Designing Plastic Packaging for Better Recyclability

Designing packaging, appearance and function matter—but what happens after use. To support a circular system, packaging needs to be recyclable and able to become a useful material again.

From 2030, the upcoming PPWR legislation will require that all packaging placed on the EU market is recyclable. Here are a few key points to consider when developing plastic packaging that meets these requirements.

Choose one material wherever possible

To be considered recyclable, all parts of the packaging should be made from the same material. This means both the packaging and the closure need to match, unless a component weighs less than 5% of the total packaging.

Ensure the packaging can be sorted

Recyclable plastic packaging must be detectable by NIR (near‑infrared) sorting. This is not possible when carbon black is used.

Packaging with carbon-black also carries a higher packaging fee than material‑recycling‑compatible alternatives. To help keep recycling streams as clean as possible, lighter colours are recommended, as they do not darken the material flow.

Avoid metallic additives

Metallic effects can interfere with both sorting and recycling, so these should be avoided in plastic packaging.

Use printing and labels that support recycling

Our PP IML labels ensure that printed packaging remains fully recyclable. This makes it easier to meet future requirements without compromising on design or communication.