Global Regulations on Plastic Packaging Waste

Regional and national regulations governing the recycling of packaging waste are under constant revision, and there are differences in the requirements down to the level of provinces and municipalities.

Around the World – Existing and Proposed Regulations

The EU is currently revising its Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) to be in line with the subsequent Circular Economy Package. Currently, the legislation set a target of recycling 55% of plastic waste by 2030. On January 1, 2021, the EU implemented a non-recycled plastic waste tax of €0.85 per kilogram on the Member States calculated according to the weight of non-recyclable plastics packaging used. The tax is expected to cost the Member States €7 billion annually.

On February 10, 2020, France introduced a law setting a goal of recycling 100% of plastics by 2025. Also, under the UK Finance Act of 2021, packaging containing less than 30% recycled content will be taxable at £200 per ton, putting the cost of managing packaging waste on big users who can influence packaging design.

In 2021, bills mandating packaging producer responsibility for packaging waste were proposed in 7 states in the USA.

Of 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, 18 have plastics regulations designed to reduce superfluous plastics packaging and increase recycling.

In 2022, Vietnam revised the Law on Environmental Protection, making producers and importers of packages responsible for collecting waste for post-use recycling at volumes determined by recycling rates, the recycling target, and the environmental impact of their package type.

A Clear Trend Toward Recyclability

Despite the numerous differences in the existing and proposed legislation, a clear trend can be observed. Plastic packaging unsuitable for recycling will have to be replaced by new recyclable formulations to meet these ambitious goals.