EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR) Major changes

1. Raise the reduction target for plastic packaging

Set firm targets for reducing plastic packaging: 10% by 2030, 15% by 2035 and 20% by 2040. The plastic packaging reduction target is 5% higher than the overall packaging reduction target.

2. Food contact packaging is prohibited from using “permanent chemicals”

To prevent adverse health hazards, Parliament has called for a ban on the use of so-called "forever chemicals" (PFASs) and bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact packaging.

3. Lower minimum recycled content targets for contact-sensitive packaging

For contact-sensitive packaging made of plastics other than PET, the 10% recycled content target has been reduced to 7.5%.

4. All packaging should be recyclable

The new regulations require that all packaging should be recyclable, except for food packaging such as wood and wax. Separately, councils are considering achieving a recycled content target of up to 50% through the use of bio-based plastics.

5. It is prohibited to use disposable products in the hotel, food and catering industries

Restaurants are prohibited from using single-use packaging. Restrictions on single-use packaging will prohibit plastic packaging or group packaging of fresh products, such as ultra-light plastic shopping bags, shrink wrap and collation film.

The PPWR regulations mainly include three goals: preventing the generation of packaging waste, promoting high-quality recycling, and increasing the use of recycled plastics in packaging. At this stage, the recycling rate of plastics is relatively low. The EU, as the region with the highest plastic recycling rate in the world, is only 32.5%, so there is still considerable room for improvement.

The promotion of the PPWR amendment is a strong response from the European Union to the general direction of global plastic recycling. Plastic companies should actively develop and promote reusable packaging products to cope with future mainstream policy directions. Recycled plastic packaging, bio-based plastic packaging and other recyclable products Recycling and recycling packaging will be the mainstream direction in the future.

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