Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
Packaging uses large quantities of primary raw materials. Increasing quantities of packaging are generated in the EU while the levels of re-use, collection and recycling remain low. This is a significant barrier to achieving a low-carbon, circular and resilient economy. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR) entered into force on 11 February 2025 and will generally apply from 12 August 2026.
The Regulation:
- covers all packaging and packaging waste, regardless of material or origin
- sets requirements for manufacturing, composition, and reusable or recoverable nature of all packaging placed on the EU market
- includes packaging waste management and prevention measures
Factsheet – Summary of the Regulation –Facts about packaging and packaging waste
Objectives
The rules aim to minimise the quantities of packaging and waste generated while lowering the use of primary raw materials and fostering the transition to a circular, sustainable and competitive economy.
The Regulation aims to:-
- Make all packaging on the EU market recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030.
- Safely increase the use of recycled plastics in packaging.
- Decrease the use of virgin materials in packaging and put the sector on track to climate neutrality by 2050.
Law
The PPWR establishes a new set of requirements in line with Europe’s waste rules that cover the entire packaging life cycle – from product design to waste handling, including:
- Restrictions on certain single-use plastics, such as for individual portions or sachets of condiments and sauces.
- A requirement for take-away businesses to offer customers the option to bring their own containers at no extra cost.
- Minimising substances of concern, including restrictions on PFAS in food contact packaging if they exceed certain thresholds.
The PPWR was preceded by the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62/EC (PPWD), which will be repealed 18 months after the PPWR enters into force. However, some provisions of the existing regulation will continue to apply even after that date.
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For questions about EU environmental policy, please contact Europe Direct.
Source: ec.europa.eu
