Get set and revise

There is much to inspect in the plastics arena. According to United Nations Environment Programme data from 2021, global plastic production has reached a staggering 400 million tons per year. However, only 12 per cent is incinerated, and only nine per cent is recycled, leaving a substantial amount of plastic waste to contaminate the environment, including oceans and rivers.

Thus, in the European Union, a refresh of the 1994 Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94.62/EC (PPWD) is underway. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR), which was agreed in December 2024, will regulate what kind of packaging can be placed on the EU market, as well as packaging waste management and prevention measures, according to the EU. It entered into force on 11 February this year, and the general date of application is 18 months after that, so 12 August 2026 will be a date to keep in the diary for the packagers in Europe and those companies supplying those markets.

“All packaging must comply with essential requirements related to its manufacturing, composition, and reusable or recoverable nature. Under the planned PPWR, the European Union will significantly tighten the requirements for recyclable packaging. From 2030 onward, only packaging that meets specific recyclability criteria may be placed on the market.

“The rules aim to minimise the quantities of packaging and waste generated while lowering the use of primary raw materials and fostering the transition to a circular, sustainable and competitive economy,” says the Commission. It estimates around 40 per cent of the plastics used in the European Union are in packaging, and half of marine litter is from packaging as well.

By replacing the PPWD, the new regulation harmonises national measures further, thus strengthening the internal market, notably for secondary raw materials, manufacturing, recycling and reuse, the European Commission notes.

The new regulation aims to:

• Prevent and reduce packaging waste, including through more reuse and refill systems.
• Make all packaging on the EU market recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030.
• Safely increase the use of recycled plastics in packaging.
• Decrease the use of virgin materials in packaging and put the sector on track to climate neutrality by 2050.

The PPWR establishes a new set of requirements in line with Europe’s waste rules that cover the entire packaging life cycle, from product design to waste handling.

By 2030, the measures are expected to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water use, while preventing and reducing the adverse impacts of packaging and packaging waste on the environment and human health, according to the Commission.

The new rules include:

• Restrictions on certain single-use plastics, such as pre-packed fruit and vegetables weighing less than 1.5kg and individual portions of condiments, sauces, and sugar in hotels, bars and restaurants.
• Minimising the weight and volume of packaging and avoiding unnecessary packaging.
• The years 2030 and 2040 targets for a minimum percentage of recycled content in packaging.
• A requirement for take-away businesses to offer customers the option to bring their own containers at no extra cost.
• Minimising substances of concern, including restrictions on packaging containing per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) if they exceed certain thresholds.

The PPWD will be repealed 18 months after the PPWR enters into force. However, some provisions of the existing regulation will continue to apply even after that date.

Bloc to global scale

Meanwhile, the European Commission attended and participated in negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty (INC-5.2) in Geneva, Switzerland in August, with the aim of reaching a comprehensive and effective agreement to address the pressing issue of plastic pollution.

For its part, the EU advocated for a treaty that addresses the entire life cycle of plastics, from production to disposal, and includes measures to phase out certain plastic products that pose a significant risk to human health and the environment. The EU also continued advocating for effective provisions on the environmentally sound management of plastic waste.

However, following 10 days of negotiations, Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) talks to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, adjourned without consensus on a text of the instrument. The committee agreed to resume negotiations at a future date to be announced.

This resumed fifth session (INC-5.2) saw more than 2,600 participants gather at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, including over 1,400 member delegates from 183 countries, and close to 1,000 observers representing over 400 organisations. Some 70 ministers and vice ministers, as well as 30 other high-level representatives, also held informal roundtables on the margins of the session.

“This has been a hard-fought 10 days against the backdrop of geopolitical complexities, economic challenges, and multilateral strains. However, one thing remains clear: despite these complexities, all countries clearly want to remain at the table. While we did not land the treaty text we hoped for, we at UNEP will continue the work against plastic pollution – pollution that is in our groundwater, in our soil, in our rivers, in our oceans and yes, in our bodies,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

The goal of INC-5.2 was to agree on the instrument’s text and highlight unresolved issues requiring further preparatory work ahead of a diplomatic conference. The session followed a structured approach, starting with an opening plenary, transitioning into four contact groups tackling key areas like plastic design, chemicals of concern, production caps, finance, and compliance, followed by a stocktake plenary, informal consultations, and ending with a closing plenary on 15 August. 

“Failing to reach the goal we set for ourselves may bring sadness, even frustration. Yet it should not lead to discouragement. On the contrary, it should spur us to regain our energy, renew our commitments, and unite our aspirations,” said INC chair ambassador Luis Vayas Valdivieso. “It has not happened yet in Geneva, but I have no doubt that the day will come when the international community unites its will and join hands to protect our environment and safeguard the health of our people.”

This INC process began in March 2022, at the resumed fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2), when a historic resolution was adopted to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

Panel: Packaging recyclability analysis

Companies can now have their packaging assessed on the basis of specifications and receive a recyclability rating in line with upcoming EU requirements. With “Fit for Recycling”, Interzero is introducing a service that allows companies across Europe to obtain a reliable, practical and cost-effective assessment of the recyclability of their packaging. The procedure is based on an analysis of the packaging specifications, complemented by laboratory tests carried out at Interzero’s Competence Center for Recycled Plastics, and provides results in a recyclability report, including a PPWR grading.

The established laboratory-based “Made for Recycling” methodology offers a scientifically test that analyses packaging under realistic conditions. Packaging that passes this procedure is entitled to carry the “Made for Recycling” seal, a visible quality mark that provides clear guidance to retailers and consumers alike. “Fit for Recycling” now gives producers and distributors an additional, practice-orientated assessment tool. It indicates whether, and to what extent, their packaging already meets future regulatory requirements, and simultaneously highlights concrete optimisation potential for further developing the packaging design.

Interzero is a service provider in closing product, material and logistics loops as well as an innovation leader in plastics recycling with the largest sorting capacity in Europe. Under the guiding principle of “zero waste solutions”, the company supports over 80,000 customers throughout Europe in the responsible handling of recyclable materials, thus helping them to improve their own sustainability performance and conserve primary resources.