Sustainability is steadily transforming public procurement across Europe, and the packaging industry is no exception. The recent live broadcast organized by the European Commission on 10 October 2025 highlighted the role of the EU Ecolabel in helping public buyers select greener products more easily, efficiently, and cost-effectively. With over 110,000 certified goods now on the…
A coalition of 78 organizations from the European reusable packaging sector has jointly called on the European Commission to establish a clear and enforceable symbol that distinguishes reusable packaging from single-use alternatives. Industry Unites for Clarity in Reuse Labelling Led by the New European Reuse Alliance and Reusable Packaging Europe, the statement expresses support…
On September 1st 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced a proposal to add three substances to the Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs). A public consultation on the proposal is now open and will run until October 16, 2025. Substances Under Review The substances under review are: 4,4′-[2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethylidene]diphenol and its…
India’s rPET industry (recycled PET) is facing turbulence after amendments to the Plastic Waste Management Rules created uncertainty around recycled content obligations. The Association of PET Recyclers (Bharat), which represents Indian recycling companies, has warned that brand owners are stalling procurement, undermining demand and threatening years of investment. Brand Owners Delay Purchases Amid Rule…
The European Commission has proposed raising the EU-wide levy on non-recycled plastic packaging waste, in order to account for inflation, which has eroded the real value of the current charge. Introduced in 2021 as part of measures to balance the budget after Brexit, the levy has already generated an estimated € 7.2 billion in revenue.…
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 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 the European Commission’s latest publication, new draft rules have been put forward to standardize how companies calculate, verify and report chemically-recycled content in single-use plastic beverage bottles. This initiative is part of the EU’s push to achieve strict recycled content targets under the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), which demands 25 % recycled PET in…
In our previous article, we outlined Japan’s introduction of a Positive List (PL) system for food contact materials (FCMs) under the Food Sanitation Act. As the official enforcement date of June 1, 2025 passed, Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency (CAA) released crucial updates clarifying final procedures, exemptions, and a phased transition period. Positive List: Finalized Substances and…
Public institutions across Europe are being encouraged to embrace sustainable paper procurement, thanks to two newly published EU Ecolabel Practical Guides. The European Commission has released clear, user-friendly resources to help public buyers include environmental standards in tenders for graphic paper and tissue paper products. A third guide focusing on printed paper and stationery is…
The British Plastics Federation (BPF) is calling on manufacturers and businesses in the plastics sector to report any instances of false claims related to recycled content in plastic packaging. This move aims to protect legitimate players in the market and uphold the credibility of the UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), introduced in 2022 to encourage…