EU eases pallet wrap recycling rules – what does this mean for the industry?
The EU’s February 2025 Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) introduced ambitious goals for reducing packaging waste in Europe. One of the most demanding objectives was to achieve 100% reuse of selected transport packaging in closed-loop logistics systems, such as deliveries between plants within the same company. The regulations covered pallets, containers, transport crates, and cargo securing elements such as pallet wrapping and strapping. The goal was to significantly reduce waste and accelerate the transition towards a circular economy.
Technological and operational challenges
In practice, however, implementing such stringent requirements for pallet film and security tapes proved exceptionally difficult. Reusable logistics systems require not only new materials but also changes to packaging processes, new machinery, reverse logistics, and additional packaging quality control. For many production plants, this would mean restructuring packaging lines and significantly increasing operating costs. The logistics and industrial sectors have pointed out that achieving full reusability for thin security materials such as stretch film is technologically and economically challenging.
Correction of European Commission regulations
In response to these concerns, the European Commission has decided to amend the regulations. In a recently adopted delegated act, pallet wrapping films and strapping tapes have been exempted from the 100% reusability requirement. This provides greater flexibility for businesses while maintaining the regulation’s primary objective. The requirement to increase the share of reusable packaging remains in place – according to the plan, at least 40% of transport packaging should be reusable by 2030.
Real support for the industry
The regulatory changes enable a more realistic implementation of environmentally friendly solutions, without rapid technological changes and costly investments in a short timeframe. At the same time, the regulations continue to motivate companies to optimize packaging processes, reduce packaging material usage, and increase the share of reusable solutions in supply chains.
Technologies that reduce foil consumption
In this context, technological solutions that allow for a tangible reduction in packaging material consumption are gaining increasing importance. Lintegra provides packaging systems that, thanks to precise control of the pallet wrapping process, reduce film consumption by up to 40% while maintaining load stability and transport safety. This approach allows companies to meet increasing environmental requirements without compromising operational efficiency.
A process tailored to the customer’s product and logistics
Properly designing the entire packaging process is key. Therefore, our solutions include analysis of product characteristics, pallet types, transport routes, and logistical requirements. Based on this, we configure wrapping parameters and select technology to achieve the optimal balance between load security, material costs, and environmental impact. This allows companies to not only reduce film consumption but also build more sustainable and efficient packaging processes.
We analyze. We design. We deliver solutions.
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