All about the PPWR
The EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR) officially enters into force on Tuesday, 11th February. Currently, roughly 40% of plastics used in the EU are for packaging, and in 2021, each EU resident generated approximately 36.1 kg of plastic packaging waste—an increase of 8.1 kg (29%) compared to the previous decade.
First adopted in late 2022, this legislation amends and replaces the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62/EC (PPWD) of 1994. The general date of application for the PPWR will be 12th August 2026, 18 months after its entry into force, at which point the PPWD will be officially repealed.
Both the PPWD and PPWR regulate packaging placed on the EU market while introducing packaging waste management and prevention measures.
Key Elements
According to the European Commission, key elements of the new legislation include:
"Restrictions on certain single-use plastics, such as pre-packed fruit and veg weighing less than 1.5 kg and individual portions of condiments, sauces, and sugar in hotels, bars and restaurants.
Minimising the weight and volume of packaging and avoiding unnecessary packaging.
2030 and 2040 targets for a minimum percentage of recycled content in packaging.
A requirement for take-away businesses to offer customers the option to bring their own containers at no extra cost.
Minimising substances of concern, including restrictions on packaging containing per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) if they exceed certain thresholds.”
This legislation will affect a wide range of businesses, including packaging manufacturers, e-commerce platforms, and retailers and distributors, among others. It covers materials and packaging for commercial, household, and industrial use. It covers commercial, household, and industrial packaging materials, meaning its impact will be felt across multiple sectors. As a result, its implementation and long-term effects will be closely monitored across Europe.
Why Does Packaging Waste Matter?
Properly managing and reducing packaging waste is essential for achieving many of the EU’s environmental goals, including five of the six objectives of the EU Taxonomy:
Climate Change Mitigation – Plastics accounted for approximately 3.4% of global emissions in 2019, including emissions from production and disposal.
Protection of Water and Marine Resources – Around half of marine litter comes from packaging waste.
Transition to a Circular Economy – The EU’s packaging waste recycling rate has stagnated at around 64–65% for over 15 years, with plastic packaging at only 40.7%.
Pollution Prevention and Control – Both plastic and paper-based packaging have been found to contain hazardous and carcinogenic chemicals, such as PFAS, according to the Environmental Defense Fund and Zero Waste Europe.
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Protection – Paper-based packaging remains the most widely used packaging material in the EU and is a major driver of deforestation in Europe and beyond, according to the European Environmental Bureau.
Beyond Material Substitution: The Need for Systemic Change
The sustainability of single-use packaging is not determined solely by material choice. As Marco Musso, Senior Policy Officer for Circular Economy at the European Environmental Bureau, explains:
“This study sounds the alarm on the false solutions of substituting one single-use material for another... To credibly prevent waste EU decision-makers must focus on restricting avoidable packaging while promoting efficient and convenient reuse systems.”
The PPWR—with its obligations to minimise excessive packaging and reduce hazardous substances—is a significant step forward in achieving the EU’s environmental objectives. However, it is just one piece of the puzzle.
For example, packaging is a key component of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, which go further by placing the onus on producers to manage the waste they generate and introduce into the market.
Next steps
To learn more about how EFF can help you register your packaging and packaging waste with your local EPR system, contact us!
For further details on the legislation, you can read the full Regulation 2025/40 here.
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Author: Marie Gomersall, Sustainability Expert at EFF
Sources:
- “Beyond paper: PFAS linked to common plastic packaging used for food, cosmetics, and much more”). Tom Neltner for the Environmental Defense Fund. (2021
- “How much of global greenhouse gas emissions come from plastics?” Hannah Ritchie for Our World in Data. (2023).
- “Packaging Waste”. European Commission (n.d.)
- “Packaging waste statistics”. Eurostat. (2024).
- “Paper-based food packaging at the centre of Europe’s waste crisis, new report reveals”. Abou-Chleih for the European Environmental Bureau. (2023).
- “Plastic Waste and Recycling in the EU: Facts and Figures”. European Parliament. (2018/2024).
- “41% of plastic packaging waste recycled in 2022”. Eurostat. (2024).