According to the European Parliament, each person living in the EU generated 36.1 kg of plastic packaging waste on average in 2021 (the total plastic waste produced in the EU in 2021 was 16.13 million metric tons). The volume of plastic packaging waste generated per inhabitant increased by about 29% (+8.1 kg per person) between 2010 and 2021, and while EU countries have been recycling more plastic waste (6,56 million metric tons of plastic waste in total were recycled in 2021), they also generate more of it. As a part of the European Green Deal, 55% of plastic packaging waste must be recycled by 2030. In order to contribute to reaching the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement objectives, and the EU’s industrial policy objectives, encouraging packaging eco-conception and other innovative circular plastic-free solutions for packaging among EU countries is key.
The new rules for more sustainable packaging in the EU include: less packaging and restricting certain packaging formats; banning the use of “forever chemicals”; encouraging reuse and refill options for consumers; recyclable packaging; and better waste collection and recycling. These efforts are aimed at transforming the packaging value chain to reduce its ecological footprint and meet consumers’ growing expectations in terms of sustainability.
The second priority of CESAM focuses on packaging, namely the eco-design of sustainable packaging to reduce environmental impact. This topic includes the reduction or elimination of the use of plastic in packaging, the use of new materials (such as compostable and biodegradable materials), or circular packaging solutions.