{"id":158114,"date":"2025-02-13T07:37:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-13T06:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=158114"},"modified":"2025-02-12T12:08:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T11:08:15","slug":"eu-enforces-ambitious-packaging-and-recycling-rules-as-new-packaging-and-packaging-waste-regulation-takes-effect-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/eu-enforces-ambitious-packaging-and-recycling-rules-as-new-packaging-and-packaging-waste-regulation-takes-effect-today\/","title":{"rendered":"EU Enforces Ambitious Packaging and Recycling Rules as New Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation Takes Effect Today"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\"\"
\u00a9 Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

After two years of negotiation, the EU finalised the revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) end of 2024. It transforms the directive into a binding regulation for all EU member states (PPWR), which enters into force today and will impose specific requirements starting in 2028.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PPWR proposes measures to minimise packaging waste by requiring manufacturers to design packaging that reduces material usage and avoids unnecessary or non-recyclable packaging. It mandates recyclable packaging designs, the inclusion of a minimum percentage of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic based on packaging type, and clear labelling with disposal instructions. Manufacturers and retailers must provide declarations of compliance, while reuse targets are set, particularly for the food service and industrial sectors. The regulation reinforces extended producer responsibility (EPR), holding manufacturers accountable for the collection and recycling of used packaging. Additionally, producers must appoint authorised representatives for EPR in each EU country where packaging is first placed on the market, except where the producer is established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reuse Quotas for Beverage Packaging<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) sets binding reuse targets for beverage containers. Plastic bottles must reach 15% reuse <\/a>by 2030, increasing to 35% by 2040. Glass bottles have even higher targets, with 30% reuse required by 2030 and 85% by 2040. Additionally, takeaway businesses must allow customers to use their own reusable containers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reuse Mandate for Transport Packaging<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The regulation mandates that 100% of B2B transport packaging \u2013 such as crates and pallet wraps \u2013must be reusable by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recycled Content Targets<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Packaging Type<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>Minimum Recycled Content by 2030<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>Minimum Recycled Content by 2040<\/strong><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
1. Contact-sensitive packaging made from PET (excluding single-use plastic beverage bottles)<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>30%<\/td>50%<\/td><\/tr>
2. Contact-sensitive packaging made from plastics other than PET (excluding single-use plastic bottles)<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>10%<\/td>25%<\/td><\/tr>
3. Single-use plastic beverage bottles<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>30%<\/td>65%<\/td><\/tr>
4. Other plastic packaging (not covered under points 1, 2, or 3)<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>35%<\/td>65%<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>
Compiled from article 7: Regulation (EU) 2025\/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 on packaging and packaging waste, amending Regulation (EU) 2019\/1020 and Directive (EU) 2019\/904, and repealing Directive 94\/62\/EC, https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/PDF\/?uri=OJ:L_202500040 <\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Exemptions from Minimum Requirements (Paragraphs 4 & 5):<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The requirements do not apply to: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Immediate packaging for medicinal products as defined in Directive 2001\/83\/EC and Regulation (EU) 2019\/6.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Contact-sensitive plastic packaging for: (a) Medical devices, (b) Devices intended exclusively for research use, (c) In vitro diagnostic medical devices.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Outer packaging required to maintain the quality of medicinal products.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Compostable plastic packaging.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Packaging for the transport of dangerous goods as per Directive 2008\/68\/EC.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Food packaging intended solely for: (a) Infants and young children; (b) Food for special medical purposes; (c) Drinks and foods typically consumed by young children<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Packaging of supplies and components used in the manufacturing of medicinal products, where packaging must meet specific quality standards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Plastic packaging in contact with food where the recycled content poses a health risk and results in non-compliance with Regulation (EC) No 1935\/2004.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Plastic parts representing less than 5% of the total weight of the packaging unit.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Recycling Goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The PPWR sets ambitious recycling targets for plastic packaging:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Recycling rates must increase from the current 36% to 63% by 2040.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    By 2030, all packaging must be recyclable, emphasising mono-material designs like single-layer films to simplify the recycling process. The exact criteria defining \u201crecyclability\u201d will be elaborated in a delegated regulatory act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Implementation Timeline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The regulation was finalised on 19 December 2024 and published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 22 January 2025. An 18-month transition period will follow, giving businesses time to adapt. EU member states must integrate these rules into their national laws by mid-2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Regulation (EU) 2025\/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 on packaging and packaging waste, amending Regulation (EU) 2019\/1020 and Directive (EU) 2019\/904, and repealing Directive 94\/62\/EC, https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/eli\/reg\/2025\/40\/oj\/eng<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Bio-based and Biodegradable Plastics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    In addition to these measures, the regulation also addresses the use of bio-based plastics, setting guidelines to ensure their sustainability and proper integration into recycling and waste management systems. For the first time in any European legislation, there is an obligation for industrial compostability of plastics for a few applications: \u201cpermeable tea, coffee or other beverage bag, or soft after-use system single-serve unit that contains tea, coffee or another beverage, and which is intended to be used and disposed of together with the product; and sticky labels affixed to fruit and vegetables\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Furthermore, Member States may still decide for themselves whether to make other applications compostable (provided that sufficient infrastructure is available): \u201cnon-permeable tea, coffee or other beverage system single-serve unit intended for use in a machine and which is used and disposed of together with the product; composed of material other than metal, very lightweight plastic carrier bags and lightweight plastic carrier bags\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    With regard to durable bio-based plastics for packaging, the new PPWR contains a mandate for the European Commission to review the state of technological development and environmental performance of bio-based plastic packaging and, based on the review, potentially lay down targets to increase the use of bio-based feedstock in plastic packaging and to introduce the possibility to partially achieve the targets for recycled materials in contact sensitive packaging by bio-based content. In other words: If the review by the Commission turns out positively, it is now for the first time possible that there will be obligatory targets for bio-based plastic content in any application in the European market, potentially increasing demand to a significant extent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Further Information<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The next major event on bio-based plastics (full second day) and biodegradation (third day) will take place in Siegburg, Germany on 22-24 September 2025 with an expected 500 attendees:\u00a0\u00a0The Renewable Materials Conference. Don\u2019t miss the early bird registration:\u00a0www.renewable-materials.eu<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"\"
    \u00a9 nova-Institute<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

    For more information and related publications, you can find additional resources here: https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/publications\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Source:<\/strong> Regulation (EU) 2025\/40 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 on packaging and packaging waste, amending Regulation (EU) 2019\/1020 and Directive (EU) 2019\/904, and repealing Directive 94\/62\/EC, https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/eli\/reg\/2025\/40\/oj\/eng<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    After two years of negotiation, the EU finalised the revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) end of 2024. It transforms the directive into a binding regulation for all EU member states (PPWR), which enters into force today and will impose specific requirements starting in 2028. The PPWR proposes measures to minimise packaging […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":158117,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"Everything you need to know about the binding targets for reusable packaging, recycled content, and bio-based materials set to reshape the packaging industry by 2028","footnotes":""},"categories":[5572,7192,17143],"tags":[5838,5935,10416,7105,23180,10453],"supplier":[2317,5585,4],"class_list":["post-158114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bio-based","category-novapress","category-recycling","tag-bioeconomy","tag-bioplastic","tag-circulareconomy","tag-packaging","tag-packagingwaste","tag-recycling","supplier-european-commission","supplier-european-union","supplier-nova-institut-gmbh"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=158114"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158114\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=158114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=158114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=158114"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=158114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}