If packaging board is 85% recycled in Europe*, there is still room for improvement. The Confederation of European Paper Industries (Cepi) together with the International Confederation of Paper and Paperboard Converters (Citpa), the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) and the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers (Fefco) have drawn up a document on European recyclability guidelines for optimal packaging design.
These first major design rules are intended to help comply with national protocols and requirements and further strengthen industry circularity.
"Retailers and brands exploring new fibre-based solutions want to see their packaging in the recycling loop after use. With these guidelines, the paper and board value chain details what this means and requires in practice." says Ulrich Leberle, head of raw materials at the Cepi organization.
The 12-page document is available free online and explains how to "design paper-based packaging in such a way as to ensure high quality recycling by the paper industry" .
For example, when designing, if elements other than paper are essential to the packaging, it is necessary that the separation of the different materials be as simple as possible.
The document also informs about the operation of paper mills and sorting and the resulting implications for designers and producers who wish to see their packaging better recycled.
The European professional organisations would like these directives to become a reference document on the recyclability of used paper-based packaging.
"The signatories of the document hope to be a source of inspiration for innovation and the introduction of new techniques." . Widespread awareness throughout the value chain (including retailers and brands) can significantly improve the recyclability of products, they argue.
* According to Eurostat in 2016, the recycling rate for paper-based packaging was 84.8%.
