The Circular Economy Action Plan for a Cleaner and More Competitive Europe (CEAP), presented in 2020, aims to:
- make all packaging reusable or recyclable by 2030
- reduce packaging waste and over-packaging
- promote packaging design for reuse and recyclability
- introduce recycled content requirements for plastic packaging
- increase the use of recycled plastics
- contribute to a more sustainable use of plastics.
The new PPWR regulates the entire life cycle of packaging and contributes to the efficient functioning of the internal market and the harmonisation of national regulations. It also prevents and reduces the negative impact of packaging and packaging waste on the environment and human health and promotes the transition to a circular economy.
Packaging is considered recyclable provided it meets two requirements: it is designed for material recycling - the resulting secondary raw materials are of better quality compared to the original material to be used as a substitute for the primary raw materials. When it becomes waste, it is collected separately and sorted into specific waste streams and does not compromise the recyclability of other waste streams. It may also be recycled on a large scale.
The new Regulation applies to all packaging placed on the market in the Union and to all packaging waste, regardless of the type of packaging or material used. Sales packaging is primary packaging, multi-packaging is secondary packaging and transport packaging is tertiary packaging.
Packaging may only be placed on the EU market if it meets the sustainability and labelling requirements set out in the new Regulation.
High quality recycling
Actions aim at increasing the use of recycled material in packaging, in particular in plastic packaging where it is very low, by strengthening high quality recycling schemes.
In high quality recycling, the recycled materials are of equal or better quality than the original. The packaging material is recycled into materials of a quality destined to packaging or other applications where the quality of the recycled material is preserved.
Packaging shall be designed and manufactured in such a way that primary raw materials are increasingly replaced by recycled materials. Increasing the use of recycled materials promotes the development of the circular economy, reduces the costs and negative environmental impacts associated with the use of primary raw materials, and enables a more efficient use of resources.
Separate collection of plastic waste has a direct and positive impact on the collection rate, the quality of the material collected and the quality of the recycled ones. It enables high quality recycling and promotes the spread of high quality secondary raw materials.
Member States shall provide in national law for effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions in case of non-compliance with this Regulation.
Source: Official Journal of the European Union