Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is a legislative proposal from November 2022 repealing the current Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. The proposal aims to harmonise rules on several aspects concerning packaging and in doing so improve its environmental performance. The presence of substances of concern, the recyclability of packaging, packaging minimisation, minimum recycled content, refilling, reuse targets, the prohibition of certain packaging formats are some among the areas covered by the proposal.  

The regulation will establish “Design for Recycling criteria” (Article 6) to assess the recyclability of packaging. It also establishes a minimum amount of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic content in packaging, to be calculated as an average per manufacturing plant and per year (Article 7). 

Specifically on cosmetics, the regulation restricts the use of single-use packaging for cosmetic products in the accommodation sector to minimise the generation of waste (Article 25). It also sets a maximum product-packaging empty space ratio and establishes that in the future a specific ratio could be identified for cosmetics packaging (Article 24). 

The regulation establishes that packaging shall bear physical labels indicating the material composition and, where applicable, the reusability of packaging. Companies can also add a label on the PCR plastic content (Article 12). 

Finally, the regulation establishes packaging minimisation rules (Article 10). To address the conflict between these and the increase in on-pack consumer information, the regulation allows the use of digital information for small packaging. 

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