Global Packaging Requirements
Throughout Europe, Asia, and North America, there are design, take-back, and labeling requirements.
Although a number of countries and US states had container deposit laws ("bottle bills") in place as early as the 1970's, the first comprehensive law requiring producer responsibility for packaging was the first German Packaging Ordinance of 1991. EPR-based polices for packaging began spreading rapidly after the EU Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste was published in 1994. In addition to its implementation by member states, it spawned a multitude of similar measures in Central and Eastern Europe, as many nations in this region positioned themselves for accession into the EU. At the same time, packaging and recycling regulations were becoming more common in Asia.
Products sold in the following markets are currently subject to some form of environmental packaging requirements:
- Americas (US States, Canadian Provinces, Brazil, Mexico)
- Europe (EU member states, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine)
- Asia/Pacific (Australia, China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, India, Bangladesh)
- Africa/Middle East (Tunisia, South Africa, Israel)
This list is constantly growing as additional countries implement EU Directives, apply for EU membership, look for means of funding their recycling systems, and address waste problems and environmental concerns. The aims, scope, and requirements of these regulations vary widely from country to country and are subject to frequent amendment.
The key challeges for brandowners are to develop packages that will be saleable in as many of their markets as possible, and to keep the costs of packaging compliance to a minimum. This requires a thorough understanding of the requirements in each jurisdiction.
EPI's Approach
- EPI provides customized in-depth regulatory tracking services and research. Our guidance explains in practical terms how to comply with environmental packaging mandates.
- We can evaluate package prototypes for applicability of global requirement, and seek official interpretation on your behalf for matters not clearly addressed by published rules and regulations.
