PPWR and Innovations Against Packaging Waste

The European Union generates approximately 80 million tons of packaging waste annually. The upcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) aims to reduce this amount through restrictions and requirements imposed on producers. However, many Polish companies are already implementing solutions to reduce the mass of packaging materials introduced to the market.

The PPWR, which stands for Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, is expected to come into force at the end of this year or early next year. It will serve as a sort of “constitution” for the packaging industry in the EU. Articles 10 and 24 of the PPWR regulate the mass, size, and design of packaging, which directly affect the amount of packaging produced and, consequently, packaging waste. What do these articles entail?
By January 1, 2030, manufacturers or importers must ensure that packaging is designed to minimize its mass and volume to the necessary minimum for functionality, considering its shape and material. This applies to commercial, collective, and transport packaging. Practices such as false bottoms, double walls, unnecessary layers, or other techniques that increase the visual perception of the product are contrary to these criteria. The method for assessing the minimum volume and mass required for packaging functionality will be part of the technical documentation, including test results, market analyses, or studies chosen for such assessment.
Article 24 specifies that from 2030, it will be prohibited to market collective, transport, and e-commerce packaging with an empty space ratio exceeding 50%. For example, a small package ordered online should not arrive in a huge box. The empty space ratio in commercial packaging is the difference between the total internal volume of the packaging and the volume of the product inside. Air between packaged food items or within them, as well as protective gases, are not considered empty space. Calculating the empty space ratio can be challenging, especially for products with complex shapes, so detailed methodology will be provided in implementing acts.

Photo: Pixabay

PPWR Will Require Research and Analysis
The mentioned articles require businesses to create appropriate documentation for produced packaging, described in Annex IV to the PPWR. It consists of two parts.

The first part outlines packaging performance criteria, which include eight points to be described based on research covering: product protection, packaging manufacturing processes, logistics, packaging functionality, information requirements, hygiene and safety, legal requirements, and ensuring compliance of the packaging and product with applicable regulations, as well as the content of recycled materials, recyclability, and reusability.

The second part of Annex IV details the methodology for assessing and determining the minimum volume and mass of packaging, including a description of the assessment results, providing detailed information on how the minimum required mass and volume were calculated, and an explanation of which design requirement prevents further reduction of packaging mass or volume without adversely affecting its functionality, including safety and hygiene considerations for the product, packaging, and user, based on research and analysis results.

– The overarching principle of packaging design according to the new PPWR criteria will be the minimization of excessive packaging, including mass, thickness, and volume. The requirements of Annex IV should lead to material usage levels where we still protect the product, producing optimal packaging, but also demonstrate in documentation that the design process limits the introduction of excessive and problematic packaging to the market,” explains Dr. Eng. Karolina Wiszumirska from the Department of Industrial Product Quality and Packaging at the University of Economics in Poznań, Director of Innovation at the Natureef Association. According to the PPWR draft, every packaging introduced to the market will be designed and thoroughly tested. Companies with their own research laboratories can already prepare appropriate testing procedures, methodologies, and equipment, including for strength, impact, and logistics tests, measurements, and determining parameter tolerances resulting from technological processes, says Karolina Wiszumirska. – “It is important to note that replacing one packaging material with another, such as plastic with paper, may be insufficient. If a material or solution is replaced with another material or construction, the technical documentation should include appropriately documented results and achieved benefits.

Polish Packaging Producers Respond with Innovations to PPWR

The intentions expressed in the PPWR draft are already being implemented by an increasing number of Polish packaging producers. They advise their clients to move away from double walls or false bottoms in cardboard packaging. Some clients readily adopt these changes, while others resist.

– Marketing departments have different approaches to reducing the size of their product packaging, considering shelf presentation, product perception, and sales effects. However, every new solution, which is an investment process, raises some doubts that require multi-level analysis, and the solution is to consider the benefits and find a compromise. We have examples where reducing packaging dimensions while maintaining all features has resulted in significant logistics benefits. It is important that the solution is tailored to the specific function of the packaging, says Marcin Szumigaj, R&D Manager at Akomex Group, a company specializing in the production of solid board packaging from Starogard Gdański.

Producers are also “slimming down” the material used for packaging. Recently, Pałucka Drukarnia Opakowań (PDO) created a new version of monomaterial polypropylene packaging for loose products, replacing a non-recyclable structure. Its thickness was reduced from 142 to 90 microns. This seemingly small change translates to a reduction in plastic usage by over 35%.

– It was important to maintain the original properties and barriers, such as oxygen and moisture. The packaging retained rigidity similar to the original structure and successfully passed packing tests at the client. The packaged product is now undergoing shelf life verification to determine how the change in packaging structure affects the product’s shelf life, says Marcelina Szweda, head of PDO’s Research and Development Center.

Reducing packaging waste is also supported by the appropriate choice of packaging enhancement methods. For example, instead of coating cardboard with polyethylene, a biodegradable dispersion coating can be used. This keeps the packaging recyclable while increasing its efficiency. Another idea is to use functional papers, which, unlike traditional counterparts, contain recyclable coatings and have properties previously reserved for products with plastics. However, the current barrier to introducing these solutions to the mass market is their cost.

Marcin Szumigaj points out that to reduce packaging waste, producers and retailers should change their communication with customers. Encouraging the purchase of large quantities of small portions, often bundled and in stock, leads to increased waste. Consumers also have a role to play by changing their shopping behavior and not succumbing to these marketing tactics, but rather undergoing a “shopping detox.”

– We all need to step out of our comfort zone, concludes Marcin Szumigaj.

Interdisciplinary Knowledge is Key

Polish packaging producers are preparing to meet PPWR requirements by participating in a series of webinars organized in October by the Natureef Association, which brings together leading companies, institutions, and scientific units from the packaging, food production, logistics, and recycling industries. These online meetings, which provide an opportunity to meet with experts and industry representatives, are part of a broader package of informational activities by the association to help prepare for the upcoming “constitution” of the entire packaging market. These activities include a PPWR guide published by Natureef, presentations, and ready-made informational materials that can be shared with clients. All were prepared by experts in law, materials engineering, chemistry, and the packaging market. Companies wishing to benefit from this knowledge can find detailed information on http://www.natureef.pl

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