Findings of a recent survey conducted by Aura, a packaging consultancy organization in the UK, provide significant insights into the current state of sustainability efforts among packaging professionals and their overall understanding of current packaging regulations. The Survey The survey, which was conducted at the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) Impact 2024 conference in New…
In response to the growing demand for incorporating recycled materials in packaging, ELIPSO and FEBEA have collaborated to develop a guidance document, aimed at helping integrate the use of post-consumer recycled plastics (PCR) in cosmetics packaging. The Guidance Document: Recycled Plastics in Cosmetics Packaging This Guidance Document, published on March 8, 2024, offers a…
As of February 1st, 2024, Switzerland has implemented Official Collection 2023 836, a list of significant revisions to the Swiss Ordinance that governs materials and articles in contact with food (Materials and Articles Ordinance, 817.023.21). These changes, mark a collective effort to align Swiss regulations with those of the European Union. Scope of the…
During the first quarter of 2024, Europe has witnessed a notable surge in the prices of flexible packaging materials, due to significant disruptions in supply chain, and particularly on the case of shipping security in Red Sea. According to a recent press release by Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE), these disruptions have led to increased prices…
In a recent press release, Finnish producer Neste, a leader in renewable solutions, has announced its partnership with Lotte Chemical, a prominent South Korean chemical company. Together, they aim at revolutionizing the manufacturing market by replacing conventional fossil resources with renewable raw materials, for the production of chemicals and plastics. The Partnership This collaborative…
E-commerce has revolutionized the way we buy our products, offering convenience and accessibility with a few clicks. However, behind this seamless experience, exists a significant environmental cost, particularly when it comes to the return of e-commerce products. A recent report from CleanHub sheds light on the alarming environmental impact of online shopping returns, revealing staggering…
On March 26th, 2024, the European Union, in its effort to empower consumers for a greener transition, implemented Directive (EU) 2024/825, also known as the Empowering Consumers Directive (ECD). This directive aims at fostering sustainable consumption patterns and tackles various misleading commercial practices, like greenwashing, that hinder consumers’ ability to make informed choices regarding the…
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been extensively utilized across various industrial and consumer sectors since the 1950s, due to their useful properties, including low surface energy and durable water- and oil-repellency, and finding application in a number of products, ranging from food packaging to firefighting foams. By taking into account a recent study, published…
Α few weeks ago, European Union took a significant step towards addressing the ongoing challenge of packaging waste with the provisional political agreement reached between the Council presidency and the European Parliament’s representatives on a proposal for the regulation on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR). The agreement was made in EU’s efforts to reduce the…
In an effort to reduce plastic waste pollution, Aldi UK has recently unveiled a traceability scheme, aimed at managing the 300 tonnes of post-consumer flexible plastic packaging collecting annually. This initiative marks a significant step in the company’s ongoing commitment to the environment and underlines the organization’s determination to address the escalating issue of plastic…
In alignment with global efforts to reduce plastic pollution and promote environmental sustainability, Germany has recently joined the countries implementing a plastic tax. Following the footsteps of Spain and UK, Germany introduced its plastic tax through the “Single-Use Plastic Fund Act” of May 11, 2023, (EWKFondsG in German) for short. Having taken effect on January…
Ireland has recently introduced its Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), as part of its commitment to enhance the recycling efforts of the country. A survey conducted by Every Can Counts sheds light on consumer perceptions of the system and the challenges faced with this new initiative. While exploring the statistics of this survey, we hereby compare…