The industry association European Plastic Films (EuPF) welcomes this, that pallet wrapping film and strapping should be completely excluded from the reuse targets of the PPWR in accordance with Article 29(2) and (3).
The exemption is to be made for an indefinite period by delegated act; it is based on economic findings from a Deloitte feasibility study, which identifies additional end-of-line infrastructure, higher logistics costs and rising transport emissions when switching to reusable solutions, among other things.
From EuPF's perspective, the regulatory gap concerns Article 29 (1), which provides for 40 % reuse by 2030 and 70 % by 2040 for transport packaging in cross-border goods traffic.
The Commission announced a „pragmatic and realistic“ implementation path via an implementing act in accordance with Article 30, which is to define the calculation methodology. EuPF also refers to study results according to which reusable alternatives can cause significantly higher greenhouse gas emissions in certain applications (up to 1700 %) and would trigger considerable additional costs across the industry (almost €5 billion per year across eight sectors). The association also warns against parallel palletising systems for EU and export markets, which could burden competitiveness and processes without delivering ecological added value.
Next steps and practical industrial requirements
In parallel to the call for an exemption for Article 29 (1), EuPF also wants to constructively support the drafting process for the Article 30 implementing act. The key benchmarks here are realism, scientific relevance and compatibility with established industry practices - including the standards achieved today for load securing and occupational safety.
Source: European Plastic Films
