More detailed plans for new packaging directive

The European Commission has announced further details of the planned revision of the Packaging Directive.

The main objectives of the new legislative framework are to reduce the amount of packaging waste, ensure all packaging is either reusable or recyclable by 2030, and increase the uptake of recycled materials in packaging.

On 30th May, Landbell Group company, European Recycling Platform attended the Commission’s stakeholder workshop where the following priority measures were communicated:

• Reduction targets likely (probably packaging waste / inhabitant, with 2018 as the base year)
• Reuse targets (also defining minimum number of cycles)
• Recyclable packaging targets (assessment/certification and/or negative list, plus alignment with EPR fee modulation)
• Compostability requirements (potentially mandatory compostability for selected packaging types)
• Recycled content targets (target years planned: 2030 / 2040; de-minimis considered)
• Enabling measures (harmonized labelling, substances, Green Public Procurement) and DRS for beverage containers

The Commission is also considering changing the legal format of the provision from a directive to a regulation, as it has done with the Battery Regulation (which is currently being revised – see article below). This would avoid the need for national implementation and create a harmonised framework across Member States.

The Commission’s legislative proposal is planned to be published in autumn 2022.