EU takes collection of beverage containers seriously through PPWR
Amersfoort, 25 April 2024 – The EU Parliaments’ final vote and approval of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) 24 April 2024 will drive a new wave of deposit return schemes (DRS) across Europe towards 2030.
The regulation is designed to fight increasing packaging waste in the EU and reach EU targets of zero carbon emissions by 2050. As an EU regulation it has binding legal force in every EU member state. The PPWR requires all packaging to be recyclable, will minimize the presence of harmful substances, reduce unnecessary packaging, increase recycled content and improve collection and recycling through deposit return schemes.
The PPWR mandates 90% collection rates for plastic bottles and cans up to 3 liters by 1 January 2029 using mandatory deposit return schemes (DRS) unless a member state has achieved minimum 80% collection rate through a separate system in 2026 and can present a path to reach minimum 90% collection rate. The regulation mandates minimum recycled content of 25% in PET bottles by 2025 and 30% by 2030, effectively driving demand for sorted and clean material streams. With 14 of the 27 EU member states already having introduced DRS, the PPWR is expected to be a catalyst for other EU countries to adopt deposit return schemes.
“Envipco welcomes the PPWR. DRS has proven to be an efficient tool to incentivize returns and reach high collection rates in markets around the world. Reverse vending machines (RVMs) play an important role in DRS ensuring cost efficient, consumer-friendly collection of empty beverage containers. They secure clean material streams needed for recycled content in new containers. Envipco is strongly positioned to be an RVM technology provider and DRS solutions partner to ensure the smooth rollout and efficient operation of new deposit return schemes across Europe. With 13 new EU countries representing a population of more than 270 million people being mandated to introduce DRS, on top of DRS initiatives in the UK, we are eyeing vast market opportunity ahead”, says Simon Bolton, CEO of Envipco Holding N.V.
The PPWR is expected to enter into force late 2024/early 2025 after being formally adopted by the European Council and published in EU’s Official Journal. Following the EU elections in June 2024 the new EU Parliament will have to approve the provisional agreement. The regulation will apply 18 months after entering into force, implying that all 27 EU member states will have to implement the PPWR on a national level by the summer of 2026.
For further information please contact:
Simon Bolton, Group CEO
+31 33 285 1773
Mikael Clement, CSO
+47 9900 8000
EnvipcoInvestorRelations@envipco.com
