The European Union has approved the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), a regulation that marks an important step towards a more circular and sustainable economy. This new legislative framework aims to ensure that all packaging sold in the EU is recyclable by 2030 and recycled on a large scale by 2035.

Unlike European directives, which each country adapts to its legislation, the PPWR is a regulation that is directly applicable to all Member States. This allows the establishment of common and harmonised criteria throughout the European Union, reducing differences between countries and facilitating more efficient management of packaging waste.

The regulation places special emphasis on improving selective collection systems and increasing recycling rates. In this context, permanent materials such as steel for the manufacture of metal packaging play a key role thanks to their infinite recyclability and the existence of consolidated recycling circuits with a percentage of 90%.

The regulation also reinforces the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a system that establishes that each material assumes the real costs of collecting, sorting and recycling its waste. This measure seeks to ensure a more transparent, balanced and efficient model, avoiding imbalances between materials.

In addition, the PPWR is committed to “Design for Recycling” criteria, promoting packaging designed from the start to facilitate its recovery and reuse. This approach will encourage innovation and contribute to reducing the environmental impact of the packaging sector.

The steel packaging industry considers this regulation an opportunity to continue moving towards a real circular economy, based on recyclable materials, efficient recovery systems and shared environmental objectives at a European level.

At Boixadós we already offer responsible metal packaging solutions, aligned with the new environmental challenges and the sustainability demands of the future.