Once again this year, the subject of how to establish a circular economy has gained significant pace. This has been driven most notably by the European Commission’s plans set out at the end of 2022 for an EU packaging regulation, which will affect the entire economy and has been hotly debated as a result. But the associations and businesses in the packaging industry are also forging ahead with building a circular economy by pursuing their own innovative developments and ideas. Naturally, the circular economy was also the main theme of this year’s interpack. A large number of exhibitors at the show focused on solutions for effective recycling and the use of recycled materials in packaging production.
interpack president and Theegarten-Pactec CEO Markus Rustler emphasised the importance of more sustainable, recyclable packaging materials, but he also sees challenges for the industry. “The use of recycled materials is an intriguing subject, for example. If every manufacturer around the world jumped into this effort with both feet, would we have enough recycled materials available? In the West, this may ultimately go successfully, because we have well-functioning systems to recycle packaging material to a greater or lesser degree. But as commendable as this push is, what about the really big markets such as Asia, Africa or South America? These parts of the world are far from having a functioning circular economy in which material can be recycled. In my view, it will take decades before they get there. But still, we have to make a start – the sooner, the better,” Rustler said in the run-up to interpack.
It is increasingly urgent today, then, to produce as little non-recyclable waste as possible to conserve valuable resources. In the form of its Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the European Commission is planning to impose binding requirements for packaging and packaging waste across all materials placed on the EU market. In pursuing this legislative update, the European Commission aims to achieve three main goals. The first is to prevent packaging waste being created in the first place by placing restrictions on unnecessary packaging and favouring reusable and refillable solutions. The second is for a closed recycling loop to ensure that all packaging on the EU market is reusable or recyclable in a commercially viable manner by 2030. And the third is to reduce the demand for primary raw materials by creating a functioning market for secondary raw materials while increasing the amount of recycled plastics in packaging materials by setting compulsory targets.
The proposal has been subject to intense and controversial debate for months. Nearly 3,000 amendments were listed on the European Parliament’s Environment Committee alone. The legislative process got under way earlier this year. It is uncertain whether the subsequent trilogue process, in which the European Council, Parliament and Commission must find a final compromise, will be completed before the next European elections in June 2024.
The European Commission is pursuing ambitious goals with its proposal for a binding EU packaging law.
