EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)*

The current framework governing packaging is the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), and the decision to go from a Directive to a Regulation demonstrates the Union’s commitment to levelling the playing field and driving waste reduction throughout the block. Summary of the key measures introduced by the PPWR:

1. Waste Reduction:By 2030, EU member states must decrease packaging waste per capita by 5%, followed by reductions of 10% by 2035 and 15% by 2040, relative to 2018 levels.
2. Recyclable Packaging:By 2030, all packaging within the EU must be recyclable, and by 2035 recyclable packaging will need to be recycled at scale. EU businesses will also be subject to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees, determined by their packaging’s recyclability performance.
3. Recyclable Content:New mandatory minimum of recycled content for different types of plastic packaging to be achieved by 2030, and increased in 2040. By 2030, the targets are:
   • 30% for contact sensitive packaging made from PET and for single use plastic beverage bottles;
   • 10% for contact sensitive packaging made from other plastic materials;
   • 35% for other plastic packaging.
4. Reuse and Refill:New targets set for reusable packaging across various sectors, with different timelines for implementation. Notably, transport packaging used within the same business or between different businesses within the EU must be exclusively reusable. And for other transport packaging, a minimum of 40% reusable packaging is required by 2030, increasing to at least 70% by 2040.
5. Packaging Format Restrictions:Bans on certain packaging formats by 2030, including packaging of miniature cosmetics, plastic packaging for fresh fruits and vegetables under 1.5 kg (with exceptions), and for food and beverages consumed on hospitality premises.
6. Packaging Minimisation:Manufacturers and importers must minimise the weight and volume of packaging, ensuring a maximum empty space ratio of 50% in grouped, transport and e-commerce packaging, by 2030. Exceptions may apply to protected designs or trademarks if they were implemented before the PPWR’s entry into force.
7. Labelling:Obligatory labels on packaging, detailing material composition, sorting instructions, and reuse guidelines. This includes a mandatory QR code for reusable packaging.
8. Green Claims:Limitations for making “green claims” regarding packaging to guarantee more accuracy and transparency.

Over the next few years, many details of individual provisions within the PPWR will be established through delegated and implementing acts by the EU Commission, including the Design for Recycling criteria and recycling performance grades. This will make planning quite challenging for EU companies, who will have to stay on the lookout for these new packaging requirements, and take fast action to adapt once they are known. However, even if many aspects of the legislation are still to be defined, there is a lot that business can already do to avoid non-compliance penalties. For all the details on current requirements, be sure to review the PPWR’s final text in full, and connect with packaging experts for more information.

Those who are not already doing it, should also now organise themselves to monitor the changes in the EU legislative landscape and recognise the trends in upcoming legislation. Devising a new sustainability strategy to guide the organisation’s overall efforts is essential to staying competitive in the long run, as more and more businesses will use sustainability as a differentiation point. In this fast-changing environment, rely on specialists to make these challenges not only a lot more manageable, but also to turn them into growth opportunities.

*source: EU Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation: Final Text Review (ohanapublicaffairs.eu)