DUSSELDORF, GERMANY — As US food manufacturers grapple with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations focused on consumer packaging, those in the European Union (EU) are bracing for their next phase of recycling laws: Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

The new PPWR requirements cover 100% of the packaging life cycle, from product design to waste. The list includes restrictions on single-use plastics, a mandate that take-out businesses allow customers to bring their own containers, and a directive to reduce the use of PFAS in food-contact packaging.

With the first major PPWR deadline set for Aug. 12, Dr. David Strack, founder of Central Agency for Green Commerce and the developer of SUSY – Packaging Management & Compliance, took to the stage during interpack, held May 7-13 in Dusseldorf, Germany, to discuss PPWR requirements and the key role data will play in compliance.

To fulfill initial PPWR requirements, manufacturers across the EU must provide a Declaration of Conformity for every packaging unit they produce.

“These documents describe the component of a packaging system, including its sales route and transport technology,” Strack said. “It has to have a unique identifier and a description of what components are used, of what material, and if they are free of certain substances such as PFAS. All packaging must be documented, and all packaging must state that it is according to the law, at that specific moment. The claims will be checked officially by a third party.”

The challenge, which can be complex for companies with several different packaging solutions, is data collection. Oftentimes, manufacturers don’t know the specifics of the boxes, labels and adhesives they use in their packaging. Strack recommends working closely with packaging suppliers and investing in a system that enables manufacturers to aggregate the required data into a digitized system.