Positions
The Europe moulded fiber packaging market is forecast to account for 2.5 bn EUR in 2023 and further accelerate at 5.7% annual growth to attain a valuation of 4.4 billion EUR by 2033.
The key factor for driving this market forward is a rising demand for eco-friendly and sustainable packaging solutions from various end use industries such as food and beverages, healthcare, cosmetics, and electronics.
The second key driver will be voluntary waste-reduction commitments by industry and the implementation of new regulations both at the EU and Member State level.
At a consumer level, this material can be treated as bio-waste and either be composted domestically or converted by a professional waste management organisation into high-quality recycled pulp. The quality of the secondary feedstock is ensured through the integrity of a closed-loop collection system.
By minimising the risk of contamination by harmful substances, the original feedstock can be recycled and reused multiple times, thereby maximising its value creation.
To achieve these goals, EMPPA advocates the following positions
(in order of priority):
1.
Standardisation of packaging materials produced from recycled paper and pulp, agricultural secondary feedstock, and natural biomaterials.
2.
Introduction effective policy incentives to promote sustainable packaging products made from recycled paper and pulp, agricultural secondary feedstock, and natural biomaterials.
3.
Facilitate the integration of these materials into existing paper and bio-waste collection and recycling streams.
4.
Harmonise and simplify rules for Food-Contact-Materials (FCM) across the EU, including fiber, paper and barrier materials, to ensure that recycled FCM are as safe as virgin materials.
5.
Set clear rules for data requirements and the information transfer throughout the supply chain, including a declaration of compliance for all FCMs.
6.
Extend the EU Ecolabel scheme to fiber-based moulded pulp packaging products to certify environmental excellence, based on a full Lifecycle Assessment.
Position Paper
In this position paper, EMPPA advocates a EU regulatory framework that enables moulded pulp products made of annual plants and recycled paper and cardboard to replace highy polluting plastic packaging material by sustainable solutions at industrial scale.
