HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has reported that UK Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) revenues for 2024/25 reached £ 259 million, a 3% decrease from the previous year’s £ 268 million. The figures highlight a decline in taxable plastic packaging as businesses adjust to the levy introduced in April 2022. How the Plastic Packaging Tax…
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has unveiled new certification standards for beverage bottles, cleaning product containers, and cosmetics packaging. The criteria, effective from 24 January 2026, aim to cut down material use, encourage higher recycled content, and simplify recyclability processes. Certification Standards: Government Push Toward Circular Economy These standards are an…
Poland’s Ministry of Environment is preparing to roll out a fully state-run Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, sparking pushback from major packaging industry groups including EUROPEN, Cepi, Flexible Packaging Europe, and Pro Carton. The organizations warn that the proposed model risks undermining both the EU Waste Framework Directive (WFD) and the Packaging and Packaging Waste…
According to Plastic Recyclers Europe’s latest publication, Europe’s plastics value chain is in crisis. Production is down, recycling plants are shutting, and the EU’s global market share has dropped from 22 % in 2006 to just 12 %. By the end of 2025, nearly one million tonnes of recycling capacity will disappear, putting competitiveness and…
The Global Waste Index (GWI), developed by Sensoneo, provides an in-depth comparison of waste management across the 38 OECD member countries. The 2025 edition arrives in a context shaped by inflation, conflict, and ongoing environmental challenges, measuring how countries handle municipal solid waste through four key factors: generation, recycling, incineration, and landfilling, expressed in kilograms…
In a recent survey by McKinsey & Company, European consumers reveal how their attitudes toward sustainable packaging have shifted in 2025. The insights, drawn from roughly 1,000 respondents per country across five European nations, show clear trends, including regional nuances, and emphasize the delicate balancing act between sustainability, affordability, and practicality. Practical Priorities Still…
A joint analysis by The Guardian and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) warns that the United Kingdom is falling behind the European Union on environmental protections in the wake of Brexit. Since leaving the EU, Britain has rolled back at least four significant safeguards covering habitats, air and water quality, and chemical safety.…
Mid-2025 marks a pivotal wave of updates in food contact material (FCM) regulations across three diverse markets: the Netherlands, Indonesia, and Brazil. While the Netherlands and Indonesia focus on tightening chemical thresholds and harmonizing standards, Brazil sets contaminant standards for recycled cellulosic food-contact materials. Netherlands Tightens Chemical Thresholds Across FCMs The Netherlands introduced amendments…
UK packaging and plastics producers risk “leaving money on the table” if they fail to adopt circular business models, according to a new report from WRAP and OC&C Strategy Consultants. The analysis shows companies embracing circular strategies, from designing for reuse and recyclability to offering repair and refurbishment services, are outpacing their linear rivals in…
The second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2), convened from August 5 to 15, 2025 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, represented what many falsely hoped would be the final push toward a legally binding global plastics treaty to curb plastic pollution from production to disposal. Before the…
In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is undergoing one of its most transformative regulatory shifts in decades. Prompted by public health concerns and administrative directives, changes in oversight of food contact materials (FCMs) now focus on post-market reassessment, elimination of loopholes, and alignment with best international practices. These reforms, anchored in a…
Nine of the UK’s largest supermarket chains have announced a “Statement of Intent” to explore reusable packaging across physical stores and online channels. Supported by WRAP and governments from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, this initiative aims to significantly reduce single-use packaging. Coalition of Major Retailers Taking Action The partnership involves Aldi, Asda, Co‑op, Lidl…