The regulatory framework, being the first of its kind regarding transport packaging, is driven by a range of key points geared towards realising certain outcomes and impacts, such as driving down the cost of waste management, raising the recycling rate of packaging materials and decreasing the dependence on new raw materials. The aspirations are measured by improved recycling efficiencies, mandatory targets for recycled content, and the stipulation that Forging regulatory harmony and standardisation is fundamental to overcoming uncertainties and fragmentation in the domestic market. The launch period for this proposal runs from 2023 to 2027, with full-scale implementation to commence thereafter, followed by a review of measures eight years post-implementation.
This proposal draws its rationale from the impact assessment carried out by the European Commission with a view to trimming down the net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by no less than 55% by 2030. The reduction objective is in alignment with the Paris Agreement’s aspiration to restrict global warming to below 2°C and strive to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
The ambit of this regulation is extended to cover all packaging marketed in the EU, including imported packaging, except for certain medical packaging. Member states must guarantee that, by 2030, no less than 70% (by weight) of all packaging is recycled, with bespoke targets set for specific materials. They must also ensure that, by 2025, the weight of packaging waste per capita does not exceed the 2022 levels.
The proposal encompasses an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, whereby producers must chip in towards the expenses of managing packaging waste, such as its collection, sorting, and treatment. The fees paid by producers must be in proportion to the environmental impact of their packaging, and EPR schemes should fully cover the cost of waste management.
Producers are also exhorted to design packaging that is reusable, recyclable, or compostable. The regulation has a raft of provisions that promote eco-design, such as the requirement for minimum recycled content for specific packaging types.
The overarching objective of this proposal is to transition towards a circular economy where packaging is intended to be reused and recycled, with waste minimized and resources used more efficiently.
As a packaging manufacturer, Corplex recognises its obligation of responsibility and is pleased to offer its expertise to assist its customers in attaining the targeted objective of reducing superfluous packaging and promoting a circular economy by 2030. We hereafter affirm Corplex’s vision of accelerating the shift to a circular economy and its mission to work hand-in-hand with our clients to devise efficient reusable packaging solutions to reduce the impact of their business activities on the environment.
