Packaging and waste legislation
Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD)
The beverage carton industry continuously strives to reduce the environmental impact of its products by taking a long-term and life-cycle approach. During design, the manufacturers comply with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) standards, and have solid quality management programmes in place to meet the essential requirements of the packaging directive 94/62/EC.
At the other end of the life-cycle, ACE member companies are actively implementing recycling programmes throughout Europe. In 2009, the recycling rate hit 34% (340,000 tons recycled), thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 315,000 tons of CO2. With another 30% of collected cartons being used for energy, two-thirds of used beverage cartons are now being recovered (see recycling section).
In more detail – Directive on Packaging & Packaging Waste
The Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 94/62/EC, amended by Directive 2004/12/EC) sets out a number of measures to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on the environment, and to ensure the functioning of the Internal Market.
It contains provisions aimed at preventing packaging waste, encouraging its re-use and setting the following national targets for its recovery and recycling:
- By the end of 2008, a minimum of 60% of packaging waste to be recovered or incinerated with energy recovery
- By the end of 2008, between 55 and 80% of packaging waste to be recycled
- By the end of 2008, minimum recycling targets for packaging made from different materials:
Minimum mandatory legal requirements
Directive 94/62/EC also lays down a set of minimum mandatory requirements designed to reduce the environmental impact of packaging and avoid “over-packaging”. The Directive also sets limits for heavy metals content in packaging. Specific requirements are designed for the manufacturing and composition of packaging; and for the reusable and recoverable nature of packaging. Packaging that does comply with the essential requirements and heavy metals limits should be guaranteed free access throughout the EU internal market.
For beverage cartons, these mandatory requirements demand that they:
- Are made from responsibly managed materials
- Are designed in order to optimise resource use and minimise environmental impacts along the life cycle
- Are designed to be effective and safe throughout its life cycle
- Meet market criteria for performance and cost
- Meet consumer choice and expectations, and
- Are recovered in packaging waste collection and recycling schemes after use
To help companies comply with these requirements, The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has developed specific standards. The CEN Standards on packaging and the environment were formally recognised by the European Commission in 2005, as suitable to demonstrate compliance with the Essential Requirements.
Waste Framework Directive
The EU has recently revised its waste legislation and adopted a new Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC was recently adopted. This Directive establishes a framework for the management of waste across the European Union.
The revised Directive contains a number of new definitions, sets targets for reuse and recycling, and includes a requirement for Member States (MS) to prepare waste prevention programmes.
It specifies a ‘hierarchy’ of waste management options to which Member States, through their policies and legislation, should give preference as follows:
- Waste prevention
- Reuse
- Recycling
- Other forms of recovery
- Disposal (i.e. landfill or incineration without energy recovery) as the least favoured option.
However, Member States may depart from this hierarchy when defining policies on specific waste streams if it makes environmental sense to do so (in accordance with life-cycle assessments).
The Directive must be transposed by the Member States before 12 December 2010. Some key elements of the Directive will be defined in parallel under the comitology procedure.