Sustainable Packaging Archives

The European Commission's new packaging law has drawn criticism from manufacturers, who warn against a shift of focus from recycling to reusing materials. While the new proposal is watered down, concerns remain.

A new EU packaging law proposal has sparked major concerns among the EU food industry, who warn it is unworkable for food business operators - but NGOs slammed heavy industry lobbying for watering down the proposal.

The European Commission on Wednesday (30 November) tabled proposals to tackle rising amounts of packaging waste in the EU by introducing new targets for reuse and recycling.

The European Commission is due to propose a new law to tackle packaging waste on Wednesday (30 November) with watered down reuse targets after an outcry from industry, according to a leaked draft of the new regulation, seen by EURACTIV.

The food delivery sector is a major contributor to packaging waste, and by focusing on the sustainability of its packaging it can attract a larger consumer base while doing good for the planet, writes Sébastien Pellion.

The European Commission wants to reduce the environmental impact of packaging by mandating that producers use a minimum amount of recycled plastic in new packaging placed on the market.

Defining what counts as “recyclable” has become a point of contention in the EU’s overhaul of its packaging waste law, with recyclers pushing for high targets and manufacturers concerned products will not meet the threshold.

While the European Commission aims to encourage the use of recycled materials in its upcoming packaging law, it also recognises that recycling has its limits and cannot meet all the demand.

Makers of cartonboard, corrugated board, and other wood fibre-based packaging are campaigning to get the renewability and recyclability of their product recognised under EU law. They also warn against EU plans to introduce mandatory recycled content targets for new products, saying this could "disrupt a system that is already working very effectively".

The European Commission should introduce a collection target for beverage cartons to ensure they are properly collected and sorted and boost recycling in the sector, according to Dragos Popa.

Greater standardisation in design "has to be the way forward" in order to make it worthwhile economically to recycle lightweight packaging such as crisp packets. In practice, this also means reducing the variety of packaging available to the food and drink industry, says Joachim Quoden.

The EU has a goal to increase packaging waste recycling, but reaching it will depend on whether local authorities increase and improve collection.

Paper, plastic, tin or glass? As the European Commission readies a revision of the packaging and packaging waste directive, research highlights the positives and negatives of various packaging types.

Beverage carton producers have pledged to make cartons from 100% renewable and recycled material and cut down on their plastic consumption by 2030 to increase their sustainability and help meet global climate goals.

Not all recycling is equal. As the European Commission prepares to revise the EU's packaging waste directive, policymakers want to remove degradation and waste from the process.

Europe aims to cut down on waste as quickly as possible in order to halt the overconsumption that is damaging the planet and adding to climate change. But despite previous attempts, waste packaging is still on the rise in Europe.

The European Commission registered on Wednesday (30 June) a European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) calling for a "European eco-score" to inform consumers about the ecological impact of different products amid growing support for such a move in France. EURACTIV France reports.