Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD)
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) is the centre piece of EU legislation on packaging and packaging waste. The objectives of the Directive are to continuously improve the environmental performance of packaging and to facilitate the correct functioning of the EU Internal Market, thereby protecting the free circulation of packaging and packaged goods.
The Directive sets out recycling targets for packaging. It also contains the Essential Requirements for packaging. This aims to reduce packaging waste and puts forward design requirements that cater to a wide range of packaging materials and packaged goods.
Packaging that meets these requirements is guaranteed free circulation in the EU.
Single-Use Plastics Directive – (SUPD)
The goal of the Single-Use Plastics (SUP) Directive is to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the enviroment, and promote a transition to a circular economy.
The Directive aims to tackle marine littering and plastic waste through a legislative framework across the EU.
It introduces a number of different measures on single-use plastics products, which includes market restrictions, consumption reductions, marking requirements, mandatory recycled content and separate collections and clean-up litter costs. Some of these measures apply to single-use plastic packaging, such as certain type of food and beverage containers.
Deposit Return Schemes – (DRS)
You may have seen the term Deposit Return Scheme around lately - but what exactly does it mean?
With a DRS, you buy the contents of a bottle but only borrow the bottle. The deposit paid on top of the drink is fully refundable once the empty bottle is returned, often done through ‘reverse vending machines’, where you insert your plastic or glass bottle, and the machine returns your money. This bottle can then be recycled or reused.
By adding a value to something currently treated as worthless and ‘throwaway’, we end up viewing plastic bottles as a valuable resource and not just a one-time use object that ends up as rubbish.
ESG (Enviroment, Social & Governance)
ESG is a framework that helps stakeholders understand how an organization is managing risks and opportunities related to environmental, social, and governance criteria (sometimes called ESG factors).
Plastic Tax
This is now in force - any plastic packaging that does not contain at least 30% plastic content will be subject to the tax. This will be charged at a rate of £200 per metric tonne of plastic used.See our plastic tax information page for more information.
Some Interesting Facts
- DRS – has lead to 97% recycling rate in Germany
- UK consumers go through an estimated 13 billion plastic drinks bottles a year. More than three billion are incinerated, sent to landfill or left to pollute our streets, countryside and marine environment.
- Plastic bottles and drinks containers have a significant impact on the environment, with discarded food and drink containers making up at least a fifth of rubbish on beaches. There are over 150 million tonnes of plastic in the world’s oceans. Every year one million birds and over 100,000 sea mammals die from eating and getting tangled in plastic waste.
