Eltete and the environment celebrate the PPWR: The EU's New Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
At Eltete, we are celebrating and fully supporting the new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which marks a major stride toward sustainability within the packaging industry.
As one of the leading manufacturers of sustainable transport packaging materials and solutions, we believe in the power of packaging to protect, promote, and preserve the products our customers ship worldwide every day. But with this power comes responsibility – responsibility to the environment and future generations, and that is why sustainability has always been at the heart of our operations for over 50 years and is guided by our principle: 3R-Reduce, Replace, Recycle.
The key goals of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
The regulation aims to tackle constantly growing waste, “harmonise internal market rules” and boost the circular economy. In short, the key goals are:
1 - Minimizing Packaging Waste Generation
2 - Enhancing High-Quality Recycling
3 - Adopting Unified Regulations
By instituting consistent regulations across the EU regarding labelling, void space, and mandatory recycled content, the PPWR seeks to create a level playing field where uniform rules apply to all, promoting fairness and coherence throughout the EU market.
Producers hold the responsibility of reducing environmental impact
One of the key pillars of the regulation is extended producer responsibility (EPR), which holds producers accountable for the environmental impact of their packaging. At Eltete, we wholeheartedly embrace this principle. We believe that as cardboard packaging producers, we have a responsibility to minimize waste, promote recycling, and reduce our environmental footprint throughout the lifecycle of our products.
As we recognize the urgent need to address the environmental impact of packaging waste and embrace a more circular approach to packaging design and production, we are continuously taking proactive steps to ensure that our packaging solutions comply with the requirements of the regulation. This includes:
1 - Eco-design
By designing packaging that is recyclable, and compostable, we are reducing the environmental impact of our products and promoting a circular economy.
2 - Minimizing waste
We are committed to reducing the amount of packaging waste generated by our products. This includes optimizing packaging sizes and weights to minimize material usage, as well as exploring innovative packaging solutions that eliminate the need for unnecessary packaging components.
3 - Promoting recycling
3 - Collaboration
The sustainable change doesn’t need to be challenging
Expected to take effect in early summer 2024, the PPWR regulation will be gradually implemented over 18 months and will certainly affect many businesses. Operators and stakeholders covered by the regulation should prepare diligently, ensuring alignment with its definitions and other relevant legislation.
The change may be challenging for some businesses. That is why companies must start cooperating with responsible suppliers who can understand, advise, and guide them on sustainable practices to comply with new regulations and those to come.
At Eltete, sustainability is not just a buzzword – it’s a core value that guides everything we do.
Join us on this journey towards a greener, more sustainable future. #GoGreen
