There is a heightened ambition in both national legislation and the upcoming EU legislation PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) which, if implemented according to the proposal, will contribute to significantly better conditions for reaching the material recycling targets. Among other things, all packaging must within a number of years either be reusable or recyclable, in order to be allowed on the market.
– We see that many producers now are acting to be able to meet future requirements, which is very positive. Development and stricter legislation should pave the way for big steps closer to the material recycling goals, but we also see a number of challenges as a result of the regulations that we want to address, says Henrik Nilsson, Head of Business Development and Community Contacts at NPA.
As a producer responsibility organization, the main priority for Näringslivets Producentansvar is to work to increase the material recycling of packaging, and to drive the development towards more high-quality recycling and circular material flows. It is our responsibility to ensure that our producers’ packaging is collected, handled and recycled, and the producer’s responsibility is to meet the requirements of legislation. We offer support to producers in everything related to producer responsibility, for example environmental monitoring of upcoming legislation, technology development linked to recycling processes and materials, design manuals and advice on issues related to packaging development.
Three packaging trends
Sweden has not yet reached the material recycling targets for paper and plastic, and new legislation sets higher requirements. Developments in recent months show a trend in moving from plastic and metal packaging to packaging in composite materials and towards more bio-based plastic materials – changes that do not always go in line with legal requirements.
1. From plastic to composite materials
We are seeing more and more shifts where producers go from packaging in plastic to packaging that contains several different types of material. It is positive from the point of view that it reduces the amount of plastic, something that is required by legislation, but composite packaging is more difficult to recycle than mono-material packaging. They also often weigh more, which goes against the requirement for reduced packaging quantities.
– In addition to the fact that material recycling is complex, the capacity for such recycling is also limited. Approximately half of the liquid cardboard that is collected today is extracted for energy. Over time, this will likely change, for example through improved conditions for investments in additional capacity, says Henrik Nilsson.
2. From conventional plastic to biodegradable and compostable plastics
We are also seeing a movement towards more plastic packaging that is biodegradable and/or compostable. They are often presented as sustainable and environmentally friendly alternatives, which may be true if the packaging is collected in separate streams to be handled properly.
No options for separate recycling
Products that are certified as biodegradable or compostable are often designed to be processed in industrial biological processes or industrial composts, respectively. Today, there is a lack of collection systems and treatment to handle biodegradable and compostable plastic consumer packaging on an industrial scale in Sweden. This type of packaging can therefore not be recycled.
– Biodegradable or compostable plastic is designed to break down, which goes against the ambition of circular flows. It is also not permitted for households to compost packaging, they must be source sorted and handed over to the municipality’s collection system, says Einar Ahlström, materials specialist at NPA.
Similar to other packaging that is placed on the Swedish market, producers must account for and report this packaging as well, and pay a packaging fee for it. Biodegradable and compostable packaging is incinerated, which means that the circular flows do not occur and the material recycling rate is negatively affected.
– From a material recycling point of view, it is therefore better today to use a recycled or newly produced plastic raw material that can be recycled, which contributes to a higher material recycling rate for plastic packaging, says Einar Ahlström.
The producer needs to take responsibility for the entire lifetime of the packaging
Biodegradable or compostable plastic packaging can appear in marketing as a solution to the problem of littering and a more environmentally friendly choice than conventional plastic, but from a sustainability perspective, they generally have a greater environmental impact than packaging that can be circularly recycled.
Consumers’ wishes and demands are a strong influencing factor when producers review the material choices. They are becoming more aware and want to be able to make sustainable and environmentally conscious choices when they buy packaged products, but do they have the right prior knowledge and conditions to decide that?
When choosing a packaging solution, it is important that the producer takes into account the packaging’s entire lifespan and takes responsibility for the material being recycled when it has served its purpose.
3. From metal to composite materials
– The packaging regulation aims at reduced resource consumption and increased material recycling of packaging. Unfortunately, we see that the requirement for collection close to the property for all types of material will lead to unreasonably high collection costs for metal packaging, because the collection volumes are small, says Henrik Nilsson.
Sharply increased costs risk leading to producers switching from circular and fully recyclable metal packaging to smaller, or non-recyclable, composite packaging, such as liquid cartons, for cost reasons. It is a development that risks replacing metal as a packaging material altogether.
The legislation aims for Sweden to reach the recycling targets, but the above trends risk leading to a development where we get further away from them.