Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has drafted a decree under which shopping malls, supermarkets, hotels and tourist sites could no longer give away non-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastic items, which customers would pay for instead of an outright ban in 2026. The draft would halt production and import of plastic straws, cutlery and styrofoam food containers, and of non-biodegradable bags thinner than 30 microns, from 2031, and set minimum recycled content of 10% for certain plastic packaging and 20% for paper packaging.
Why this mattersA recycled-content mandate and 2031 plastics phase-out in Vietnam would force packaging converters and brand owners serving the market to shift material and sourcing strategies.
- The draft decree would end free distribution of non-biodegradable bags and single-use plastics at malls, supermarkets, hotels and tourist sites, instead of a full ban in 2026
- Production and import of plastic straws, knives, spoons, forks and styrofoam food containers would stop from 2031
- The deadline for thin non-biodegradable plastic bags would be pushed back five years to 2031
- The bag thickness threshold would fall to under 30 micrometres from under 50, and the size criterion would be removed
- Plastic packaging for beverages, food, carrier bags and goods transport would need at least 10% recycled content; paper packaging at least 20%
- The draft revises the roadmap set in Decree No. 08/2022/ND-CP
A recycled-fibre kraft paper mill under construction in Giurgiu, Romania, is about 60% built and due to start in 2028, at an estimated cost of EUR 80-90m (USD 89-101m), businessman Vladimir Cohn said. Planned capacity is 120,000-130,000 tonnes a year of kraft paper from recovered paper, aimed at bags that replace plastic in retail; about 60% of output is earmarked for export to other European markets.
Why this mattersThe plant would add Romania's first domestic capacity for recovered-fibre kraft paper used in plastic-replacement bags, supplying both local and export demand.
- Investment estimated at EUR 80-90m (USD 89-101m)
- Construction about 60% complete, with completion targeted for 2028
- Annual capacity planned at 120,000-130,000 tonnes of kraft paper made from recovered paper
- Expected to create 150-200 jobs
- About 60% of output earmarked for export to Europe, 40% for the Romanian market
- Financing is a mix of own funds and bank credit, according to businessman Vladimir Cohn
Oak Ridge National Laboratory has launched the Center for Research and Advancement of Forest Product Technologies (CRAFT), a national initiative joining national laboratories, universities and more than 50 companies to develop and commercialise new pulp, paper and packaging technologies. The programme is based in East Tennessee and aims to make US paper and packaging manufacturing more cost-competitive and help reverse mill closures in the region.
Why this mattersA federally backed research consortium spanning over 50 companies could accelerate new fibre-based packaging technologies and reshape the competitiveness of US paper mills.
- CRAFT (Center for Research and Advancement of Forest Product Technologies) was launched by Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
- The initiative involves multiple national laboratories, universities and more than 50 participating companies.
- CRAFT is led nationally by director Dan Coughlin.
- The programme is based in East Tennessee, citing regional forest resources and research infrastructure including the University of Tennessee.
- Stated goals include commercialising next-generation paper and fibre packaging products, such as e-commerce packaging used by Amazon.
- Coughlin said the effort aims to reverse pulp and paper mill closures in the US Southeast.
The US Plastics Pact has delisted expanded polystyrene (EPS) transport packaging from its Problematic and Unnecessary Materials List, the first removal since the list was established. The carve-out covers three specific EPS transport categories, while other EPS formats remain listed. The decision does not alter any state-level plastics legislation.
Why this mattersA first-ever delisting signals the Pact's criteria can be revisited, giving EPS packaging makers and users a precedent to seek reclassification of other materials.
- US Plastics Pact delisted EPS transport packaging from its Problematic and Unnecessary Materials List
- This is the first delisting since the list was created
- The exemption covers three specific transport-packaging categories; other EPS formats remain on the list
- Recycling of the delisted material is driven mainly by commercial distribution centres rather than curbside collection
- Densification is cited as the process making EPS a shippable recyclable commodity
- The decision does not change existing state law on plastics
Suez has been selected by UK deposit return scheme operator Exchange for Change to provide collection, transport and processing services for plastic and metal drinks containers across four regions of the country. The company has signed two 15-year contracts covering the North East, North West, South West and Midlands, the largest single-operator share awarded under the scheme, ahead of the scheme's launch on 1 October 2027.
Why this mattersTwo 15-year contracts give Suez the largest single share of UK deposit return logistics, with collection and processing networks to build before the October 2027 launch.
- Suez signed two 15-year contracts with UK deposit return scheme operator Exchange for Change
- Contracts cover four UK regions: North East, North West, South West and Midlands
- It is described as the largest single-operator share awarded under the scheme
- Suez has 12 months to deploy collection and processing infrastructure in the four regions
- The UK deposit return scheme is due to launch on 1 October 2027
- The scheme runs alongside UK extended producer responsibility reform and collection system changes
Speciality paper maker Drewsen Spezialpapiere and grid operator Avacon are trialling a flexible grid connection at Drewsen's mill in Lachendorf, Germany, aimed at lower-carbon paper production. Drewsen plans to draw grid electricity for part of its production needs, alongside its existing wind, solar and biomass supply.
Why this mattersThe pilot tests whether flexible grid access can complement on-site renewable and biomass energy at an energy-intensive paper mill, a model other German mills could follow.
- Drewsen Spezialpapiere and grid operator Avacon are piloting a flexible grid connection at Drewsen's paper mill in Lachendorf, Germany.
- The scheme is meant to let the mill draw grid electricity to supplement existing wind, solar and biomass power used in production.
- The stated aim is to support a lower-carbon production process at the site.
Cleanfarms, the Canadian agricultural producer responsibility organisation, reported record three-year average collection rates for 2025: 88% for under-23 litre crop input containers and 63% for bulk-sized containers. Farmers delivered more than 11.8 million kg of agricultural plastics to Cleanfarms collection sites for recycling in 2025.
Why this mattersHigher recovery rates for agricultural plastics packaging strengthen the case for extending producer responsibility schemes across other packaging categories in North America.
- Under-23L crop input container collection rate reached a three-year average of 88%.
- Bulk-sized container collection rate reached a three-year average of 63%.
- Farmers brought in over 11.8 million kg of agricultural plastics to Cleanfarms sites in 2025.
- Cleanfarms is funded by members across crop protection, seed, fertilizer, animal health, peat moss, animal bedding, feed, ag plastics and maple tubing industries.
- Cleanfarms team members are located across Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes.
Sylvamo and the French forest-protection network Canopée met on 30 October 2026 to discuss forestry projects linked to Sylvamo's Saillat-sur-Vienne paper mill near Saint-Junien. The meeting was arranged after about ten Canopée activists blockaded the mill roughly two weeks earlier. Canopée accuses Sylvamo of clear-felling in the Creuse and the wider Limousin; Sylvamo's position was not reported.
Why this mattersNGO action over clear-felling has already led to a mill blockade, showing that wood-sourcing practices can become an operating risk for French paper mills.
- Sylvamo and Canopée met on 30 October 2026 to discuss forestry projects linked to the Saillat-sur-Vienne mill
- The meeting followed a blockade of the Saillat-sur-Vienne mill by about ten Canopée activists roughly two weeks earlier
- Canopée accuses Sylvamo of clear-felling in the Creuse and the Limousin
- Canopée supporters displayed a banner reading "Stop au massacre en Creuse, en Limousin et ailleurs" outside the meeting venue
Analysis by Every Can Counts of data from RetuRO, administrator of Romania's deposit-return system, shows the aluminium can recycling rate reached 80.5% in the first nine months of 2026, up from 75% a year earlier. Cans were the only packaging category to grow in volumes placed on market, up 2%, while total guaranteed packaging volumes fell 2.4% and plastic and glass both declined.
Why this mattersRising can collection and return rates support closed-loop aluminium supply for can makers such as Canpack, reinforcing cans' share gains against plastic and glass in deposit schemes.
- Aluminium can recycling rate in Romania's deposit-return system reached 80.5% in the first nine months of 2026, versus 75% in the same period of 2025
- Can return rate reached 85% in the nine months to September 2026, up from 82% a year earlier, after rising from 80.9% at end-July to 85% at end-September
- Cans placed on market rose 2% year on year in the nine months, the only packaging type to grow, while total guaranteed packaging volumes fell 2.4%
- Number of cans returned rose 6.3% year on year in the nine-month period
- Cans held a 29% share of guaranteed packaging placed on market in the third quarter, unchanged from the prior quarter and up from just over 20% in early 2024
- Every Can Counts in Romania is supported by Canpack and European Aluminium's Packaging Group
Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has proposed in a draft decree that malls, supermarkets, hotels and tourist sites stop handing out single-use plastic bags, cups and food containers free of charge, in place of the outright ban due to apply from this year. The draft pushes the halt to production and import of thin plastic bags back five years to 2031. It recommends ending production and import of single-use straws, cutlery and foam food boxes from 2031, and proposes minimum recycled content of 10% for plastic packaging and 20% for paper packaging.
Why this mattersA five-year delay and a shift from a ban to charges reset compliance timelines for converters in Vietnam, while 10% and 20% recycled-content minimums would create demand for recycled material.
- The draft decree would bar malls, supermarkets, hotels and tourist sites from providing single-use plastics and non-biodegradable bags free of charge.
- The halt to production and import of thin non-biodegradable bags moves back five years to 2031; the threshold is cut to below 30 microns from 50 microns and the size limit is dropped.
- Production and import of single-use straws, cutlery and foam food boxes is recommended to end from 2031.
- Proposed minimum recycled content is 10% for plastic packaging for drinks, food, carrier and shipping bags, and 20% for paper packaging.
- Decree 08/2022 required no single-use plastics at malls, supermarkets, hotels and tourist sites after 2025.
- A ministry waste management official said in June that the ban had not been implemented and that taxes or fees would be more suitable.
Polysmart Packaging, a Nigerian-owned recycler, has officially opened its expanded USD 60m recycling facility in Nigeria, which its chairman described as Africa's largest food-grade recycled PET plant. At full capacity it will process 100,000 tonnes of mixed plastics a year, equivalent to about 6.5 billion PET bottles. The company plans a network of collection agents across Nigeria's 774 local councils.
Why this mattersFood-grade rPET capacity of this size gives brand owners in Nigeria a local recycled-content source and a way to document compliance with national EPR rules.
- Polysmart Packaging's expanded recycling facility in Nigeria cost USD 60m
- Chairman Niyi Yusuf described it as Africa's largest food-grade rPET plant
- At full capacity it will process 100,000 tonnes of mixed plastics a year
- That equals about 6.5 billion PET bottles a year, or 15 million a day
- Polysmart plans collection agents across Nigeria's 774 local councils
Keep Sweden Tidy reports that use of plastic carrier bags covered by Sweden's national reduction target rose 45% to 248 million in 2025 compared with 2023, after the government abolished the plastic bag tax in November 2024. Use of thin bags for fruit and vegetables rose 65% year on year, and total single-use plastic bag use exceeded 400 million in 2025, with the NGO warning of increased littering.
Why this mattersThe reversal shows a fiscal levy's removal can quickly undo demand reduction, a signal for other markets weighing plastic bag taxes or their repeal.
- 248 million plastic carrier bags covered by Sweden's national reduction target were used in 2025, up 45% versus 2023
- Sweden abolished its plastic bag tax in November 2024
- Use of very thin plastic bags for fruit and vegetables rose 65% in 2025 versus 2024
- Total single-use plastic bag use in Sweden exceeded 400 million units in 2025
- Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation published the data in a press release
Hong Kong's Environmental Protection Department widened its paper recycling programme from Thursday to take paper bags, packaging boxes and wrapping paper, in addition to cardboard, newspaper and office paper. Since a pulping facility at EcoPark in Tuen Mun began operating in July, daily waste paper collection has reached a record 1,608 tonnes this month. The designated procurement price that operators must pay has risen to over USD 164 (HKD 1,290) per tonne from USD 153 (HKD 1,200) in July.
Why this mattersLocal pulping backed by floor prices for collectors cuts Hong Kong's reliance on waste paper exports and keeps more recovered fibre at home.
- Recycling of paper bags, packaging boxes and wrapping paper starts Thursday.
- The EcoPark pulping facility in Tuen Mun began operating in July 2026.
- Daily waste paper collection reached a record 1,608 tonnes this month, 4% above last year's average.
- The designated procurement price rose from USD 153 (HKD 1,200) per tonne in July to over USD 164 (HKD 1,290) per tonne.
- Frontline collectors have a guaranteed minimum purchase price of USD 0.08 (HKD 0.65) per kilogram.
- The Waste Paper Pulping and Export Services contract requires operators to buy at or above the designated prices.
Mayr-Melnhof has finished installing continuous cooking technology at its MM Kwidzyn integrated mill in Poland, now in operation. The new continuous digester is expected to cut annual wood consumption by around 50,000 cubic metres and, together with energy-efficiency measures, reduce the mill's annual CO2 emissions by about 100,000 tonnes, roughly a third of its total.
Why this mattersLower wood and carbon intensity at a major cartonboard and kraft paper mill strengthens Mayr-Melnhof's cost base and carbon-footprint claims to board and paper buyers.
- MM Kwidzyn in northern Poland has completed investment in continuous cooking technology, now operational.
- Annual wood consumption is expected to fall by around 50,000 cubic metres at unchanged output.
- Combined with energy-efficiency measures, annual CO2 emissions are expected to drop by approximately 100,000 tonnes.
- The reduction equates to roughly one-third of the integrated mill's total CO2 emissions.
- MM Kwidzyn produces virgin fibre cartonboard, packaging kraft paper, uncoated fine paper, moulded pulp and NBSK market pulp.
Ghana's Environmental Protection Authority has warned traders, manufacturers and food vendors that unsold expanded polystyrene foam products will be confiscated and destroyed once the country's nationwide ban on the material takes effect on 1 January 2027. The ban covers production, importation, distribution, sale and use of foam takeaway packs, cups and plates for commercial and domestic purposes, with an exemption for medical, scientific and laboratory products.
Why this mattersA full market ban forces foodservice packaging suppliers and converters in Ghana to switch to reusable or alternative materials within about two months.
- Ghana's EPS foam ban takes effect on 1 January 2027.
- EPA chief executive Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse announced enforcement at a campaign launch in Damongo, Savannah Region.
- Unsold Styrofoam stock will be confiscated and destroyed after the deadline.
- The ban covers production, importation, distribution, sale and use for commercial and domestic purposes.
- Products for medical, scientific, laboratory and diagnostic use are exempt, subject to regulatory control.
- The World Bank estimates Ghana generates over 3,000 tonnes of plastic waste daily, with less than half collected and about 9.5 per cent recycled.
Envases Europe has agreed to supply customers with carbon-lite packaging steel from Tata Steel Nederland, using a mass-balance approach with CO2e reductions verified by DNV. The offer is aimed at helping bottlers and brand owners with scope-3 emissions reporting without changing the physical steel used. The reductions stem from decarbonisation projects already under way at Tata Steel's IJmuiden site under its Green Steel Project.
Why this mattersVerified mass-balance steel gives metal-packaging customers a scope-3 reporting tool, pressuring rival can makers to secure similar low-carbon material claims.
- Envases Europe will offer Carbon Lite steel sourced from Tata Steel Nederland's IJmuiden site
- CO2e reductions are based on a mass-balance accounting approach
- Emission reductions are independently verified by testing organisation DNV
- Tata Steel Nederland targets net-zero carbon emissions in steel production by 2045 under its Green Steel Project
- The offer is intended to support customers' scope-3 and operational GHG Protocol reporting
The New South Wales government has dropped two reuse measures from its Plastics Plan 2.0, abandoning a requirement for cafes to offer mugs or glasses to dine-in customers and a mandate for large foodservice businesses to offer reusable takeaway cups from 2030. Requirements to accept customers' own clean reusable cups from January 2028 and for single-use takeaway coffee cups to be recyclable from 2028 remain in place. The NSW EPA said on 28 October 2026 it would not enforce the new reuse-scheme obligation under the Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy Act 2021, drawing criticism from three environment groups.
Why this mattersA reversal of a mandated reuse-system obligation for foodservice packaging removes a near-term demand driver for reusable cup systems and keeps disposable recyclable cups as the compliance default.
- NSW government announced the reversal on 28 October 2026, days after Parliament passed the reforms.
- Cafes will no longer be required to offer mugs or glasses to dine-in customers from 2028.
- Large foodservice businesses will no longer be required to offer reusable takeaway cups through reuse systems from 2030.
- NSW EPA will not enforce new section 34C of the Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy Act 2021.
- Retained: requirement to accept customers' clean reusable cups from January 2028, and recyclability requirement for single-use takeaway coffee cups from 2028.
- Boomerang Alliance, the Australian Marine Conservation Society and Clean Up Australia jointly criticised the decision on 28 October 2026.
- NSW EPA confirmed implementation of the government's decision not to proceed with mandatory reusable cup schemes for cafes and retailers
- From 2030 businesses must use recyclable takeaway cups, with no reusable cup provision requirement
The European Paper Recycling Council (EPRC) reports that Europe recycled 76.4% of all paper and board in 2025, matching the prior year's rate as collection volumes and consumption fell by similar margins. The industry collected and recycled 53.9m tonnes against consumption of 70.5m tonnes, with the EU paper packaging recycling rate at 86.6%.
Why this mattersA stable, high recycling rate underpins the fibre industry's circularity case as PPWR recycled-content and collection targets tighten across the EU.
- Europe recycled 76.4% of paper and board in 2025, unchanged from the previous year.
- The industry collected and recycled 53.9m tonnes of paper and board in 2025, down 0.3% year on year.
- European paper and board consumption was 70.5m tonnes in 2025, down 0.4% year on year.
- The EU average recycling rate for paper packaging was 86.6% in 2025.
- EPRC calculates the recycling rate by comparing recycled paper volumes, including net trade in recovered paper, against consumption.
- Most European countries surveyed maintained a paper recycling rate above 70%.
Visy said on 27 October 2026 that it has produced the first glass bottles at its new Yatala glass recycling and manufacturing plant in Queensland, from the first of two oxy-fuel furnaces now being commissioned. The plant cost about USD 351m (AUD 500m) and has been under construction since October 2022. Once both furnaces are running it is designed to process up to 200,000 tonnes of recycled glass a year and make up to 1bn bottles and jars annually.
Why this mattersUp to 1bn bottles and jars a year at about 70% recycled content adds substantial Australian glass container and cullet-processing capacity for Visy.
- Visy announced first bottle production at Yatala, Queensland, on 27 October 2026, from the first of two oxy-fuel furnaces
- Total investment is about USD 351m (AUD 500m); construction began in October 2022
- Designed capacity is up to 1bn bottles and jars a year once fully operational
- The plant is designed to process up to 200,000 tonnes of recycled glass a year
- Target average recycled content is about 70% at full operation
- About 200 permanent jobs are expected once commissioning is complete
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has released 122.6 billion tenge in recycling-fee revenue to fund 34 waste management infrastructure projects, part of 67 approved projects worth 440 billion tenge. State-linked EPR operator Zhasyl Damu is financing new recycling plants, sorting complexes and equipment purchases, adding a combined 1.08 million tonnes per year of sorting and recycling capacity.
Why this mattersA large recurring recycling-fee pool is being channelled into sorting and recycling capacity, a funding model other extended-producer-responsibility regimes may watch.
- 122.6 billion tenge allocated to 34 projects as of 27 October 2026
- 67 projects worth 440 billion tenge approved in total by the Investment Headquarters
- Six funded projects add 650,000 tonnes/year of sorting capacity
- 18 projects add a combined 435,000 tonnes/year of recycling capacity
- 10 projects fund purchase of 177 units of specialised equipment
- 15 projects already commissioned, adding 290,000 tonnes/year sorting and 19,300 tonnes/year recycling capacity
Monterey Wine Company's King City plant in California, the first US site making Frugalpac's Frugal Bottle paper bottles, has moved from its 2024 start-up to repeat orders and exports, with an assembly machine rated at up to 2.5 million bottles a year. Its bottles are used for wine and spirits sold through Target, Whole Foods Market, 7-Eleven and Total Wine & More. It has also supplied Blessed Remedy Spirits' Mezcologo, presented as the first mezcal in a paper bottle sold in Mexico, and a second mezcal destined for Australia.
Why this mattersRepeat orders and exports from a single US plant show paper bottles moving from pilot format to a commercially repeatable alternative to glass for wine and spirits.
- Monterey Wine Company's King City, California plant began producing Frugal Bottle paper bottles in 2024, the first such facility in the US
- The installed assembly machine has capacity of up to 2.5 million bottles a year
- Bottles have been used for wine and spirits sold through Target, Whole Foods Market, 7-Eleven and Total Wine & More
- Full Glass Wine Co. placed a repeat order for its Petalscape wines after the first production run sold out
- Blessed Remedy Spirits launched Mezcologo, presented as the first mezcal in a paper bottle sold in Mexico, in bottles made at the plant
- A second Blessed Remedy Spirits product, Metoro Mezcal, will be exported to Australia
Maria Vera-Duran, policy director at Recycling Europe, told the BIR World Recycling Convention in Malaga that PPWR recycled-content targets could be postponed if the European Commission does not finalise its calculation methodology and rules by the end of the year. She warned that the EU's coming ban on plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries will leave more material in Europe, which needs stronger demand for recyclates. Speakers also flagged weak demand and falling margins among recyclers, and a Norwegian proposal to bring green-listed plastics under Basel Convention prior-informed-consent rules.
Why this mattersPostponed PPWR targets would delay the mandated demand European plastics recyclers need as export outlets to non-OECD countries close and margins fall.
- PPWR recycled-content targets for plastic packaging: 10-35% by 2030 and 25-65% by 2040
- Recycling Europe says targets may be postponed if the methodology and rules are not finalised by the end of the year
- The EU Waste Shipment Regulation will soon block plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries
- Norway proposes bringing all plastics, including green-listed B3011 mixtures, under Basel prior-informed-consent rules; COP to discuss in April 2027
- Max Craipeau of Greencore Resources succeeded Henk Alssema of Inviplast as BIR Plastics Division president
Croatia's Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund opened a public call on 27 October 2026 for collectors to handle up to 150,000 tonnes of paper and board packaging waste, with final recycling to take place abroad. The closure of paper production at DS Smith Belišće Croatia in November 2025 left the fund without a contracted domestic processor. The fund said waste firms holding Ministry authorisations had declared they could not sign contracts on its prescribed terms.
Why this mattersWith no domestic processor under contract, Croatia's recovered paper and board must now be exported, showing how one mill closure can strand a national collection system.
- Croatia's Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund opened a public call on 27 October 2026 for collection and processing of up to 150,000 tonnes of paper and board packaging waste
- Final recycling of the collected waste must take place abroad as no domestic processor is currently under contract
- DS Smith Belišće Croatia was the main contracted domestic processor until paper production in Belišće stopped in November 2025
- According to the fund, firms holding Ministry authorisations said they could not sign contracts under the prescribed terms
- CE-ZA-R, Metis and Nevkoš, of the C.I.O.S. group, had held authorisations and were in contract talks in 2025
- The fund had previously said it planned to contract additional domestic processors to reduce reliance on a single dominant operator
The Bureau of International Recycling's Paper Division has called for at least a six-month postponement of the EU's Digital Waste Shipment System (DIWASS) for recovered paper, whose use becomes mandatory from 1 January 2027. At the BIR World Recycling Convention in Malaga on 27 October 2026, Paper Division president Francisco Donoso said only tens of more than 1,000 Asian paper mills had registered. Speakers warned that Europe could lose outlets for the 6-8 million tonnes of surplus recovered paper it exports each year. No postponement has been agreed.
Why this mattersA registration shortfall could strand millions of tonnes of EU recovered paper, pressuring prices and the economics of municipal collection and sorting.
- DIWASS went live on 21 May 2026; its use becomes mandatory for recovered paper shipments into, out of and through the EU from 1 January 2027
- BIR Paper Division president Francisco Donoso said on 27 October 2026 that only tens of more than 1,000 Asian paper mills had registered
- Europe exports 6-8 million tonnes of surplus recovered paper a year
- Shipments must be reported two business days in advance, a requirement criticised by Vipa CEO Marc Ehrlich
- From 21 May 2027 overseas receiving plants must be audited and show operation to standards equivalent to Europe's
- Buyers in India, Thailand and Malaysia were cited as unaware of the system or not yet registered
French ready-meal brand Marie, owned by LDC, has developed a tray made of 92% wood fibre to replace its plastic ready-meal container, following five years of research and development and EUR 500,000 of investment in trials, a new doser and a mould. The tray, which retains a thin recycled-plastic liner that consumers must remove before recycling, is designed for the paper-board recycling stream rather than energy recovery, and launches first on two pasta gratin recipes.
Why this mattersA second major chilled ready-meal brand after Fleury Michon moves away from plastic trays, signalling a format shift that paper-board converters could capture from flexible and rigid plastics packers.
- Marie's new tray is composed of 92% wood fibre with a thin recycled-plastic liner removed by the consumer before recycling
- Development took five years of R&D and EUR 500,000 of investment in industrial trials, a new doser and a new mould
- The tray is designed for the paper-board recycling stream rather than energy-recovery incineration used for typical wood trays
- Launch recipes are two pasta gratins (fusilli ham-cheese and three-cheese penne) in 300g trays sold at around EUR 3.50
- Marie follows Fleury Michon, which previously made a similar switch from plastic to fibre trays
Capital Plast KZ is constructing a waste paper recycling plant in Aktobe, Kazakhstan, with capacity to process 150 tonnes of waste paper daily and produce 42,000 tonnes a year of corrugating paper and linerboard. The USD 22.8m (KZT 10.3bn) project is financed through recycling fees with support from Kazakhstan's Ministry of Ecology and Jasyl Damu JSC, and is scheduled to start production in 2028.
Why this mattersAdds 42,000 tonnes a year of domestic recycled containerboard capacity in western Kazakhstan, funded through recycling fees rather than private capital.
- Investment of USD 22.8m (KZT 10.3bn), funded from recycling fees
- Capacity of 150 tonnes of waste paper per day, 42,000 tonnes finished product per year at full capacity
- Planned output includes 18,000 t/yr corrugating paper and 24,000 t/yr linerboard
- Construction began in 2025; foundation and boiler house completed, start-up scheduled for 2028
- Expected to create more than 300 jobs at full production capacity
- Feedstock to be sourced from waste paper collected across western Kazakhstan
Speira has commissioned a new furnace for beverage can scrap at its Rheinwerk site in Neuss, Germany, with annual capacity of about 60,000 tonnes. The company invested roughly EUR 40m (USD 44.6m) in the furnace and related upgrades, including adapting a casting line and adding 6,500 tonnes of scrap storage. Red Bull, which sources recycled aluminium from Speira for its cans, attended the opening.
Why this mattersAdds European scrap-processing capacity for can stock at a time when beverage brands are pushing for more recycled aluminium content.
- Speira invested about EUR 40m (USD 44.6m) in the Rheinwerk site upgrade
- New furnace has annual capacity of about 60,000 tonnes of can scrap
- Third of four casting lines adapted for recycled-alloy processing
- New scrap storage area of 6,500 tonnes built in former primary smelter halls
- Furnace is designed to allow future hydrogen operation if a hydrogen network connection becomes available
- Red Bull uses recycled aluminium from Speira for its energy drink cans
A bill introduced in the Argentine Senate by Senator Edith Terenzi would create a national extended producer responsibility regime for domestic and imported packaging. Companies first placing packaged products on the Argentine market would have to organise and fund recovery and recycling through collective management systems or deposit-return schemes. Fines would range from 100 to 1,000 times a public-sector minimum salary, up to about ARS 577m. The bill has not been passed.
Why this mattersA national EPR law would make Argentine packaging producers and importers fund collection and recycling, adding cost and reporting duties for brand owners.
- Senator Edith Terenzi's bill revives a proposal first filed in the Chamber of Deputies by former deputy Carlos González D'Alessandro
- Scope covers packaging made in Argentina and imported, plus disposable trays, plates and cups used to sell food and drink; export packaging is excluded
- Two compliance routes: non-profit producer consortia (Integrated Management Systems) and deposit, return and refund systems
- Article 24 sets fines of 100 to 1,000 minimum salaries of the national public administration's basic entry grade
- Argentina generates about 16.5 million tonnes of waste a year, and 34.4% is handled through open dumps or controlled landfills, the bill states
Lenovo, Lianbao Technology and moulded-pulp maker Everbright Tongchuang have put straw-fibre moulded-pulp packaging into volume use on Lenovo consumer laptops. Since deployment in July 2025 the project has used about 160 tonnes of wet straw pulp fibre and cut recycled corrugated paper use by about 60 tonnes. Everbright Tongchuang expects straw fibre to extend to more product packaging.
Why this mattersA global electronics brand running straw-fibre moulded pulp at volume gives converters a proven non-wood fibre input and a template for other consumer-electronics categories.
- The project has used about 160 tonnes of wet straw pulp fibre since deployment in July 2025
- Use of recycled corrugated paper fell by about 60 tonnes as a result
- Lenovo R&D led development with Lianbao Technology, Everbright Tongchuang and upstream raw-material partners
- The packaging passed drop, random vibration and high-low temperature tests benchmarked to consumer-electronics shipping standards
- Everbright Tongchuang expects straw fibre to extend to more product packaging under Lenovo's green packaging strategy
Amsterdam has commissioned a study into its legal options for banning single-use packaging, including coffee cups and fast-food containers, which the city says make up 30% of its litter. According to CircuLaw, a provider of legal information on circular transitions, such a ban could be imposed but only after less restrictive measures have failed, and works best alongside reliable reusable packaging and a return system. The city will consult business owners and residents and study Copenhagen and Lisbon, which has already banned single-use packaging.
Why this mattersA precedent from a major European capital for a hard single-use packaging ban would pressure foodservice packaging suppliers to accelerate reusable-format conversion ahead of binding EU rules.
- Amsterdam says single-use packaging, including coffee cups and fast-food containers, makes up 30% of city litter
- The city has commissioned a study into what it can legally do to tackle single-use packaging
- CircuLaw says a ban is possible only after less restrictive measures have proven not to work
- Lisbon has already implemented a single-use packaging ban; Amsterdam is also looking at Copenhagen
- The city plans to work with business owners and residents
- Lian Heinhuis, the Amsterdam executive responsible for waste and sanitation, announced the study
Irish startup Swaay Technologies has raised an equity round of more than EUR 2m (USD 2m), led by BVP, to commercialise its direct-to-shape digital printing platform for beverage cans. The technology prints artwork directly onto containers, removing plastic labels and shrink sleeves. The funds will support new roles in Mullingar, Ireland, where Swaay has an initial team alongside one in Quebec, Canada.
Why this mattersLabel-free can decoration could cut short-run costs and simplify compliance with diverging deposit-return and labelling rules across markets.
- Swaay Technologies closed an equity round of more than EUR 2m (USD 2m).
- The round was led by BVP, with participation from the BVP Investor Club.
- Swaay, founded in 2026, is developing a platform for direct-to-shape digital printing that replaces labels and shrink sleeves on beverage cans.
- The funding is earmarked to move Swaay into commercialisation and to add roles in Mullingar, Ireland.
- Swaay has initial teams in Mullingar, Ireland and Quebec, Canada, targeting clients in Europe and North America.
- Co-founder and CEO Ciaran Gorman previously co-founded Bevcraft Group.
- Swaay was founded in 2026 by Ciarán Gorman (CEO), Mark O'Donnell (CCO), Sébastien Baril (COO) and Jean-François Gaudreault (CTO).
- Swaay's Quebec hub is located in Trois-Rivières and handles production and technical work.
- Swaay did not disclose its valuation.
- Swaay's Canadian production and technical hub is located in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
- Swaay says a billion cans a year have already moved away from plastic sleeves industry-wide.
- Co-founders alongside CEO Ciarán Gorman include Mark O'Donnell, Sébastien Baril and Jean-François Gaudreault.
- Swaay's technology and production hub is in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada, alongside its Mullingar, Ireland headquarters.
- Swaay's Direct-to-Shape digital printing targets minimum runs of 1,000 cans, well below volumes needed to justify offset plate costs.
- COO Sebastien Baril founded Canada's first digital can-printing operator, Solucan, which was acquired by Bevcraft in 2023.
- CEO Ciaran Gorman's earlier venture Bevcraft produced over 500 million cans for more than 1,000 customers.
The New South Wales government has passed legislation under its Plastics Ban 2.0 programme requiring single-use takeaway coffee cups to be recyclable from 2028. From the same date cafes must offer a mug or glass for dine-in customers and accept clean keep cups for takeaway, while reusable cup-borrowing schemes remain voluntary for small businesses. The state says almost 800 million single-use cups are used in NSW each year.
Why this mattersA staged ban on non-recyclable cups in Australia's most populous state pressures foodservice cup makers to shift material and supply chains ahead of 2028.
- NSW has passed the rules under its Plastics Ban 2.0 programme, as reported on 23 October 2026
- From 2028 single-use takeaway coffee cups must be recyclable
- From 2028 cafes must offer a mug or glass for dine-in customers instead of a disposable cup
- Cafes must accept clean, hygienic keep cups for takeaway from 2028
- Reusable cup-borrowing schemes will be voluntary for small businesses
- NSW estimates nearly 800 million single-use cups are used in the state each year
Environmental groups Robin Wood, NABU and Greenpeace have criticised plans by paper maker Felix Schoeller to build a biomass power plant burning waste wood at its Osnabrück-Lüstringen site. The NGOs argue the wood would be better used for insulation or chipboard, question whether enough waste wood is locally available, and warn of CO2 impact from combustion. Schoeller has confirmed it is assessing the plan's framework conditions but has not yet taken a final investment decision.
Why this mattersA contested energy-sourcing choice at a paper mill highlights how biomass and waste-wood use are becoming flashpoints for environmental scrutiny of the sector's decarbonisation plans.
- Felix Schoeller confirmed it is planning a biomass power plant at its Osnabrück-Lüstringen paper mill.
- Robin Wood, NABU and Greenpeace issued a joint statement opposing the plan.
- The NGOs argue waste wood should be used for insulation or chipboard rather than burned.
- Campaigners doubt enough waste wood is available locally and expect wood would need to be imported.
- Schoeller said the framework conditions are still being assessed and no final investment decision has been made.
Belgian postal operator Bpost, shoe retailer Torfs and reusable packaging firm Juttu ran a pilot of reusable shipping bags for e-commerce deliveries, with eight in ten bags returned by customers. The pilot outperformed expectations but the companies say the system only becomes economically viable at much larger scale, and further rollout depends chiefly on Bpost.
Why this mattersA high return rate suggests reusable e-commerce packaging can work operationally, but viability still hinges on volume that only a national carrier can deliver.
- Eight in ten reusable shipping bags were returned in the pilot.
- The trial involved Bpost, Torfs and Juttu.
- The bags were used for webshop deliveries.
- Profitability of the system requires a much larger scale of deployment.
- Further scale-up is described as depending mainly on Bpost.
Eurostat data show the EU generated 81.5 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2024, or 181.0 kg per inhabitant, up 3.2 kg on 2023 and 19.6 kg above 2014 levels. Plastic packaging waste rose to 35.9 kg per person while its recycling rate improved to 42.4%, with wide gaps between member states.
Why this mattersRising per-capita waste despite better recycling rates underlines the gap EU producers and converters must close to meet PPWR reduction and recycled-content targets.
- EU packaging waste generation reached 81.5 million tonnes in 2024, or 181.0 kg per inhabitant, up 3.2 kg year on year
- Per-capita packaging waste rose 19.6 kg between 2014 and 2024
- Paper and cardboard made up 40.8% of packaging waste, plastic 19.9%, glass 18.1%, wood 16.2% and metal 4.8%
- Plastic packaging waste generated per capita was 35.9 kg in 2024, up 0.6 kg on 2023, of which 15.3 kg was recycled
- EU plastic packaging recycling rate rose to 42.4% in 2024 from 41.6% in 2023
- Member state plastic recycling rates ranged from 71% in Latvia to 22.5% in Denmark
Developer EXXOSQEL and the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC in Würzburg have created a coating that bridges microscopic surface cracks in glass containers, making them more resistant to impact and pressure. Laboratory work has already achieved a 15% weight reduction without loss of stability; the developers see up to 40% as possible once industrial glass forming is improved. The process so far works only at laboratory scale, with no comprehensive results from continuous industrial operation.
Why this mattersIf it scales beyond the laboratory, a crack-bridging coating would let glassmakers lightweight containers and narrow glass's weight gap with plastic packaging.
- EXXOSQEL GmbH and Fraunhofer ISC in Würzburg developed the coating
- A 15% weight reduction has been achieved; up to 40% is seen as possible
- Coated containers withstood impacts of 10 joules and pressure of 40 bar in laboratory tests without breaking
- The process currently works at laboratory scale only, with no comprehensive data from continuous industrial operation
- Reaching a 40% weight cut also requires improvements in industrial glass forming
- The developers have not quantified the average strength gain or the energy and CO2 savings
China Resources Chemical Materials, a Changzhou-based PET producer within China Resources Group, has received a US FDA no-objection letter confirming its chemically recycled post-consumer rPET can be used across all food-contact categories, the first such letter for a Chinese company. The resin, made via depolymerisation and repolymerisation of waste PET bottles rather than mechanical recycling, reached 30,000 tonnes of sales in 2025 at a 25 percent recycled-content grade. The company says the FDA letter eases export and plans to scale a 50 percent recycled-content grade by the first half of 2027.
Why this mattersChemically recycled rPET cleared for all food-contact uses gives Chinese PET producers an export route into the US and adds recycled-content supply for brand owners.
- FDA no-objection letter confirms the chemically recycled rPET can be used in all food-contact applications, the first for a Chinese PET producer.
- The company began developing the chemical recycling process in 2018, taking eight years to solve impurity removal issues.
- In 2025 the company sold over 30,000 tonnes of 25 percent recycled-content food-grade rPET, consuming about 8,600 tonnes of recovered PET bottle flakes.
- Cumulative rPET sales since launch exceed 75,000 tonnes.
- The company has PET capacity of 3.3 million tonnes, PETG capacity of 50,000 tonnes, PA66 capacity of 40,000 tonnes, and serves customers including Coca-Cola, Nongfu Spring and L'Oréal.
- A 50 percent recycled-content rPET grade is planned for industrial-scale production in the first half of 2027.
Danone has called for closer cooperation between drinks producers and retailers ahead of the UK deposit return scheme, due to launch in October 2027. In a company update dated 22 October 2026, the group said it has briefed around 100 retail contacts and trialled reverse vending technology at the Wimbledon qualifying competition. Danone cited a 2,000-person consumer survey showing almost two-thirds do not always recycle bottles and cans away from home.
Why this mattersRetailer and brand-owner readiness for reverse vending logistics will shape collection rates and equipment demand ahead of the UK scheme's 2027 start.
- UK deposit return scheme is due to start in October 2027
- Danone's update is dated 22 October 2026
- Danone has briefed around 100 retail contacts on store preparation
- Danone trialled reverse vending technology at the Wimbledon Championships qualifying competition
- A Danone survey of 2,000 UK consumers found almost two-thirds do not always recycle away from home
- Danone cites rising plastic bottle and can collection rates in Ireland since deposit returns began there
Brookland Group & Partners, an investment firm operating from Dubai and Singapore, has completed a first investment in Vietnamese recycled paper and packaging producer Miza under a long-term agreement worth up to USD 5m. The shares were bought from an existing shareholder without new issuance, and neither the first-tranche amount nor the stake was disclosed. Brookland plans to raise its holding in stages and puts Miza's 2025 revenue at about USD 185m.
Why this mattersA staged entry by a Dubai and Singapore investor shows foreign capital turning to Vietnam's recycled packaging paper, where 2025 consumption of 7.77m tonnes outran domestic output.
- Brookland's first investment in Miza is part of a long-term agreement worth up to USD 5m.
- The shares were bought from an existing Miza shareholder; Miza issued no new shares.
- Neither the first-tranche amount nor the percentage stake has been disclosed.
- Brookland plans to increase its holding in further stages.
- Miza, founded in 2010 and listed as MZG, makes industrial packaging paper, cartons and paper bags from waste paper at its main plant in Nghi Son, Thanh Hoa Province.
- Brookland puts Miza's 2025 revenue at about USD 185m.
- The investment is structured as staged equity, with Brookland able to exceed the initial USD 5m commitment as it raises its stake.
- Miza is in late-stage negotiations on a private placement of 30 million shares to institutional investors at a price above its current market level.
- Vietnam's extended producer responsibility rules took effect in May 2026, and the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation applies from August 2026.
- Vietnam's paper consumption rose 10.8% in 2025 to an estimated 7.77 million tonnes, against domestic production of about 6.34 million tonnes, according to the Vietnam Pulp Paper Association.
- Vietnam's extended producer responsibility requirements took effect in May 2026.
- The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation began applying in August 2026.
- FTSE Russell upgraded Vietnam's stock market from frontier to secondary emerging-market status less than a month before the investment.
Reiling Glasrecycling has told Danish collective packaging scheme Vana that it will soon stop accepting glass waste, leaving Vana with large volumes of glass packaging and no outlet. Vana is seeking rapid solutions and political assistance to manage the surplus.
Why this mattersA loss of downstream capacity for glass cullet threatens to disrupt Danish glass packaging recycling flows and compliance obligations.
- Reiling Glasrecycling has announced an imminent stop to receiving glass waste from Vana.
- Vana is a Danish collective packaging compliance scheme.
- Vana says it holds large volumes of glass packaging waste with no current outlet.
- Vana is seeking quick solutions and political help, according to its director.
Valmet is supplying cooking, fiberline and recovery island technology for a new pulp mill being built by Century Sunshine in Rizhao, Shandong province, China. The order, booked in Valmet's second-quarter 2026 intake, is valued above EUR 100m (USD 112m), with the mill due to start up in June 2028. The project is the first phase of Century Sunshine's plan to add 2.65 million tonnes of annual paper capacity to substitute plastics with paper-based products.
Why this mattersThe project expands Chinese pulp self-sufficiency for packaging paper production, reducing import dependence and supporting a plastic-to-paper substitution drive.
- Valmet's order value exceeds EUR 100m (USD 112m), undisclosed exact amount.
- Order booked in Valmet's second-quarter 2026 order intake.
- Mill designed for 1.2 million tonnes of hardwood or softwood pulp plus 400,000 tonnes of softwood pulp annually.
- Start-up expected June 2028.
- Part of Century Sunshine's three-phase 'Paper-for-Plastic' programme targeting 2.65 million tonnes of added annual paper capacity.
- Scope includes cooking and fiberlines, evaporation plant, recovery boiler, ash treatment and white liquor plant, designed to be fossil-fuel free.
SIG and French filler LSDH are introducing SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier, an aseptic carton that replaces the standard aluminium layer with an ultra-thin polymer barrier. LSDH will industrialise the pack through its Alsace subsidiary JFA, with first products reaching French retail shelves by the end of 2026.
Why this mattersRemoving aluminium from aseptic cartons cuts a key carbon driver and simplifies material sorting, a template other fillers and carton makers may follow.
- SIG Terra Alu-free + Full barrier replaces the aluminium layer with an ultrathin polymer barrier, developed over more than 16 years
- Aluminium is about 5% of a standard aseptic carton's weight but around 25% of its carbon footprint
- Removing it cuts the pack's carbon footprint by up to 19% versus a standard aseptic carton, per an ISO-compliant LCA for France
- The carton preserves fruit juice for up to 12 months, matching conventional aseptic cartons, and also suits vitamin-enriched dairy drinks, plant-based drinks and creams
- LSDH is industrialising the pack through its Alsace subsidiary JFA, which handles aseptic filling
- First products in the new carton reach French retail shelves by the end of 2026
Pact Group and ALDI Australia have rolled out a scheme to make more than 19 million laundry and cleaning bottles a year with up to 50% Australian recycled plastic resin, doubling prior recycled content levels for seven ALDI own-brand laundry products and three cleaning products. The programme uses almost 800 tonnes of recycled resin annually, sourced from kerbside collection and processed at Pact's Circular Plastics Australia facility in Melbourne, with bottles manufactured in New South Wales. The two companies have also renewed a three-year packaging design partnership.
Why this mattersA named retailer locking in 50% recycled content at scale, at no extra cost via coloured resin, sets a cost-neutral template other grocers may be pushed to match.
- 19.3 million ALDI laundry and cleaning bottles produced annually with up to 50% Australian recycled plastic resin
- Almost 800 tonnes of recycled plastic resin used each year across 10 bottle and container lines
- Recycled content doubled on seven ALDI own-brand laundry bottles and containers
- Three ALDI cleaning product bottles increased recycled content to up to 50%
- Recycled resin sourced from Australian kerbside bins and processed at Pact's Circular Plastics Australia plant in Melbourne
- Pact and ALDI renewed a three-year strategic packaging partnership
O-I Glass's 2026 Sustainability Report says hundreds of energy-saving projects cut an estimated 133,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2025, the year it set up a global energy team called Spark. Absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions were 28% below the 2019 baseline, 65% of global electricity use was matched with renewable energy certificates against an 80% goal for 2030, and recycled content averaged 42%.
Why this mattersDisclosed energy savings and 42% recycled content give O-I evidence for brand owners comparing glass suppliers on carbon, as customers face rising sustainability expectations.
- Energy-saving projects cut an estimated 133,000 tonnes of CO2 in 2025
- Absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2025 were 28% below the 2019 baseline
- 65% of global electricity use was matched with RECs in 2025, against an 80% goal for 2030; Continental Europe was 100%
- The global average recycled content rose to 42%
- O-I supports about 40 closed-loop recycling programmes and 47 US community collection sites
- O-I has about 19,000 employees at 61 plants in 18 countries and had 2025 revenue of USD 6.4bn
EQUATE Petrochemical Company has agreed a one-year renewal contract for Kuwait's Metal and Recycling Company (MRC) to collect and recycle plastic waste from its industrial operations, MRC said on 21 October 2026. MRC will install 20 dedicated containers at EQUATE's facilities and transport the waste to its own sites for sorting, processing and recycling. The contract value was not disclosed, as pricing depends on international raw plastic prices and the quantity to be collected is unknown.
Why this mattersPetrochemical producers outsourcing industrial plastic scrap to specialist recyclers signals growing demand for traceable feedstock recovery in the Gulf.
- EQUATE Petrochemical Company and MRC signed a one-year renewal term plastics waste deal, announced 21 October 2026.
- MRC will place 20 dedicated containers inside EQUATE's facilities to collect plastic scrap.
- Boursa Kuwait-listed MRC disclosed the deal on 20 October 2026, with a correction filed 21 October.
- Contract value was not specified; pricing is tied to international raw plastic material prices.
- MRC said the financial effect cannot be estimated as the quantity of plastic to be bought is unknown.
- MRC's Vice Chairman and CEO Tarek Ibrahim Al-Mousa said the deal supports EQUATE's industrial plastic waste management.
The European Commission launched a public consultation on 21 October 2026 on the role of bio-based plastics in packaging policy, running until 13 January 2027. Conducted under Article 8 of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and the EU Bioeconomy Strategic Framework, it will inform a possible assessment of demand measures, targets and sustainability requirements for bio-based feedstock, which could lead to a legislative proposal.
Why this mattersA future EU framework or targets for bio-based feedstock would reshape sourcing and investment decisions across plastic packaging producers and converters.
- Consultation launched 21 October 2026, open until 13 January 2027
- Conducted under Article 8 of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation and the EU Bioeconomy Strategic Framework
- Open to manufacturers, converters, raw-material suppliers, bio-based plastics producers, recyclers, brand owners and retailers
- Aims to assess market demand measures, targets and possible sustainability requirements for bio-based feedstock
- Feedback may lead to a legislative proposal establishing a framework for bio-based feedstock in plastic packaging
- UK converter Duo Packaging says the UK Plastic Packaging Tax treats bio-based plastics the same as fossil-based plastics, disadvantaging low-carbon alternatives.
- Commission notes bio-based does not necessarily mean biodegradable or compostable
- Some bio-based plastics are chemically identical to fossil-based equivalents
German reusable packaging companies and the Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg (SIM) are pressing the government to exclude refillable plastic containers from a planned plastics tax of EUR 550 per tonne, due to take effect in July 2027. They argue the levy, intended to curb single-use waste, would instead raise costs for deposit-based reuse systems such as beverage crates and pallets.
Why this mattersA levy covering reusable plastic would add cost to Germany's shared deposit crate and pallet pools, on which brewers, bottlers, wholesalers and retailers depend.
- The proposed German plastics tax is set at EUR 550 per tonne and due to start in July 2027.
- SIM (Stiftung Initiative Mehrweg) is leading calls for reusable packaging to be explicitly exempted.
- Industry groups say the levy as drafted would cover reusable plastic items including crates and pallets used in beverage distribution.
- Brewers, bottlers, wholesalers and retailers relying on shared deposit-return crates and pallets could face higher handling and transport costs.
- Cross-border trade in reusable beverage packaging between neighbouring markets is also cited as a concern.
- The sector is urging lawmakers to clarify the rules well before the July 2027 start date to allow planning of contracts, pricing and procurement.
Aliplast, the plastics recycling arm of Italian utility group Hera, has opened its R3GID recycling plant in Modena, Italy, with capacity for up to 30,000 tonnes a year of recycled polymers from rigid plastic waste. The EUR 48.8m (USD 54.8m) investment includes EUR 7.7m (USD 8.7m) from Italy's national recovery plan and uses Nextchem's NX Replast technology, targeting recycled-content demand under the EU PPWR and End of Life Vehicles rules.
Why this mattersThe plant adds scarce European rigid-plastics recycling capacity against a 2040 shortfall Hera puts at 5.7m tonnes, cutting Italian manufacturers' reliance on imported recycled polymer.
- Capacity of up to 30,000 tonnes of recycled rigid polymers a year
- Total investment of EUR 48.8m (USD 54.8m), including EUR 7.7m (USD 8.7m) from Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan
- Output has certified purity above 99%, with properties said to be comparable to virgin plastics
- The technology was developed with Nextchem using its NX Replast upcycling process
- The plant uses treated water and power from Hera's adjacent Modena wastewater and waste-to-energy facilities
- Hera says the plant avoids about 30,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions compared with virgin plastic production
Ambilital, which manages municipal waste for the AMAGRA intermunicipal system in southern Portugal, plans to invest about EUR 40m (USD 45m) to meet packaging recycling targets due by 2030. The figure was disclosed on 21 October during a visit by producer-responsibility body Sociedade Ponto Verde, which also funds the system through its compensation payments. Ambilital reported a 15% year-on-year rise in recycled volumes in the first nine months of 2026, after an 11% increase in 2025, but says collection of glass, plastic, steel and aluminium must still improve.
Why this mattersA regional waste manager's capital commitment shows the scale of investment municipal recycling systems need to meet EU-driven packaging targets by 2030.
- Ambilital's strategic plan includes about EUR 40m (USD 45m) of investment to meet recycling targets
- Board adviser José Pinto Rodrigues disclosed the figure on 21 October 2026 during a Sociedade Ponto Verde visit
- Ambilital manages waste for the AMAGRA intermunicipal system covering seven municipalities in the Alentejo
- Recycled volumes rose 15% year on year in the first nine months of 2026, after an 11% rise in 2025
- Targets must be met by 2030, with contributions from member municipalities and private shareholder SUMA
- Sociedade Ponto Verde identifies glass as a material with growth potential for collection
Finland's two largest grocery groups, S-ryhmä and K-ryhmä, jointly trialled a reusable polypropylene take-away food container with a EUR 3 deposit across four Espoo stores for three months in spring 2026. Results published on 21 October 2026 showed boxes returned after seven days on average, with 91 percent of washed boxes passing inspection for reuse; the groups have not announced a national rollout.
Why this mattersA cross-retailer reuse pilot tied to incoming EU packaging waste rules shows competitors can share pooling infrastructure, a model foodservice packaging makers may need to serve.
- Trial ran for three months in spring 2026 across four grocery stores in Espoo, Finland.
- Customers paid a EUR 3 deposit for a reusable biobased polypropylene box instead of a single-use container.
- Results published 21 October 2026 showed boxes returned to the system after seven days on average.
- 91 percent of boxes that passed washing were approved for a further use cycle.
- 16 organisations took part, including Orthex, Lassila & Tikanoja, Pakkauskierrätys RINKI, Compass Group and Borealis Polymers.
- The pilot is part of the Business Finland-funded Reusify project led by VTT and the University of Vaasa, linked to the EU packaging and packaging waste regulation.
