Positions

Fibre packaging designers, manufacturers, suppliers and recyclers are constantly innovating to boost recycling rates beyond the sector-leading 81% rate. But if used packaging does not make it to the right place, it can not be recycled at all. It is time for EU countries to take a stronger role in this circular ecosystem by agreeing to a more ambitious rate of used packaging collection and sorting. 

• Efficient recycling will be possible only with an efficient collection system. 

• Mandatory collection targets are crucial to ensure that fibre-based packaging is recycled at scale by 2035.

• Separate collection of paper will enhance the quality of fibres, ensure that they are kept in the loop and that materials end up in the appropriate recycling stream.

• Predictable packaging waste flows will incentivise investments in recycling infrastructure and technologies.

EU policies must be informed by the best available evidence. The Commission’s pioneering environmental footprint approach should be used in setting all targets based on reliable, verifiable and comparable information of the whole life-cycle of a packaging product.  

• There is no one-size-fits-all solution for circular packaging. Each has to be considered on its own merits with the best available evidence. 
• The Commission’s pioneering ‘environmental footprint’ approach is the best way of achieving this. It means assessing the full life cycle of a product to deliver the best overall environmental outcome. 
• In many cases, the science tells us that single-use fibre-based packaging has a better environmental performance than re-use.

It is important to set the right guidelines for industry to follow. Leaving out the industry’s own expertise in that process risks giving policymakers an incomplete picture of how best to reach the EU’s sustainability goals.  

• Design for Recycling Guidelines are technical documents that need to be evidence-based, robust and reflect state of the art. 
• The value chain is already taking action and developing expert-led solutions. 
• Input from the relevant industry stakeholders will be crucial in ensuring that criteria support rather than hinder the industry and its competitiveness. 
• CEN is best placed to develop the Design for Recycling criteria as it provides a technical and transparent process.