Guide supports producers in making informed design choices för plastic packaging

Packaging design is essential to meet the requirements of the PPWR, and from 2030 non‑recyclable plastic packaging will no longer be an option. However, much remains unclear, making it difficult for producers to make future‑proof design choices.

Näringslivets Producentansvar, together with six other European producer responsibility organisations*, has developed the guide Design for Recycling: No Regrets, which aims to support the design of plastic packaging while aligning with the upcoming requirements of the PPWR.

– Most stakeholders have realised that changes to their packaging will be necessary, but they are unsure what to change or how. At the same time, no one wants to risk starting too late. Producers and manufacturers need guidance on what they can do here and now. The guide provides a framework to work with while awaiting the secondary legislation that will govern detailed design guidelines, says Love Pallon, Materials Specialist at Näringslivets Producentansvar.

Design for Recycling: No Regrets provides an understanding of how plastic packaging will be assessed under the PPWR. It also indicates what material choices and combinations are likely to be considered “good” and “unsuitable” after 2030. The content outlines a number of packaging solutions for which there is already consensus today, based on a comparison of plastic packaging design guidelines from RecyClass, Cotrep and the forthcoming plastics standard (EN 18120).

– With this guide, we and our European colleagues want to help the market to start preparing for the future. Even though not everything is finalised, there is already a considerable amount of information to take into account. The first step is to identify and document the individual components contained in a company’s packaging. By studying Design for Recycling: No Regrets, the market can gain an understanding of design choices where there is consensus on recyclability and where we do not expect the assessment to change. Today, we see a significant overlap between the green category on the No Regrets list and the green fee level in our plastic packaging criteria, says Love Pallon.

It is high time for producers and manufacturers to begin mapping their plastic packaging. Although every package starts in the design phase, many more functions than just the design team will be affected by the forthcoming legislation.

Download Design for Recycling: No Regrets

 

*Verpact (Netherlands), Fost Plus and Valipac (Belgium), Citeo (France), Valorlux (Luxembourg) and Grønt Punkt Norge (Norway)

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Six examples from Design for Recycling: No Regrets

1. Start documenting your packaging components: Document which material combinations, e.g. barriers, adhesives, labels and associated components your packaging contains.
2. Follow the future “traffic light” system for design guidelines: Read Design for Recycling: No Regrets to gain an understanding of the design guidelines where consensus exists between RecyClass, Cotrep and the new plastics standard (EN 18120). Where there is consensus on green and red ratings, we do not expect drivers for changes in assessment under the PPWR.
3. Prioritise compatibility for packaging with multiple components: For packaging made up of several parts – such as a bottle with a cap, a tray with a lidding film or a film with a barrier – packaging designers should focus on ensuring that each individual component is compatible with the dominant packaging material. This helps ensure efficient recycling and prevents contamination or disruption of recycling streams.
4. Minimise inks, adhesives, barriers and coatings: Even when using materials classified as green, excessive amounts of additional components can reduce the quality of the recycled material and lower overall recyclability.
5. Ensure sortability: The use of full‑coverage sleeves or carbon black (carbon black pigment) can interfere with sorting using NIR scanners, preventing packaging from being directed into the correct recycling stream.
6. Involve suppliers: The guide enables action and changes to packaging design already today. Design changes require collaboration – start involving your suppliers and set requirements for the compatibility of packaging components.