The new order of packaging

The packaging industry is about to undergo a radical change that requires more than just technical adjustments. With the planned EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the European Commission not only wants to reduce waste, but also to transpose the principles of the circular economy into applicable law - binding and EU-wide. The focus is on a simple requirement: packaging should not only be “recyclable” in future, but actually become so.

What sounds like a logical step at first glance has far-reaching consequences for packaging manufacturers, brand owners and suppliers. This is because the draft PPWR shifts the perspective: instead of relying on voluntary commitments or national requirements as before, Brussels is now establishing uniform standards that are directly relevant for market access. Recyclability is becoming a regulatory entry ticket.

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Three classes, one goal: effective recyclability

At the heart of the regulation is the planned classification of all packaging into three recyclability classes: A, B and C. The decisive factor here is not the theoretical but the practical recyclability - under real conditions in large-scale recycling plants, as are common in the EU. Class A packaging must be at least 95% recyclable, class B allows 80% and class C 70%. Anyone falling below this threshold will no longer be allowed to place their packaging on the European market from 2030. A transitional period until 2038 applies to class B, while class A is defined as the target.

The new system could mean the end of many common multi-material packagings, especially those made from a combination of paper, plastic and aluminum. Packaging that is currently considered “paper-based” but is de facto not recyclable or only recyclable with difficulty due to plastic coatings or barrier films is particularly affected. The PPWR is forcing a radical rethink - and quick solutions.

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Focus on fiber-based packaging

Paper and cardboard in particular are at the center of the discussion. As renewable, comparatively easily recyclable materials, they are seen by the public as ecologically sound - but they too must face up to the new requirements. The key term is “repulpability”: in future, packaging will only be considered recyclable if it can be completely broken down into its paper fibers and freed from impurities during the recycling process.

The standard process involves dissolving the packaging in warm water, shredding it mechanically in a pulper and then cleaning it. Foreign substances such as adhesives, plastics, metal or waterproof coatings are considered problematic as they disrupt the process or reduce the quality of the end product. Barrier coatings in particular, which are designed to keep out moisture, grease or oxygen, are a key problem in this context.

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New materials, new test methods

This is where the research and product development of many manufacturers comes in. The company Siegwerk - known for printing inks, but increasingly also for functional coating solutions - describes the strategic shift towards recyclable, functionalized paper solutions in a recent white paper. The aim is to develop packaging that remains fully repulpable despite barrier requirements.

To achieve this, Siegwerk relies on water-based barrier coatings that are soluble or easily separable in the recycling process. Internal test procedures in accordance with the German PTS-RH 021:2012 standard provide initial indications, but the company is increasingly focusing on the European CEPI test procedure. This was developed as part of the 4evergreen industry initiative, a platform of leading companies from the entire value chain for fiber-based packaging.

The CEPI test not only evaluates repulpability, but also potential fiber loss, screening residues and the quality of the recovered pulp. The aim is to create a standardized procedure that allows a realistic assessment of industrial recyclability - regardless of the manufacturer’s interests. In future, the results will be incorporated into the classification of packaging and should create uniform standards for the entire EU area.

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From cost factor to innovation driver: the EPR

The planned changes are not only ecologically motivated, but also economically calculated. A central instrument is the extension of the so-called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). It obliges companies to pay for the collection, sorting and recycling of their packaging - in future on a sliding scale according to recyclability.

This means that the more recyclable packaging is, the lower the cost of placing it on the market. The less recyclable it is, the higher the charges. This system is intended to create incentives for innovation and encourage manufacturers to take ecological aspects into account during the design process. For the industry, this means that recyclability becomes an economic competitive factor.

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Limits of recycling - and the circular economy

As promising as the developments in the field of fiber-based packaging are, there are also limits. Paper fibers cannot be recycled indefinitely: Each time they are recycled, their length is shortened, which affects the stability and quality of the paper. After an average of four to seven cycles, a fiber reaches the end of its service life. This means that a relevant proportion of virgin fibres will continue to be necessary in the future in order to stabilize the material cycles.

In addition, recyclability alone does not solve all problems. The development of appropriate infrastructures, the separation of materials in the waste stream and, last but not least, consumer behavior are also crucial. Even the best-designed packaging cannot be recycled if it ends up in residual waste or is sorted incorrectly.

The challenge is therefore twofold: products must be recyclable and recycled. The PPWR makes it clear that regulatory clarity and technical innovation must go hand in hand - and that the transformation must take place not only at the level of materials, but along the entire value chain.