European Commission to Revise Packaging Legislation

Recyclable Packaging

The European Union (EU) is taking a big step towards achieving the targets of the European Green Deal with the revisions to legislation on packaging and packaging waste it recently put forward. The European Commission aims to make all packaging in the EU recyclable by 2030 and encourage the use of reusable and refillable options.

The Commission also intends to clear up the confusion surrounding bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics. They say biodegradable plastics should not be seen as an excuse to litter, and the Commission has emphasised that they should be clearly labelled with the length of time it takes for them to biodegrade.

The proposal has received a mixed response from leaders within the packaging industry.

Industry Voices

Mike Turner, Chair of Fibre Packaging Europe, has welcomed the proposal and sees it as a move towards a green and circular economy. He said, ‘We look forward to working with the Parliament and Council on a final result that makes the best use of solid evidence – from the environmental as well as the health and safety implications.’

Dr. Isabell Schmidt, Managing Director and Circular Economy Expert at the German plastic industry body IK, said, ‘The Commission’s thrust is also in line with our approach of using as much packaging as necessary and as little as possible. The requirement to minimise packaging and the promotion of reusable packaging offer opportunities for lightweight and material-efficient plastic packaging. However, the prerequisite is to overcome plastic bashing for a fair competition of materials. 

‘For contact-sensitive plastic packaging, such as food packaging, there are hardly any authorised recyclates today. Even chemical recycling will not be able to close this gap in the foreseeable future. The industry fears supply bottlenecks for other segments as well. We therefore demand security of supply to prevent product bans and risks for supply chains. We are also concerned about the enormous bureaucratic burden on companies and the high level of monitoring required by the authorities. Without regulatory enforcement, the law would remain a toothless tiger and the honest man would be the fool in the market.’

Alexis Van Maercke, Secretary General of the Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging, has praised the revisions made by the European Commission. He stressed the critical role that packaging will play in preserving resources and reducing waste. He believes that the transition to a new set of regulations that recognise and reward properly managed recycling is an important step towards a circular economy.

The revised legislation is a bold step towards addressing the issues of poor recyclability and ineffective recycling in the packaging industry. The proposed revisions aim to reduce the environmental impact of packaging and waste while promoting the use of sustainable packaging. Leaders within the packaging industry have welcomed the Commission’s proposals, while also acknowledging the challenges that must be addressed to ensure their successful implementation.

JBX PaperPak

At JBX PaperPak, we of course support these changes; we think it is about time that all packaging is either refillable, reusable or recyclable. With material technology being where it is today, we do not need to be sending packaging to incineration or to landfill for it to become pollution. All JBX PaperPak packaging is 100% recyclable, compostable, biodegradable and plastic-free; we use all local supply partners so we can guarantee the sustainability of our packaging and to minimise its carbon footprint as much as possible.

We believe these revisions to regulations will make a big difference in reducing waste and protecting the environment. There are of course challenges that will need to be faced and obstacles that will need to be navigated in implementing these changes, but that is unavoidable if we are truly going to make a meaningful difference in how we treat the planet. We are very optimistic about these changes here at JBX PaperPak, as are other leaders from within the packaging industry.