July 15, 2025 14:44
The European Plastics Converters Federation (EuPC) is urging EU lawmakers to revisit the mandatory 40% reuse target by 2030 for plastic pallet wrap and straps, introduced under Article 29 of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
According to two association-commissioned studies, the measure could drive CO2 emissions up by as much as 1,700% and generate annual costs of €4.9 billion across eight key sectors.
EuPC also argues that most companies lack the infrastructure and logistics to deploy efficient reuse systems. Exporters, it notes, would have to manage a dual packaging systems — one compliant with EU reuse rules and another aligned with global practices — bringing heavy cost and operational complexity.
On these grounds, EuPC asks lawmakers to exclude plastic pallet wrap and straps —currently recyclable and effective— from Article 29, favoring proven, recyclable single-use solutions instead.
The cited studies comprise a life-cycle assessment (LCA) and an economic-impact analysis covering eight key sectors: agriculture, dairy, water, glass, cement, construction, retail and plastics.
The LCA study by IFEU Heidelberg compares five single-use options — stretch film, stretch hood and shrink hood (each with 0%, 35% and 65% recycled content), paper stretch and one-way cardboard box — with three reuse systems: plastic crates with and without lids (80% recycled content), a reusable PET sleeve (65% recycled) and a reusable cardboard box (88%). Seven applications are analyzed, from light and bulky goods to heavy or fragile loads. Across all use cases, single-use plastic pallet film containing more than 35% recycled material shows lower environmental impacts than both reuse alternatives and other single-use options (download study).
The economic study (RDC Environment) evaluates the shift from current single-use systems (stretch wrap, stretch/shrink hood) to the reuse options best suited to each sector’s requirements. Cost categories include packaging, reverse logistics, washing, storage, palletization, transport, depalletization and waste management. Researchers estimate that switching from single-use to reuse would add more than €4.9 billion a year in long-term costs for the eight sectors examined (download study).
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