European Parliament improves rules on packaging recyclability but takes a risky bet on recycled plastic content

Today, the European Parliament adopted its negotiating position on the Commission proposal for aRegulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR). “This represents an important and long-awaitedstep forward in the legislative process which gets us closer to finalizing a text that will change the futureof the way we package products for decades to come” states Guido Aufdemkamp, Executive Director ofFlexible Packaging Europe.

Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE), representing flexible packaging suppliers across materials, welcomes theimprovements on several points of the Commission’s original proposal. For example:

• Clearer deadlines for recyclability requirements will allow the industry to properly adaptpackaging designs and scale up collection and recycling infrastructures.

• Exemptions from specific reuse targets for fundamental flexible transport packaging used indirect contact with food were necessary to ensure the safe movement of food around the EU byreducing food waste, emissions, avoiding contamination and enabling reuse of rigid containers.

Member States will also have to scale up efforts to separately collect packaging but, unfortunately, itwould be only voluntary for Member States to sort waste that is not separately collected in order to capturerecyclable packaging.

Parts of the Parliament’s PPWR text still remain challenging, namely the new ban on Grade Drecyclability performance grade which hinders innovation and could have a significant impact on differentpackaging formats. Also, the lack of a proper safeguard clauses to avoid the risks of potential lack ofavailability of recycled plastics or adverse effects on human or animal health, security of food supply or theenvironment might cause disruption in the supplies of packaging and packaged goods, especially for food.This risk is particularly impacting SMEs.

Equally concerning is the decision of the European Parliament to weaken a full harmonization of the PPWR,particularly by granting freedom to Member States to adopt more stringent national measures. The industryneeds a strong single market and homogeneous legislation across the EU to operate.

It is now up to the Council to make sure that these remaining issues are properly addressed duringinterinstitutional negotiations.

“PPWR signifies a great opportunity to scale up circularity and lower the total environmental impacts ofproduction and consumption of packaging and packaged goods by minimizing the resources used andboosting recyclability”, Guido Aufdemkamp added. Flexible Packaging Europe is looking forward to thenext steps of the legislative process, particularly the Council General Approach, due to be adopted bythe end of the year. We look forward to continuing to share our expertise with policy makers and supportthem in achieving an ambitious and enforceable agreement on the PPWR.”

About Flexible Packaging Europe

Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE) is the industry association representing the interests of more than 80 small, medium-sizedcompanies, and multinational manufacturers. Those operate with workforce of 57,000+ people at more than 350 sites all overEurope. The member companies account for more than 85% of European sales of flexible packaging made of differentmaterials, mainly plastics, aluminium, and paper. More than half of all food products sold on the European retail markets arepacked with flexible packaging.More info at www.flexpack-europe.org