The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is set to bring significant changes to how packaging is designed, used, and managed in the EU. With many of its requirements becoming mandatory by 2030, businesses must ensure their packaging meets strict recyclability, waste reduction, and recycled content targets.
These new regulations introduce both risks and opportunities. Companies that do not comply could face higher Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees, restricted market access, and reputational challenges. At the same time, businesses that act strategically can reduce costs, improve sustainability performance, and align with growing consumer and regulatory expectations.
One of the biggest hurdles to compliance is access to accurate, country-specific data on packaging end-of-life, recyclability, and EPR costs. Without reliable data, companies risk making inefficient or costly changes that may not fully align with regulatory requirements.
Understanding PPWR: the data challenge
PPWR requires businesses to demonstrate compliance across multiple areas, including:
- Recyclability performance: Packaging must meet specific recyclability criteria based on real-world sorting and recycling capabilities.
- Recycled content mandates: Businesses must ensure their packaging includes a minimum percentage of post-consumer recycled (PCR) material.
- Packaging waste reduction targets: Companies need to show progress in reducing the amount of packaging used across their supply chains.
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees: Fees are structured based on recyclability performance, incentivizing more sustainable materials.
- Deposit Return Systems (DRS): Certain packaging types, particularly beverage containers, must be designed to align with DRS requirements.
The challenge is that recyclability and waste management systems vary widely across different EU member states. The PPWR makes an important distinction in this context. By 2030, packaging must be technically recyclable, and by 2035, packaging must be recycled at scale. This means that not only do the materials and design of packaging matter, but also the waste management and technical capacity of market countries. Thus, a packaging format that may be adequately recycled in one country may not be in another, and the costs associated with compliance can shift depending on local policies and infrastructure.
For companies managing packaging across multiple markets, navigating the differences in actual recycling capacity is complex. Decision-making requires detailed, country-specific insights on waste collection, sorting capabilities, and material recovery rates — data that is difficult to access and highly fragmented.
How plastic data helps businesses achieve PPWR compliance
To effectively comply with PPWR and optimize costs, companies need to evaluate their packaging choices based on real-world recycling and regulatory conditions. This includes:
- Identifying non-compliant packaging formats early and prioritizing redesign efforts.
- Understanding EPR cost implications to avoid unnecessary financial penalties.
- Assessing the feasibility of meeting recycled content mandates, particularly for materials where supply constraints exist.
- Benchmarking packaging performance across markets to align with local regulations and collection systems.
Having the right data enables businesses to make informed, strategic decisions rather than reactive changes that may not fully address compliance needs.
Plasteax: the packaging data platform enabling smart PPWR compliance
To help businesses overcome these challenges, Earth Action provides access to detailed, country-specific plastic packaging data through Plasteax data platform. Although PPWR impacts other materials such as paper, cardboard and wood packaging, plastic packaging is a central focus of the PPWR.
Plasteax covers 73 countries and provides granular insights at the polymer and packaging format level. It helps businesses …
- Evaluate recycling performance across EU markets by providing detailed insights at the market, packaging format, and polymer level.
- Estimate the impact of EPR fees on their supply chain.
The level of detail provided in Plasteax data can ease the burden of PPWR compliance.
First, because PPWR recycling performance requirements vary by market, by polymer types and by packaging format. This includes, for instance, dealing with specific requirements for PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PS, EPS, MLP, PVC. This level of data and technical complexity is beyond what one company can feasibly manage on their own, but is available with Plasteax.
Second, EPR fees increase for packaging with lower recyclability scores, which differ by polymer. Businesses using less recyclable packaging formats will face higher costs, while those optimizing their packaging for recyclability can reduce financial exposure under the new fee modulation system. Plasteax has data at the polymer level, highlighting potential risks and opportunities for improvement.
By integrating end-of-life data for packaging into decision-making, businesses can proactively adjust packaging strategies and reduce regulatory risks.
While no single dataset can fully eliminate the complexity of PPWR compliance, having access to granular, consistent, transparent and up-to-date information can significantly improve the ability to plan and execute sustainable packaging strategies effectively.
Earth Action’s expert support: PPWR compliance with strategy and data
Beyond data, many businesses also need practical guidance on implementing packaging changes that align with regulatory requirements. Earth Action provides a range of services to support businesses in navigating PPWR, including:
Regulatory diagnostics: mapping your compliance landscape
- Assessing how PPWR requirements apply to your packaging portfolio.
- Identifying high-risk materials and formats that may need modification.
- Developing strategic roadmaps to meet 2030, 2040 and beyond targets
Sustainability strategy and eco-design
- Aligning PPWR compliance with regulatory frameworks like CSRD and national EPR schemes.
- Developing circular packaging strategies that reduce waste and improve recyclability.
- Evaluating alternative materials and design solutions for compliance and cost efficiency.
Lifecycle analysis and ESG reporting
- Conducting lifecycle assessments (LCA) to quantify packaging environmental impact.
- Supporting voluntary ESG reporting such as CDP, TNFD and GRI reporting standards.
- Benchmarking against industry best practices to strengthen sustainability performance.
- Conducting a plastic footprint to map plastic use and leakage, identifying opportunities for reduction and assessing risk (using the Plastic Footprint Network methodology)
Sustainable packaging solutions
- Assessing environmental trade-offs to ensure overall packaging sustainability (for example applying the SPHERE methodology)
- Identifying practical and optimal alternatives for sustainable packaging to fit regulatory requirements.
These services complement data-driven decision-making, helping businesses translate insights into real-world packaging solutions that balance compliance, cost, and sustainability goals.
Challenges and opportunities: making informed PPWR decisions
PPWR compliance presents both challenges and opportunities. While meeting new requirements will require significant changes in packaging design and sourcing, companies that take a proactive, data-informed approach can gain financial and competitive advantages.
Having clear, market-specific data on recyclability, EPR costs, and regulatory trends can help businesses reduce uncertainty and make more strategic decisions. Combining this with practical sustainability strategies and regulatory guidance ensures companies not only comply but also position themselves as leaders in sustainable packaging.
Earth Action provides data-driven insights through Plasteax alongside expert advisory services to help businesses navigate the PPWR transition effectively. By integrating reliable data with practical packaging solutions, companies can meet compliance requirements while improving efficiency, reducing costs, and strengthening sustainability performance.
For businesses looking to assess their compliance landscape and optimize packaging strategies, now is the time to act.
