Knowledge sharing | EU Packaging Policy | Part 1

文摘   2024-11-01 16:08   美国  

About the Series


In this series of articles, we will explore the evolving landscape of EU Packaging Policy, introducing its background, key legislative frameworks, and the challenges and opportunities it presents. This first article provides a foundational overview of the current state of packaging waste management in the EU and highlights the pressing need for effective policies to address this critical issue.


Background:

Packaging waste is a growing global problem, especially with the rise of plastic pollution. Despite packaging innovations like switching from glass to lightweight plastic to reduce weight, the total packaging waste in the EU continues to rise due to economic growth and population increases. Over the past decade, packaging waste has grown by more than 20%, and if no action is taken, it could increase by 19% more by 2030. This trend presents significant environmental and economic challenges.

The EU is committed to addressing these issues by promoting sustainable development and transitioning towards a green economy. Effective packaging waste management will reduce resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and help preserve biodiversity. It is not just about environmental benefits—better waste management can boost the economy by creating new jobs and increasing GDP by 0.5% by 2030.

1

EU’s Policy Framework on Packaging Waste

1

Who’s Involved?

EU Institutions: The European Parliament, the European Commission, and the European Council collaborate to design, approve, and implement policies.

Stakeholders: Industry groups, NGOs, and trade unions also participate to shape legislation.


2

Five Stages of the Policy Cycle:

The EU’s policy-making process involves several phases, forming a structured policy cycle:

  • Agenda Setting: Identifying the issue and framing it for action.

  • Policy Design: Assessing the social, environmental, and economic impacts and consulting with stakeholders.

  • Decision-Making: Finalizing policies through discussions between the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the European Council.

  • Implementation: Enforcing the agreed policies across member states.

  • Review and Evaluation: Assessing the effectiveness and making necessary revisions.

2

Key Legislative Actions and Tools

The EU has adopted several directives and strategies to combat packaging waste:

1. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD):
Originally introduced in 1994 and amended in 2018 and 2022, this directive aims to harmonize waste management practices across member states. It ensures that environmental goals align with market competition, requiring countries to improve their recycling systems.

2. The European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP):
These broader strategies address environmental sustainability, focusing on reducing reliance on virgin materials. The CEAP highlights the importance of packaging waste reduction to transition to a closed-loop economy.

3. The European Plastic Strategy: With 40% of the EU’s plastic used in packaging, this strategy promotes the use of recycled materials over virgin plastics to reduce environmental impacts.

As environmental concerns grow, the European Union (EU) continues to reshape its economic systems to become more sustainable and circular. A major focus of this transformation is the packaging industry, which consumes 40% of plastics and 50% of paper used in the EU. Effective regulation in this area is essential to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and promote eco-friendly practices.

3

The Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC (WFD)

The WFD, adopted on December 19, 2008, serves as a cornerstone of EU waste management policy. It establishes guidelines for managing the quality and quantity of waste, including packaging waste, and promotes efforts to minimize environmental and health impacts. The directive introduces key concepts related to waste management, such as recycling, recovery, and disposal, and outlines essential principles such as the waste hierarchy and polluter-pays principle (PPP).

In 2018, the WFD was revised to set stricter recycling targets and refine the waste management requirements, becoming Directive 2018/851. These changes are intended to increase recycling rates, enhance environmental protection, and reduce waste sent to landfills.



Key Components of the WFD Related to Packaging

1.Waste Hierarchy

The WFD outlines a five-step waste hierarchy in Article 4, which ranks waste management options in the following order of preference:

  1. Prevention

  2. Preparing for Re-use

  3. Recycling

  4. Other Recovery (e.g., energy recovery)

  5. Disposal (landfilling as a last resort)

The hierarchy emphasizes reducing waste at its source and encourages recycling over other forms of recovery, such as incineration. However, challenges remain, as unclear definitions within the directive can complicate waste categorization. For example, the same product—like a used phone—can be labeled differently depending on whether it is discarded or intended for reuse, creating inconsistencies in the waste management process.

The revised 2018 WFD also promotes the alignment of reuse and recovery practices with the waste hierarchy. However, without clear incentives, many businesses continue to prefer single-use packaging due to lower costs and simpler logistics.


  1. Recycling Targets

Since the WFD’s introduction, EU countries have made progress in improving recycling rates. For instance, municipal solid waste recycling increased from 36.8% in 2008 to 43.7% by 2014. However, there are still disparities among Member States, with some countries lagging behind.

The 2018 revision established higher recycling targets, aiming to recycle 55% of municipal waste by 2025, 60% by 2030, and 65% by 2035. In addition, Member States are required to create National Waste Prevention Programs to reduce packaging waste at its source. Some countries, such as Spain and Belgium, have adopted packaging prevention plans that mandate the reduction of unnecessary packaging.

Despite these efforts, there is still a tendency for producers to replace plastic packaging with materials like cardboard and glass, resulting in the same overall amount of waste. The focus on recycling without sufficient reuse targets also limits the potential environmental benefits.

3. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

The WFD enforces Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), requiring producers to bear financial responsibility for managing the waste associated with their products. This approach incentivizes companies to design more sustainable packaging by internalizing the cost of waste management.

Under the EPR, producers can establish their own waste management systems or join Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), which handle collection and recycling. However, fees based on packaging weight often fail to incentivize eco-friendly design—lightweight plastics, for example, incur minimal fees despite their environmental impact.

To overcome these challenges, policymakers are exploring ways to encourage more sustainable packaging designs, such as higher fees for non-recyclable materials or rewards for environmentally friendly packaging. Additionally, there is a push to shift more responsibility to local authorities, as centralized EPR systems have proven to improve recycling rates and reduce costs.

Examples of EPR Success and Challenges

  • Germany: Achieved a 97% recycling rate for PET bottles through a well-implemented deposit-refund scheme.

  • Finland: In 1994, a packaging tax incentivized refillable containers, but single-use packaging returned after these containers were exempted from the tax.

These examples illustrate both the potential and limitations of current packaging policies. While some countries excel in recycling specific waste streams, others struggle to implement comprehensive reuse systems.

The Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC provides a solid foundation for waste management across the EU. However, achieving long-term sustainability will require further adjustments, including setting clearer reuse targets, increasing recycling fees for non-circular designs, and encouraging innovation through targeted incentives. With more ambitious efforts, the EU can lead the way toward a circular economy that minimizes waste and maximizes resource efficiency.

4

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC)

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), adopted in 1994, plays a key role in the European Union’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of packaging while maintaining the smooth functioning of the internal market. It aims to harmonize national policies on packaging waste management across Member States, ensuring high levels of environmental protection without impeding trade or competition.

1

Key Elements of the PPWD

The directive provides a comprehensive framework for managing packaging waste, focusing on both prevention and recycling. It outlines standards for the manufacturing, labeling, and recyclability of packaging, emphasizing the importance of minimizing hazardous substances. Packaging is classified into three types:

  1. Sales Packaging (Primary): Packaging used directly for products sold to consumers.

  2. Grouped Packaging (Secondary): Multiple products bundled together for sale.

  3. Transport Packaging (Tertiary): Packaging for handling and transporting products, such as pallets.

2

Essential Requirements

The PPWD establishes Essential Requirements for the design and use of packaging, which producers must comply with. These requirements aim to ensure that packaging:

  1. Minimizes material use while maintaining product safety and hygiene.

  2. Contains minimal hazardous substances, such as heavy metals.

  3. Is reusable, recyclable, or recoverable.

While these guidelines promote environmentally friendly packaging practices, they have proven difficult to enforce consistently across Member States due to vague definitions and varied interpretations of the standards.

Amendments and New Targets

The 2018 amendment to the PPWD (Directive 2018/852) introduced new recycling targets and reporting requirements to address growing packaging waste. Key changes include:

  • Plastic Packaging Recycling Targets:

    • 50% by 2025

    • 55% by 2030

  • New Calculation Methods: Packaging waste generated must match the packaging introduced into the market. Quality control and traceability systems are required to ensure data accuracy.

  • Exclusion of Energy Recovery: Waste sent to energy recovery or landfills is no longer counted towards recycling targets unless it benefits agriculture or ecology.

  • Reusability Targets by 2025: Member States must introduce measures, such as setting quantitative targets and economic incentives, to promote the use of reusable packaging.

Furthermore, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for packaging became mandatory by 2024 to shift the financial burden of waste management from the public to producers.

4

Regulatory Instruments

Bans and Restrictions: For instance, Italy banned lightweight plastic bags, achieving a 50% reduction in their use.

Permits and Quality Controls: Some countries enforce rules that require retailers to offer reusable packaging options alongside single-use packaging.

Strengths and Limitations of the PPWD

The PPWD has successfully promoted lighter, more efficient packaging. Between 1990 and 2015, the average weight of packaging decreased by 26%, with a shift from glass to plastic and cardboard containers. However, despite these advances, the directive has limitations:

  • Increased Packaging Waste: Despite its efforts, packaging waste has continued to rise, from 66 million tonnes in 2009 to 78.5 million tonnes in 2019.

  • Challenges with Recyclability: While many packaging materials are technically recyclable, high costs and insufficient demand for recycled materials hinder recycling rates.

  • Vague Standards: The Essential Requirements lack clarity, leading to inconsistencies in enforcement across Member States.

  • Conflicting Trade-Offs: Lightweight packaging often inhibits reusability and recyclability, creating tension between environmental goals.

5

Conclusion

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC) has played a pivotal role in harmonizing packaging waste management across the EU and promoting sustainable practices. However, further refinements are necessary to overcome existing challenges. Future policy adjustments could include:

  • Clearer standards for recyclability and reuse.

  • Higher fees for non-circular packaging designs.

  • Stronger incentives for the use of reusable packaging.

With continuous improvements and better implementation of economic instruments like EPR schemes and deposit-refund systems, the EU can make significant progress toward achieving a circular economy that minimizes waste and maximizes resource efficiency.

5

Proposal for a Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR)*

With the continuous rise in packaging waste and the inefficiency of recycling systems, the EU proposed a new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) on November 30, 2022, which focuses on stricter rules for waste prevention, recycling, and reuse. This regulation was officially announced in November 2023, reflecting the EU's growing commitment to environmental sustainability and waste reduction. Below is a summary of its key elements, challenges, and solutions.

1

Background and Key Points

The new PPWR aims to address issues with the earlier Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), which, despite some progress, failed to curb the growth of packaging waste. The main objectives of the PPWR are to:

·Prevent overproduction of packaging and promote reusable packaging.

·Reduce landfill disposal an emphasize recycling and recovery.

·Address inefficiencies in current waste management systems.

A 2022 Impact Assessment revealed that many EU Member States were unlikely to meet their 2025 recycling targets, with infrastructure gaps contributing to the problem. Even when packaging is technically recyclable, the lack of appropriate collection, sorting, and recycling systems increases costs, hampering effective waste management.

Key areas addressed by the PPWR include:

Growth in packaging waste, including single-use items and unnecessary packaging.

Barriers to recycling and reuse, such as unclear labeling and design flaws.

Low recycling rates of plastic packaging and insufficient demand for recycled materials.

The proposal emphasizes aligning packaging design with circular economy principles and improving recycling systems to help achieve the EU's goal of becoming the first carbon-neutral continent.

2

Challenges & Solutions

The PPWR addresses two key problem drivers:

1.Market Failures:

Fragmented markets with inefficient supply chains.

Imperfect information and unclear labeling that confuse consumers.

Suboptimal waste sorting at the source, reducing recycling efficiency.

2.Regulatory Failures:

Poor enforcement of the PPWD, with excessive flexibility granted to Member States.

The Essential Requirements failed to align fully with the waste hierarchy, reducing their effectiveness.

Inaccurate or misleading eco-labels also contribute to improper waste sorting. Many consumers struggle to differentiate between product and packaging recyclability, further complicating recycling efforts. These challenges, coupled with inconsistent national policies, create bottlenecks in the EU’s waste management system.


Solutions and Future Directions

The PPWR proposal outlines three policy options, each offering different levels of environmental ambition and implementation effort:

  • Option 1: Focuses on standardization and clearer requirements but lacks strong waste reduction measures.

  • Option 2: Introduces compulsory waste reduction and reuse targets, harmonized rules, and minimum recycled content in plastic packaging by 2030.

  • Option 3: Builds on Option 2 but includes even stricter targets and additional requirements.

After analysis, the Commission discarded Options 1 and 3 due to their limitations. Instead, it adopted an enhanced Option 2+, which includes:

  • A 19% reduction in packaging waste by 2030 compared to the baseline, equivalent to a 5% reduction from 2018 levels.

  • Mandatory reuse and refill targets across sectors.

  • Elimination of unnecessary packaging to minimize waste.

The PPWR also introduces stricter recyclability design criteria, with recyclability assessments becoming a requirement for all packaging. Four specific types of packaging must be compostable, while all other packaging must be either chemically or mechanically recyclable.

Deposit Refund Systems (DRS) are identified as a key tool to achieve recycling targets. The PPWR mandates DRS for certain packaging types, alongside harmonized labeling of products and waste receptacles to improve consumer participation in sorting and recycling.

3

Expected Benefits of the PPWR

If the measures outlined in Option 2+ are effectively implemented, the EU can expect significant environmental and economic benefits by 2030:

3.1 million tonnes reduction in packaging waste compared to 2018.

23 million tonnes reduction in GHG  emissions.

Savings of €6.4 billion in environmental externalities.

The PPWR focuses on improving waste prevention and reuse systems while making recycling more efficient. With the right enforcement, it can help the EU transition to a closed-loop economy, minimizing resource extraction and waste.

4

Conclusion

The PPWR, adopted in November 2023, marks a significant step forward in the EU’s efforts to tackle packaging waste. It addresses the limitations of the PPWD by introducing stricter regulations, clearer targets, and harmonized systems for recycling and reuse. Through DRS schemes, better labeling practices, and more rigid design requirements, the PPWR aims to close the loop on packaging waste, reduce GHG emissions, and align with the EU’s broader climate and circular economy goals.

While the transition will require investments in infrastructure and public awareness, the PPWR provides a strong foundation for reducing waste and achieving a sustainable future. With effective implementation, it will not only benefit the environment but also foster innovation and economic growth across the EU.


*The PPWR was officially adopted in November 2023, mandating that by the end of 2024, all EU countries must ensure producer responsibility schemes are established for all packaging. This study was completed prior to the regulation's release.

内容、排版 | 游历
审校 | 魏琪
封面图来源 | unsplash

About the Waste-to-Resource Project

“Waste to Resource: Upgrading the Value Chain of Packaging Waste Through Improving Collection and Recycling in China” project is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) develoPPP.de Programme, is implemented by GIZ in cooperation with Henkel AG & Co KGaA, Tetra Pak (Kunshan) Co., Ltd., Tomra System ASA, UPM Raflatac Oy, and Nongfu Spring Co., Ltd. The project aims to increase the recycling rate of packaging waste in China by promoting an advanced waste segregation and collection system and to upgrade the value chain of packaging waste (plastic and carton) by exploring different recycling approaches. 

Contact us

Dr. QIAN Mingyu 

Team Leader

Environment and Circular Economy Team, 

GlZ East Asia

mingyu.qian@giz.de

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