A few days ago, the Netherlands Institute for Sustainable Packaging (KIDV) published the English translations of its 2025 Recycle Checks for various packaging materials, including rigid and flexible plastics, glass, metal, paper, cardboard, and beverage cartons. These tools help companies determine if their packaging designs meet recyclability standards.
Table of Contents
Unified Online Platform for All Materials
Previously, separate PDFs existed for materials like glass, metal, and paper. Now, all Recycle Checks are available within the same online environment as the plastic packaging checks. For plastic packaging, the scores obtained also influence Verpact’s Fee Modulation, linking better design choices directly to financial incentives. Companies can request access to the online platform to start assessing their packaging.
How the Recycle Checks Work
Each Recycle Check includes an online questionnaire tailored to a specific material and a document providing background information. By answering a series of questions, companies receive a recyclability score: optimal, reasonable, limited, or non-recyclable. KIDV also offers a guide to help companies choose the appropriate Recycle Check.
Updates and General Changes
The 2025 updates also anticipate the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), ensuring that companies can align their designs with upcoming requirements.
Several broad updates apply to all materials:
- Companies must now consider material from both primary and secondary components when identifying the target recycling material.
- To earn a high recyclability rating, a disposable unit must be composed of at least 70 % target material, regardless of the packaging type.
Material-Specific Updates
Rigid Plastic Packaging
- The new Check distinguishes between the use of Carbon Black (problematic for recycling) and detectable black, which is easier to sort.
- TPE components, such as valves, are now permitted in PET packaging.
Flexible Plastic Packaging
- Packaging made of PE with some PP content will now be rated “reasonably recyclable” instead of “limited recyclable.”
- An additional recommendation discourages the use of nitrocellulose-based inks.
Glass Packaging
- Packaging that includes a non-magnetic metal bracket will now score “limited recyclable” instead of “non-recyclable,” reflecting advances in sorting technology.
Metal Packaging
- The new checklist explicitly asks about the presence of PVC, which, if found, results in a “limited recyclable” score.
- Detection of heavy metals now results in a “non-recyclable” rating, marking a stricter approach than in past versions.
Paper and Cardboard Packaging
- Specific advice has been added on improving scores for single-sided coated or laminated materials.
- Items like staples and pergamine have been formally included under sub-components to consider during evaluation.
Conclusion
KIDV’s 2025 Recycle Checks provides a sharper, more structured way for companies to assess and improve the recyclability of their packaging. By centralizing the tools online and aligning with upcoming European regulations, KIDV aims to drive greater transparency and better design practices across industries. Companies committed to sustainable packaging can now more easily evaluate and refine their products, ensuring they meet both current and future recycling standards.
Access to the online environment can be requested here.
