EU packaging rules take effect with limits on 'forever chemicals', plastics curbs

BRUSSELS: New EU packaging regulations will come into force on Wednesday which set EU-wide limits on PFAS, or "forever chemicals", in food-contact packaging and set targets to cut the bloc's waste, especially of oil-derived plastics.

The law revamps rules dating back to the 1990s to handle the sharp increase in packaging waste - up over 20% in the last decade - driven by online shopping and "grab and go" consumption habits.

Packaging accounts for about 40% of ‌plastic consumption ⁠in Europe, an ⁠EU official told reporters at a briefing, creating an economic dependence and vulnerability to major oil outages such as from ​the Iran war.


Europeans generate 180 kg of packaging waste per person per year, the official said. According to ​Eurostat, 35.3 kg of this waste was fossil-fuel derived plastic and only 42% was recycled in 2023.

BUILDUP OF TOXINS

The first measures apply from Wednesday and set maximum limits on PFAS. In addition, manufacturers ​must provide information that allows authorities to trace packaging back to its ⁠source if ‌concerns arise.

PFAS have been used in a range of food packaging ​from takeaway containers, bakery ​paper to pizza boxes, because of their ability to repel water or ⁠grease. Yet they are hazardous chemicals that do not degrade naturally and ​can contaminate water, air, soil and food.

Researchers have linked the buildup ​of these chemicals in humans to various forms of cancer, kidney disease, immune disorders, pregnancy complications and developmental problems in infants.

KEY WASTE TARGETS IN 2030

In 2028, a new EU-wide labelling system will apply for waste-sorting to improve efficiency, but the law's most significant measures will not be applied until 2030.

The EU aims to cut waste by 5% by 2030 and 15% by 2040 compared with 2018 ‌levels. And it is also taking measures to control the export of waste.

A new EU law regulating plastic waste exports came into effect in May with ​the aim to ​ensure it is handled ⁠sustainably. Much of the EU's plastic waste has been exported to third countries for decades - and often dumped.

Other key measures include that packaging must be recyclable in an "economically viable way", as well as ​setting reuse targets, bans on some single-use formats, a threshold on "empty space" in packages, packaging-waste reduction targets, and mandatory deposit-return schemes for cans and plastic bottles.

The EU official said non-compliant products should not be immediately removed and member states should issue warnings rather than penalties to give companies time to fix problems.

Later this year, the Commission will launch a consultation on harmonised labels to help consumers sort packaging waste.