{"id":81578,"date":"2023-06-21T14:07:54","date_gmt":"2023-06-21T12:07:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/?p=81578"},"modified":"2023-06-12T14:12:19","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T12:12:19","slug":"european-packaging-regulation-all-clear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/en\/europaeische-verpackungsverordnung-alles-klar\/","title":{"rendered":"European Packaging Ordinance - everything clear?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As part of its European Green Deal, the EU is pursuing ambitious plans to optimise the sustainability of packaging. This is also reflected in the new draft of the European Packaging Regulation (PPWR), which must be implemented by the member states once it has been adopted. On Tightly Packed TV Live at interpack, we spoke to Dr Wolfgang Trunk from the EU Commission about the current status.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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If the European Commission has its way, the Reduce packaging waste, develop a circular economy for packaging in a cost-effective way and promote the use of recycled materials in packaging<\/strong> become. This is provided for in the new draft of the European Packaging Ordinance<\/a> (PPWR), which still has to pass the EU Parliament and Council.<\/p>

\u201eThe issue of packaging affects everyone, European consumers as well as the entire economy. Everyone is confronted with it, the issue is right at the top of the agenda,\u201c says Dr Wolfgang Trunk, policy officer at the EU Commission in Brussels and team leader in the Environment Directorate-General's unit. The EU official was involved in the drafting of the legislation from the very beginning. \u201eThe starting point was the question: what problem do we want to solve and why do we need this new legislation?\u201c In the current case, it was quite obvious: \u201eThe current directive has not achieved its goal of reducing packaging waste in Europe and making packaging more sustainable<\/strong>. It was therefore time to think about further steps to improve the situation.\u201c It was not easy, but it was an important aspect to make such a proposal, especially in times of the Russian war of aggression and in times of high inflation rates, when many have to watch their budgets and spending. \u201eHowever, we are convinced that a European packaging regulation will bring major economic benefits.\u201c<\/p>

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Dr Wolfgang Trunk from the EU Commission in an interview. (Image: packaging journal)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The current EU Packaging Directive has given the member states a great deal of leeway in how they develop their national systems within this framework. This has led to different situations within Europe<\/strong>. \u201eWe have realised that there is a there is a large discrepancy between the Member States in terms of achieving their targets<\/strong>. In addition, the industry is confronted with national systems that cost a lot of money. It also means a huge administrative burden to deal with all the scattered legislation in the 27 Member States.\u201c It is therefore It has become important to harmonise the rules via a regulation<\/strong>. \u201eI call it a change in philosophy in that we are overcoming the level of the Member States and going to the product level with the regulation. This changes the rules of the game, because we are approaching the economic operators directly with our requirements. This is an important part of the new proposal.\u201c<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Sonja B\u00e4hr, packaging consultant (Image: Tilisco)<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u201eI would like to issue a big warning to all those who want to wait and see. It's better to establish all the necessary structures at an early stage - and to do so holistically. It's not just about using recyclates, it's not just about recyclability. The whole package is important.\u201c<\/p>

Sonja B\u00e4hr<\/strong>, packaging consultant at Tilisco in a Tightly Packed TV Live interview at interpack 2023<\/p><\/blockquote>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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With its planned regulation, the EU Commission wants to the entire life cycle, from packaging design through to recycling<\/strong>. \u201ePackaging design plays a special role when it comes to bringing valuable raw materials back into the cycle at the end of their use.\u201c The draft of the new PPWR contains a number of requirements and changes, for example in Reference to the recycled content in plastic packaging<\/strong>. \u201eWe know that plastic is something like our Achilles' heel, because we have too low a collection rate and too low a recycling rate for this valuable plastic packaging, which is often produced using a lot of fossil raw materials. What's more, the quality of the recycled plastic is often poor, which means we are effectively downcycling. That is why our New proposal Minimum requirements for the recycled content of plastic packaging<\/strong>. I am convinced that this will make a real difference and we can already see the impact the announcements will have on the entire recycling value chain. Getting plastic waste into high-quality recycling is one of the most important points of the proposed legislation.\u201c<\/p>