13.03.2024

Uniform waste management in the EU (PPWR)

Uniform waste management in the EU (PPWR)

The European Commission has reached an agreement on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). This means establishing common legislation in all EU countries on packaging management.

Overall, the objectives of the regulation are threefold: REDUCTION by limiting the production of single-use packaging, CLOSING THE LOOP by reusing packaging, and RECOVERY of RAW MATERIALS by recycling packaging. In practice this means:

  1. Ban on the sale of plastic packaging for fresh vegetables and fruit weighing less than 1.5 kg.
  2. Plastic bags with a thickness of less than 15 microns will be banned.
  3. Disposable single-portion packaging will not be allowed in restaurants, including: for sauces, spices and drinks.
  4. 10% of takeaway packaging will have to be reusable.
  5. The ban will also cover individually packaged disposable sets of cosmetics and toiletries in hotels.
  6. Stretch films used to wrap luggage will not be allowed at airports.
  7. From the beginning of 2030, all packaging will have to be recyclable.
  8. Recyclable paper packaging will be allowed.
  9. Ban on the use of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (oil-resistant compounds, PFAS) in packaging intended for contact with food.
  10. Compostable packaging is acceptable. The Commission has not established EU bans or requirements on this type of material.
  11. The maximum empty space ratio in transport packaging may be 50%.
  12. 90% of single-use plastic and metal beverage containers (up to 3 liters capacity) are to be collected separately by 2029 through deposit systems.

 

The end of the era of plastics has been marked, and for packaging manufacturers this is a new challenge requiring a shift towards ecological awareness and true sustainability in production.

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