{"id":33963,"date":"2023-08-21T08:15:16","date_gmt":"2023-08-21T07:15:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=33963"},"modified":"2023-12-13T15:03:13","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T15:03:13","slug":"building-circular-economy-plastic-packaging-waste-and-regulation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/building-circular-economy-plastic-packaging-waste-and-regulation\/33963\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a circular economy: Plastic packaging waste and regulation"},"content":{"rendered":"
In response to the scale and urgency of the EU\u2019s waste problem, the European Commission launched its final proposal on packaging and waste<\/a>, which, if accepted, will accelerate the EU\u2019s goal<\/a> to make all packaging reusable or recyclable by 2030.<\/p>\n Poor recycling rates are partly due to the many complexities of recycling certain types and applications of plastic packaging waste. The Food Packaging Forum<\/a>, for example, deems plastic food-grade packaging as having limited recyclability options.<\/p>\n Besides PET, it reports that most other plastic food packaging is either downcycled or not recycled<\/a>, citing the lack of waste collection and separation schemes and insufficient decontamination processes.<\/p>\n The EU\u2019s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation proposal, has the potential to reduce neither recyclable packaging materials nor recycled at scale and instead work towards a circular economy.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>The Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation is extensive and will transform the trajectory of packaging when passed. It introduces the following requirements:<\/p>\n Organisations may need to reconsider an extensive section of the packaging process depending on how many products require change. Imagine a brand\u2019s most popular product is no longer in suitable packaging – so as not to incur extra fees, the company will need to plan new packaging ahead of time.<\/p>\n The variety of products in the supermarket can be overwhelming for customers looking to buy an environmentally-friendly product, especially when sustainability claims are confusing or vague.<\/p>\n As the 2023 Buying Green Report<\/a> identified, nearly half of consumers (46%) say unclear labelling is a barrier to purchasing sustainably. The proposed regulations will make it easier for consumers to shop sustainably, rewarding brands that stay away from hard-to-recycle materials and encouraging additional use of easily recyclable and infinitely recyclable materials that consumers are looking for.<\/p>\n Under the proposed regulation, a certain percentage of primary, secondary, and tertiary plastic packaging waste should be reusable, with targets set for 2030 and 2040. For example, by 2040, more than 80% of cold and hot takeaway beverages filled at the point of sale should be in reusable vessels.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Though this section of regulation has received some criticism, consumers today are keen on such changes. The 2023 Buying Green Report found that 71% of consumers are already engaging in reusing activities, such as reusing shopping bags, bottles, and containers, and 80% of consumers would be interested in buying products in refillable packaging to reduce their environmental impact.<\/p>\n Eager to make an environmentally conscious choice, 71% of consumers have chosen a product in the last six months based on its sustainability credentials, showing that brands have an opportunity to drive demand while making sustainable decisions.<\/p>\n When it\u2019s passed, the regulation will make it much easier for sustainably conscious shoppers to purchase products in packaging that aligns with their values. In addition, a new proposal announced in March 2023, \u2018Directive on Green Claims\u2019<\/a>, will help consumers make informed decisions by making sustainable claims more reliable through science-back verification. Crucially, both proposals will help the consumer feel confident that the packaging is genuinely recyclable and abides by stricter regulations.<\/p>\n Above all, the packaging brands develop for their products must be durable, robust and protective as well as preserve its content, and depending on the product, the right material for this will vary.<\/p>\n However, choosing an infinitely recyclable material will be the best bet for brands looking to ensure their packaging will stand the test of time in the face of changing regulations.<\/p>\n If brands collectively shift towards infinitely recyclable options, the amount of unusable waste produced yearly will quickly fall, with circularity moving to the forefront. For example, in the case of metal, 75% of aluminium<\/a> ever produced is still in use today and steel is recorded as the most recycled material<\/a> globally.<\/p>\n We face a growing problem, with plastic packaging waste ending up incinerated, in landfill, or polluting our environment and oceans. However, this legislation marks the beginning of positive change for the EU in favour of a circular economy and the environment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Discover how the EU is reducing plastic packaging waste and making all packaging reusable or recyclable by 2030.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":33964,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24433],"tags":[24543,3365],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPutting an end to plastic packaging waste<\/h3>\n
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How will the changes affect consumers?<\/h3>\n
How will the regulation reduce pollution?<\/h3>\n