The new EU Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 has been in force since October 10, 2022, replacing the previously valid Regulation (EC) No. 282/2008. The aim is to ensure the safety of food stored in packaging made of recycled plastic. Thus, unlike the previous one, the new regulation applies to all types of plastics and recycling technologies.
Because saving resources and living sustainably: This is not just a new "trend", but an essential building block to avoid further long-term damage to our habitat.
In order to recognize the necessity of environmental protection, one basically only needs to look in the direction of our oceans and the rainforest. Both are essential for maintaining a climate that is conducive to life.
Both our oceans and the rainforest are suffering the real consequences of our modern world. A major reason for these ills is primarily the large amounts of waste produced each year and the technologies used in the past.
For us as specialists for packaging, it is therefore always a priority to expand the selection of resource-saving materials and to operate sustainably. Thus, the topic of recyclates in food packaging is also an important component for us to maintain the sustainability aspect within the scope of our product range.
Many changes come into force with the new EU regulation. These are explained in more detail in the following article.
The new EU regulation - The most important at a glance
 The new food legislation of EU Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 has set highly ambitious targets as part of the "Green Deal" regarding Recyclates in food packaging set. |
To get started, let's first take a look at the most important points of the new EU regulation take a look at.
That's because this new regulation aims to cut food waste in half by 2030 - and that's per retailer and consumer.
If waste cannot be avoided, it should at least be recyclable, thus giving it back its economic value.
Accordingly, the EU Commission's goal is that only reusable or recyclable packaging should be used by 2030. Of course, this is to be implemented in an economically viable manner.
Specifically, this means that packaging produced entirely or partially from recycled plastic that comes into contact with food may only be used after it has undergone a safety assessment.
This safety assessment is carried out by EFSA. Only after a positive evaluation and approval by the European Commission may the packaging be used.
Until now, Regulation (EC) No. 282/2008 regulated the approved processes used to recycle the materials.
Since the regulation was not applicable to all recycling technologies, this change occurred.
Thus, the new regulation already came into force on October 10, 2022. The aim of this regulation is to ensure the safety of all food packaging made from recycled plastic. This new regulation applies to all types of plastics and recycling technologies.
In addition, from July 2023, only plastics that contain at least a proportion of recycled plastic may be used.
Furthermore, as of October 10, 2024, quality assurance systems, i.e. plastic waste, must be inspected and certified by third parties in both collection and pre-processing.
This means that food packaging that has a recycled content must comply with the following regulation.
The requirements of Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011, which relates to plastic materials and articles, also includes a list of substances tested and approved for use by EFSA.
The new EU regulation - A challenge to be mastered
With our packaging, we create safety and
harmlessness for the consumer
The new EU regulation is a big challenge for the packaging industry. But we at Palamo are very happy to accept this great challenge!
We are working anyway to bring resource-saving, climate-friendly and sustainable packaging to the market.
It goes without saying that the packaging we choose to use for packaging food is safe for the consumer.
We then want to take you on a little journey into the world of food packaging and give you some basic knowledge.
 Would you like to learn more about this very complex topic? Then we are at your disposal for a personal conversation. |
Food packaging and its environmental friendliness
Now that we've covered the complex topic of food law and the new changes that come with it, let's take a look at the food packaging in use today.
We want to focus on the interesting aspect of which packaging affects climate change and to what extent.
The following points are taken into account:
- How do different packages perform in terms of non-renewable resource consumption?
- How do the different types of packaging compare in terms of pollutant emissions?
Because these two points are important factors when it comes to designing packaging that is particularly sustainable. Especially because food packaging is indispensable - because it protects the food and makes it last longer.
Different food packaging under the magnifying glass
To put it in a nutshell: Each packaging material has both advantages and disadvantages. The decisive factor here is which foods are packed in which packaging.
NABU did a study with two completely different foods: chocolate and a canned vegetable - both products were used for this study and tested for all relevant criteria.
The result: In both cases, lightweight plastic packaging performed best of all the packaging tested.
But let's also take a look at all the test results - here's how the other packaging materials fared:
Paper packaging
Since paper packaging is primarily made from renewable raw materials (wood, grass), it has a very low consumption of non-renewable resources. In this respect, they perform very well compared to other packaging.
The disadvantage of paper packaging lies in the emission of pollutants. This is because the production of paper heavily pollutes wastewater.
Compared to lightweight plastic packaging, cardboard boxes for cereal, pasta or chocolate have just as bad an impact on the climate as, for example, paper bags used to package vegetables or fruit. This is because the packaging is significantly heavier than packaging made of lightweight plastic.
However, the values change here with a lower packaging weight: In the case of on cereals and pasta, a paper bag with three times the weight of a plastic bag has a lower impact on the climate.
As you can see, choosing packaging with sustainability in mind is a very complex issue and depends on various factors.
Disposable glass
The onegglass is from ecological point of view not as climate friendly to be classified. This is due to the high CO2 and pollutant emissions. At the
However, we have to say at this point that no packaging can be named the absolute favorite in terms of sustainability due to the interplay of numerous factors. A good example is provided by the next type of packaging.
Plastic packaging
On the one hand, it performs very well, but on the other hand, its climate friendliness again depends on what food is to be packaged in it and also what type of plastic it was made from. There is plastic that can be recycled very well and other plastic that is recycled less frequently.
These include:
- PP (polypropylene) - performs well as cups or sauce packaging.
- PE (polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene) - are considered very environmentally friendly, as both are highly recyclable.
- PET (polyethylene terephthalate) - is disposed of in the yellow bag and is considered rather less environmentally friendly.
- Aluminum tube - is rather to be classified as climate-unfriendly in comparison with previously mentioned types of plastic.
Let's now switch to the topic of food law with the impressions we have gained and make a connection between new legislative changes and sustainability in the packaging industry.
Conclusion: The new EU regulation brings many changes
The new EU regulation brings strong changes: This is to ensure the safety of food packaging.
Overall, this regulation serves to protect the climate and conserves resource consumption.
The target is tightly set: By 2030, food waste in the retail sector and among consumers is to be reduced by 50 percent. This represents a major challenge.
In addition, plastics in the future are all to have a proportion of recyclates, which will save resources.
In addition to saving raw materials used in production, it also reduces emissions of pollutants and CO2.
It remains to be seen what measures companies will take to implement the requirements of the regulation!
FAQ
Question: By when should the new EU regulation be implemented as a whole
Answer: Within the next 8 years (2030) all new regulations should be implemented.
Question: Are all food packages inspected?
Answer: Yes, as the law provides for inspection by a third party. No packaging may be placed on the market without a certificate.
Question: What percentage of new food packaging must be recycled?
Answer: The higher the percentage, the more beneficial it is. However, no specific requirement is made.
