More packaging should become packaging again
An important part of our work is to help shape a well-functioning extended producer responsibility system for packaging. We monitor decision-making processes, spread knowledge and co-operate with others to support the transition to a circular economy. With the right reforms, Sweden can reach the recycling targets.
Five reform areas
In a resource-efficient society and circular economy, every packaging item is handled correctly throughout the entire chain. We are not there yet. It does not look like Sweden will reach the packaging recycling targets for 2030, but we are convinced that the targets can be achieved – provided that we all do more.
Näringslivets Producentansvar has therefore developed 19 reform proposals aimed at enabling Sweden to meet the EU targets for material recycling of packaging. They can be implemented by actors in Sweden, primarily through legislative changes, budget initiatives and actions from public authorities. The proposals are based on the distribution of responsibility that is established in legislation.
They are divided into five reform areas, which we consider priority areas for improved target fulfilment and a well-functioning producer responsibility system.
Priority areas
- Eliminate free-riding
- Make it easier for households and businesses to sort their waste
- Clarify responsibilities and boundaries within the waste system
- Increase societal investments in circular infrastructure
- Increase research funding for circular packaging design
19 reform proposals
NPA proposes:
- That the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency be given permanent and sufficient funding to supervise free‑riders.
- That the sanction fee be linked to the producer’s turnover and raised to a level that has a deterrent effect.
- That the state assumes financial responsibility for the waste generated by free‑riders.
NPA proposes:
- That the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency be tasked with carrying out a broad national information campaign aimed at households, in order to increase their knowledge of and incentives for sorting at source, and to encourage behavioural change.
- That legislation introduce a target for how much packaging each municipality must collect. If the target is not met, the municipality should be required to produce an action plan.
- That the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency be tasked with implementing a monitoring model that identifies obstacles and disseminates cost‑effective solutions for household sorting and municipal collection.
- That the quality of the collected material be prioritised in future changes to the fractions in property‑close collection systems.
Businesses
- That responsible authorities, both municipal and national, increase their supervision of businesses’ sorting at source and handling of packaging waste.
- That fees for businesses that do not comply with requirements for sorting waste at source, including packaging waste, be set at a deterrent level.
- That public procurement impose higher quality requirements on the sorting and collection of packaging waste, particularly in construction projects.
NPA proposes:
- That legislation introduce clear quality requirements for the material handed over to producer responsibility organisations, whether it comes from transfer stations, post‑sorting facilities, or is delivered to collection points for businesses. Producer responsibility organisations should have the right to refuse material that contains less than an established proportion of packaging waste.
- That the government assign the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency the task of establishing a compensation model for the fraction of waste received by producer responsibility organisations that is not packaging.
- That the compensation model for municipalities’ curb side-collection be reviewed to ensure it incentivises cost‑efficient collection.
- That the requirement for municipal collection at popular locations be defined based on an assessment of socio‑economic benefit, and supplemented with requirements for educational communication from municipalities.
NPA proposes:
- That the government introduce a technology‑neutral investment support scheme to scale up the production of recycled material.
- That the government investigate the conditions for policy instruments to adjust the price balance between primary and secondary plastic raw material at the highest international level.
NPA proposes:
- That targeted government research funding be allocated to the development of materials that are more recyclable, as well as to technologies and systems for efficient sorting, logistics, separation and material recycling.
- That government research funding also be directed towards innovation in areas related to behaviours and systems that facilitate reuse and reduce the use of single‑use packaging.
- That targeted government funding be used for competence‑building measures across the value chain of the plastics industry, enabling new material requirements to be applied from design through to production.
Report
The recycling targets - how do we reach them?
What is required for Sweden to reach the recycling targets for packaging, and what conditions do the different actors need in order to succeed? Failure to reach the targets could have major consequences, particularly for the climate but also for Sweden’s economy.
The report ”Återvinningsmålen för förpackningar 2030 – hur når vi dem?” (”Packaging recycling targets for 2030 – how do we reach them?” analyses whether Sweden can meet the EU targets for 2030, based on measures already implemented and those still to come.
In addition to providing an overall picture of Sweden’s progress, the report also outlines the pathway forward to achieving the targets.
The report was produced by the sustainability consultancy 2050 Consulting on behalf of Näringslivets Producentansvar.
Packaging in the EU
NPA is involved in the work on EU packaging laws – both on its own and together with our European organisation EXPRA. Producer responsibility organisations from all over Europe collaborate here and through EXPRA we have a presence in Brussels. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regudlation (PPWR) comes with great amounts of detailed rules to be decided, and at the same time work is underway on the development of the EU circular economy.
The latest consultation responses
Consultation response: How Swedish alignment with the PPWR can improve recycling
Näringslivets Producentansvar has submitted proposals to the Government Offices to improve quality, increase collection rates and ensure that more producers take responsibility for packaging waste.
Consultation response to memorandum on reforming waste legislation
The memorandum “Reform of waste legislation for increased material recycling and for a more circular economy” contains proposals for a reformed and modernized waste legislation with the aim of preventing waste and increasing material recycling so that Sweden can achieve the goals set by the EU in this area. The proposed amendments to the constitution will enter into force on 1 January 2026. Näringslivets Producentansvar is one of many consultation bodies and we have now submitted our consultation response.
Consultation response on littering fees and regulations that determine the size of the product fee
Producer responsibility for packaging includes contributing to reduced littering. The littering regulation establishes the financial responsibility of the producers concerned.
Debate and responses
Comment: Pointless to shift the bill for plastic
NPA wants Sweden’s plastic levy to the EU to decrease. Therefore, we also want to nuance the picture of the proposal put forward by Avfall Sverige and Fastighetsägarna in an opinion piece in Dagens Industri on 5 December.
Comment: New statistics make it difficult to track the development of recycling
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s new 2024 recycling statistics for packaging show record-high levels — but the change is not due to actual improvements, but rather to a new calculation method. This means that this year’s figures cannot be compared with previous years, making it more difficult to monitor Sweden’s recycling performance.
Response: The Efficiency of Municipalities Determines the Cost of Collection
The cost per collected kilo and the volume of collected packaging vary significantly between municipalities, writes Henrik Nilsson from Näringslivets Producentansvar in a response in Dagens Samhälle.
Contact
Henrik Nilsson
Head of Marketing & Public Affairshenrik.nilsson@npa.se070-620 72 23
Axel Naver
Sustainability & Public Policy Expertaxel.naver@npa.se076-112 28 68
Our role
We strive for a resource-efficient society where materials circulate and retain their value.
As a producer responsibility organisation, Näringslivets Producentansvar is responsible for preventing, managing and recycling packaging waste of all material types, from both households and businesses. Through the packaging fee, our affiliated producers also finance the municipal collection system, as well as collection points for business packaging waste. Our operations should contribute to Sweden achieving the recycling targets for packaging, as well as the targets for reduced littering. Through our advisory services, we work to ensure that our affiliated producers increase the proportion of recyclable and reusable packaging and prevent waste.