusable packaging is provided for certain transport and sales packaging and collective packaging. In addition, the member states are obliged to set up deposit systems for single-use plastic and metal beverage bottles and cans.
As soon as the new regulation comes into force, many types of packaging that are currently in use will no longer be permitted. It is therefore particularly important that affected companies prepare for these changes at an early stage and promote sustainable packaging solutions.
Who is affected by the EU Packaging Regulation?
Depending on the role of an economic operator (production, supply, import, distribution, etc.), different obligations must be met as a result of the planned regulation. It does not matter which sector they operate in, although there may be significantly more changes in some sectors than in others. Companies that produce packaging face the challenge of using more environmentally friendly materials and designs in order to fulfil the requirements of the new regulation. In some cases, this also requires investment in research and development in order to develop new, environmentally friendly packaging solutions that also guarantee the functionality and safety of the packaged products.
Design for recycling – a model for the future or just greenwashing?
Manufacturers must continue to be incentivised to develop more environmentally friendly and recyclable products in the future. Legal requirements can accelerate this considerably and thus significantly boost the European circular economy.
In addition to the PPWR, there are many other environmental regulations (e.g. the European Supply Chain Act, the Batteries Act, the Directive against Greenwashing or measures to prevent microplastics, etc.) that are either already in the starting blocks or are currently being negotiated. The EU has already proposed an Ecodesign regulation that sets minimum standards for durability, reparability and recyclability. The European Parliament formally approved the provisional agreement by a large majority on 23 April 2024. The European Council still needs to confirm the regulation before it can enter into force. Framework conditions such as these could help manufacturers to develop more sustainable products and thus reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills or incineration plants.
Find out more now and get support!
In order to improve the recycling-friendly design of packaging and increase its recyclability, manufacturers should inform themselves promptly about the effects of the EU Packaging Regulation on their company. Book a meeting with one of our EPR experts to get to know more about your business requirements and obligations.
Ideally, subsequent disposal and recycling should already be planned for during the development phase of the packaging. This means that as few different materials as possible should be used in production, which are also easy to separate and recycle. Composite materials that are difficult to separate should be avoided. Packaging should also be designed in such a way that the various components are easy to separate and can be optimally recycled. Modular production and the use of standardised parts can improve reparability and extend the service life of the packaging.