In Europe, the packaging sector, more than others, is looking for new solutions to protect the environment. On 24 April 2024, the European Parliament adopted the proposed Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which will replace the current Directive 94/62/EC. The regulation aims to promote best practices to minimise packaging waste, especially regarding the most polluting materials such as plastics, especially with regard to the most polluting materials such as plastics. The new Directive also looks at ways to cut down on packaging and make production more environmentally friendly, with a focus on circularity and biodegradability. It’ll also be important to communicate with consumers about packaging components and make environmental declarations.

Promoting packaging recycling

One of the key points of the Directive update is to promote the production of recyclable packaging according to the principle of “design for recycling”. This principle ensures the creation of eco-friendly packaging with components that are recyclable from the early stages of design. From 2030, these packaging materials will be classified according to strict recyclability thresholds, divided into A, B and C categories based on weight and volume.

The Regulation also refers to packaging materials, in particular to the recycled plastic percentage used in production. However, the Regulation allows for certain exceptions to the inclusion of recycled plastic content and, more generally, biodegradable, recyclable or compostable materials. One such exception is for pharmaceutical packaging, In particular, it exempts primary and secondary pharmaceutical packaging, which has to be in direct contact to a medicinal product. This exemption is introduced to ensure an adequate level of protection for human and animal health.

There are also new labelling requirements that companies must comply with. These include information on the packaging material composition, its re-use, recycled content and clear instructions for disposal and recycling.

Packaging downsizing

One of the most important sustainability solutions expressed in the PPWR is the reduction and optimisation of packaging size. The regulation sets a maximum empty space ratio of 50% for assembled packaging, transport and e-commerce. To reduce waste and optimise logistics and transport chains, companies must also ensure that the weight and volume of packaging are minimised. The aim is to reduce packaging by 5% by 2030, 10% by 2035 and 15% by 2040.

In addition, from January 2030, there’ll be a general ban on the use of single-use packaging in certain sectors such as food & beverage, hospitality and cosmetics. The same goes for transport between companies, e-commerce, grouped packaging and beverages, with different rules depending on the case. Cardboard packaging is exempt from this regulation.

Reducing PFAS

Article 5 of the PPWR includes cutting down on heavy metals and so-called PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) that exceed certain levels, particularly in packaging that comes into contact with many consumer products, including food. These substances are made up of more than 4,700 synthetic chemical compounds that can resist heat, water, and oil. They’re used in food packaging and various industrial applications.

There are two main reasons for these limitations. Firstly, PFAS are highly persistent and break down very slowly in the environment. They’re often called ‘forever chemicals’ because their chemical bonds can’t be broken down, and they’ve been found in rainwater, drinkable water and groundwater all over the world.

The second reason is that some PFAS, according to the most authoritative research, can be dangerous for human health and may even contribute to various diseases if they accumulate to high levels in the body.

Attention to green claims

Article 14 of the PPWR is focused on green claims, which are statements made by companies about the environmental characteristics and benefits of a product or service. The European Commission has already suggested some rules on how these environmental claims should be used, checked and managed, but the PPWR also says the claims must be made according to certain criteria. For instance, they need to say whether they’re talking about a single packaging unit, part of the packaging unit, or the whole packaging product that’s on the market. The conformity of the declarations must also be demonstrated by a technical statement.

Declarations must be in a specific format and contain certain information. They must be kept for five years from the date of distribution for single-use packaging and ten years for reusable packaging.