New EU Packaging Regulation adopted
Berlin, 17.12.2024
The EU member states finalized the new EU Packaging Regulation (“PPWR”) yesterday in Brussels. This regulation will fundamentally reshape the sustainability requirements for packaging across Europe. Among other measures, by 2030, all packaging must be recyclable, and all plastic packaging must contain a minimum share of recycled material. “This Regulation is to be welcomed, but the devil is in the details – how exactly recyclability will be calculated and expressed in a single metric has not yet been defined,” said Carl Dominik Klepper, Managing Director of the Allianz Verpackung und Umwelt (AVU). The detailed provisions are expected to be laid out in so-called “delegated acts” in the coming years.
The mandatory quotas for recycled materials are a particular concern for the food packaging industry. “Quotas for recycled content are an important driver of innovation and an incentive for investment. However, consumer protection often stands in the way of using recycled materials in food packaging. For years, approvals for the use of these materials have been lacking—except for PET from deposit systems,” explained Klepper. If the supply of food-grade recycled materials remains low, the EU Commission may decide to lower the targets in 2028.
Adjustments are necessary regarding the reuse targets for the transport of goods between companies, such as pallet wrappings, sacks, crates, and canisters. From 2030, requirements of up to 100% reuse are set to apply, even though reusable solutions are not always available. For certain packaging formats, such as pallet wraps, the EU Commission is already working on exemptions. “A cost-benefit analysis is urgently needed for all in-scope packaging. This analysis must also take into account the emissions caused by empty transports necessitated by the reuse obligation” Klepper emphasizes.
The provisions of the EU Packaging Regulation will come into force mid-2026, although a number of requirements will not take effect until 2030.
About the AVU:
The AVU has been committed to producer responsibility for packaging since 1986 and
advocates environmentally friendly and resource-conserving use and recycling. The association represents the entire value chain: from the packaging industry, the consumer goods industry and the retail sector to the PROs, disposal companies and recyclers.
Contact:
Anna Kupferschmitt
Head of EU Affairs and Communications
Allianz Verpackung und Umwelt e. V.
Reinhardtstr. 25, 10117 Berlin, Tel.: + 49 30 206 426 67
E-Mail: kupferschmitt@avu-online.de
