The overall objectives of the Regulations are:
- To prevent the generation of packaging waste: reduce it in quantity, restrict unnecessary packaging, and promote reusable and refillable packaging solutions.
- To make all packaging on the EU market recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030.
- To increase the use of recycled plastics in packaging through mandatory targets.
At TotalEnergies Corbion we believe that compostable plastics contribute to the objectives of the PPWR. Compostable plastics, like Luminy® PLA, are a type of biodegradable material designed to break down into natural elements when subjected to composting conditions. Compostable packaging has a clear advantage when plastic items are contaminated with food waste, as is often the case with food packaging and food service ware.
When plastics are contaminated with food, mechanical recycling of waste (food or packaging) is not viable. Conversely, when using compostable plastics, we can organically recycle both packaging and food waste. Many existing examples of plastic packaging cannot be redesigned to make them reusable. In contrast, the same design can be made with compostable plastics that can be efficiently composted.
