The European Union begins enforcing sweeping new rules on packaging and waste on Wednesday, replacing a decades-old directive with a regulation directly applicable across all 27 member states.
Harmonised limits on PFAS substances in food-contact packaging take immediate effect, while the bulk of obligations — including mandatory recycled content in PET bottles, reuse targets for beverage distributors, and a ban on certain single-use formats such as condiment sachets — come into force in 2030. Waste-reduction targets are set at 5% by 2030, rising to 15% by 2040 compared with 2018 levels.
Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall called the regulation an investment in Europe's future while acknowledging adaptation costs for industry. Brussels has urged national authorities to initially favour warnings over penalties for early breaches, and plans to propose a common labelling system before year-end.