The Initiative for a Natural Circular Economy (INAK), together with several industry associations, has published a position paper on the national implementation of the EU Packaging Regulation. The paper calls for lightweight plastic carrier bags for fruit and vegetables to be made exclusively from industrially compostable material in future.
With the new packaging regulation (PPWR), the EU recognises the benefits of industrially compostable plastics for certain applications, in particular to improve the separate collection of organic waste and to avoid microplastics. Against this background, INAK, together with the IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen, Plastics Europe Deutschland, European Bioplastics, Polykum, C.A.R.M.E.N. and the nova-Institut Recommendations for implementation in Germany submitted.
The focus is on the requirement that all very lightweight plastic carrier bags used as fruit and vegetable bags should in future be must be made from certified industrially compostable material. „If you want to collect organic waste cleanly, you need suitable and practical collection aids, and compostable fruit and vegetable bags have long since proven their worth in other EU countries,“ says Katrin Schwede, Managing Director of INAK.
Multiple use of compostable bags
Certified industrially compostable bags for loose fruit and vegetables make multiple contributions to sustainability: They are initially used in retail for hygienic transport, can then help to keep food fresh and finally serve as a collection aid for kitchen waste. At the same time, their use reduces the amount of foreign matter in organic waste, especially conventional PE bags, which often end up in the organic waste bin by mistake.
Clear political direction needed
Article 9 of the PPWR gives EU member states the option of making other packaging applications, including very lightweight plastic carrier bags, compostable at national level in addition to the applications that will be mandatory throughout Europe in future, such as fruit and vegetable stickers, tea bags and coffee pods.
„This is a consistent step towards a biological circular economy and an effective instrument for improving the quality of organic waste, reducing microplastic inputs and strengthening the separate collection of organic waste.“
Katrin Schwede, Managing Director of INAK
Certified bags in accordance with DIN EN 13432 and DINplus are Completely decomposed in industrial composting plants within normal treatment times and fulfil strict requirements for environmental compatibility and ecotoxicity.
You can find the complete position paper here.
Source: Inak
