Follow the latest news from PETCORE EUROPE. This is the second newsletter of 2024 featuring messages from our President and Executive Director, updates on the activities of our Working Groups, the latest on our Communications Campaign 2024 and social media, Annual Conference 2025, details on EU Policy and Regulatory Developments and many other interesting insights.

  PETCORE EUROPE Annual Conference 2025

PETCORE EUROPE is delighted to announce that its Physical Annual Conference 2025 will take place on the 4-5th of February in Brussels at Le Plaza Hotel. Prior to this this event of the year, on the 3rd of February, we will have a hybrid AGM for PETCORE EUROPE Members. Save the date NOW & check our dedicated website for more updates and registration that will be available shortly!

 A Message from the President of PETCORE EUROPE

Dear PETCORE EUROPE member,

Back from the successful event on Trays Circularity in Granada, whose details are going to be described by my colleagues here below, PETCORE is focusing on the preparation of our 2025 Annual Conference in February  that this year will be coupled with the AGM and on  the evolution of the political scenario to better understand how it could impact on the implementation of the PPWR, that requires still the definition of 53 delegated act to become operative.

In July, as soon as the new majority ruling the EU will be voted, we expect the Prof. Draghi report on EU Industry Competitiveness to become public. This report  should highlight all the issues the European industry is facing with a special focus on the burden represented by the excess of bureaucracy and lack of innovation if compared with the other main economies, up to the point that the situation is resumed by: USA is innovating, China is replicating, EU is regulating’

Latest  info  are mentioning that, most probably, if reconfirmed Ursula Von Der Leyen could add a new Commissaire focusing on innovation with a quite relevant  funds dotation  needed to make EU competitive vs the global landscape and foster investments.

All the above will require PETCORE EUROPE to stay tuned with the new EU Institutions and thanks to the ongoing  support of our Working Group, increase the Advocacy activity focusing clearly on the key challenges the new Regulation is posing to our Business.

Our  Board is reviewing  the  Articles of the Association  and the Internal Rules, that will be presented to the next AGM  for final approval, aiming to allow PETCORE EUROPE to be more agile maintaining a proper focus of what matters to our value chain.

Before closing my note, let me wish you and your families all the best in view of the well-deserved summer break. From our side PETCORE EUROPE office in Brussels will stay closed from Aug 12th to 16th .

See you soon.

Antonello Ciotti,

President of PETCORE EUROPE

A Message from PETCORE EUROPE's Executive Director

Dear Members,

The mid-year timing of our newsletter coincides with the completion of the first phase of some of our activities and the continuation of many others, amid the European Parliament elections which will probably bring new approaches to the legislation and new challenges to our industry.

The work which PETCORE EUROPE (together with other industry associations) has done recently in the field of helping the Commission to implement Regulation and Directives has delivered the draft of the Certification process in line with the Article 6 of the 1616/2022.

This important document has been sent to the attention of DG Sante for evaluation and discussion with the industry later this year.

Further ongoing activities which will deliver results later this year include:

• Standardization (CEN): the DFR of TCEP and EPBP are leading the discussion on the standards to be adopted in the CEN working groups. This activity will restart in September.

• LCA and NIAS platform are being fine tuned in order to be ready to be used by our members later this year.

• Functional Barrier:  working on making sure that this novel technology will be accepted by the legislator and proper rules will be defined and confirmed.

• Labels activity progressing towards harmonising the design for recycling in line with EPBP

• EPBP starting cooperation with NAPCOR in the USA and work on multiple recycling loops evaluation.

• Textile SIG and depolymerisation working on having JRC and the Commission to reconsider the concept of EoW for chemical recycling, since the last JRC position is potentially jeopardising and suboptimizing some of the industry activities in the recycling field.

• Advocacy WG: we are sharpening the activity through the advocacy Task Force which deals with all the most urgent and important matters (ranging from defending PET containers from being replaced by less environmentally friendly packaging -e.g. coated/laminated paper based - to the issue of microplastics.)

Last, but not least, we have started the work to reshape our Intranet software to allow our members to have a better, more efficient access to data, documents and information which are relevant for their activities.

We will continue our relentless efforts in the interest of our industry and will intensify our dialogue with the Commission and legislators in order to build a fruitful cooperation. 

I look forward to your participation and suggestions.

Roberto Bertaggia,

                                                                                                          Executive Director of PETCORE EUROPE

Communications campaign prepares for autumn push

The PETCORE EUROPE communications outreach continues to spread the word on the collection and recycling of PET bottles and trays.  Social media campaigns are running across four large European markets – France, Germany, Italy and UK – as well as in Brussels – with a mix of static and moving visual treatments aimed at educating and surprising audiences with key facts on PET packaging.

Highlights from the campaign during the first half of 2024 include:

• Over 48,000 LinkedIn impressions from the European Parliament and European Commission

• Over 600,000 video views on TikTok

• Almost 350,000 video views and 2,659,000 impressions on Facebook and Instagram (Meta channels)

While some of the policymaker focused outreach will be wound down over the summer break the campaigns will kick-off again in the autumn to coincide with the return of the newly elected European Parliament and the formation of a new European Commission.

Treatments will feature a newly shot film illustrating reusable PET bottles alongside the more familiar recyclable PET bottles and emphasising their complementarity. EU regulation requires that in the future a proportion of packaging be reusable, and the film demonstrates that reusable PET bottles are already a reality in some markets.

To learn how you can get involved contact PETCORE EUROPE at: managaement@petcore-europe.org.

Regulatory Updates

• Following the public consultation earlier this year, the Commission prepared a new draft regulation on BPA and other bisphenols and their derivatives with harmonised classification for specific hazardous properties in certain materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. The regulation will amend Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 and repeal Regulation (EU) 2018/213. It bans, with some exemptions, the use of BPA and its salts and the use of hazardous bisphenols other than BPA and hazardous bisphenol derivatives in the manufacture of plastic food contact materials, in adhesives, rubbers, ion-exchange resins, printing inks, silicones and varnishes and coatings. Business operators need to ensure that food contact materials and articles covered by the regulation which are not yet in contact with food are accompanied with a declaration of compliance. The measure received a positive opinion in the Standing Committee (SC-PAFF) on 13 June and will enter the Parliament and Council scrutiny step on 10 July. It is expected to enter into force by the end of the year.

• A new draft Commission Regulation amending regulation (EU) 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, also known as ‘the quality amendment’, is proposed by the Commission following the public consultation in which PETCORE Europe participated. The new draft takes into account most of the comments made by PETCORE and comes with a modified and improved wording on the required high degree of purity of substances, the confirmation that Article 8 does not apply to recycled plastics covered by regulation (EU) 2022/1616 via an amendment to this latter regulation, the deletion of the requirement to know the composition of substances at intermediate stage, the deletion of the concept “life span” and a modified definition of the term “additive”. The new draft will be scheduled for vote in the SC-PAFF on 20 September and will be followed by a 3-month period of scrutiny of Council and Parliament.

• The Commission published the Union register of recycling technologies, recyclers, recycling process, recycling schemes and decontamination installations as required by Article 24 of recycled plastics Regulation (EU) 2022/1616. The register can be accessed using the Food and Feed Information Portal. At present the Register is limited and only provides the registration numbers for recycling installations (RIN numbers), facilities (RFN numbers) and companies (RON numbers). The Commission is also finalising the Decisions on the authorisation of mechanical PET recycling processes. Once adopted, those recycling processes will receive a RAN number which will also be displayed in the Register. In addition, the Commission indicates that the register will soon be further updated by adding recycling schemes, and novel technologies.

• The inter-institutional agreement on the proposal for a Regulation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR) was adopted during the last session of the plenary of the European Parliament on 24 April.  The proposal strengthens the requirements for substances in packaging by introducing a restriction on certain PFASs above a certain threshold in food contact packaging. The text sets minimum recycled content targets on any plastic part in packaging but exempts plastic components representing less than 5% of the packaging’s total weight. In addition, new binding re-use targets are set for 2030 and indicative targets for 2040. These targets generally exempt cardboard packaging. They are set on non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages (excluding wine and aromatised wines, milk and other highly perishable beverages), transport and sales packaging (excluding packaging used for dangerous goods or large-scale equipment and flexible packaging in direct contact with food) and grouped packaging. The proposal also introduces restrictions on single-use plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables, for food and beverages consumed within HORECA and some other applications. Furthermore, the text requires Member States to ensure the separate collection of at least 90% per annum of single-use plastic bottles and metal beverage containers by setting up deposit return systems (DRSs) for those packaging formats. An exemption from the requirement to introduce a DRS is provided if Member States reach a separate collection rate of above 80% in 2026 and if they submit an implementation plan with a strategy for achieving the overarching 90% separate collection target. The regulation will be complemented by several implementing and delegated acts that need to be adopted in the coming years, as for example an implementing act establishing the methodology for the calculation and verification of the percentage of recycled content. The dossier now follows the corrigendum procedure as the previous parliament adopted the text without the necessary linguistic-legal revisions. After these revisions, the new parliament will first have to adopt the text definitively before to transmit it to the Council for final ratification at ministerial level and subsequent publication in the Official Journal of the EU. It will enter into force on the 20th day following its publication.

• The European Parliament rejected the proposed objection (motion for resolution) to the draft Commission Implementing Decision on rules for calculation, verification, and reporting of data on recycled plastic content in single-use plastic beverage bottles, repealing Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2683. This so-called phase 2 or revision of the Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2683 was due for 31 March 2024 and should ensure that the rules on the calculation, verification and reporting of data on recycled plastic content include recycled plastic resulting from additional types of recycling. The current implementing decision only takes into account recycled plastic originating from post-consumer waste and obtained through recycling installations covered by recycled plastics Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 in order to meet up the recycled content targets for PET beverage bottles of the Single Use Plastics Directive (EU) 2019/904. No official date on foreseen adoption of the Phase 2 of the Implementing Decision is communicated yet.

   

• The Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) published a background document for the final stakeholder event “EU-wide End-of-Waste (EoW) criteria for plastic waste” that took place on 26 June 2024. The final report which is expected in the coming months is the JRC's response to the European Commission's mandate to develop EoW criteria for plastic waste, which was due by Q1 2024. When developing EoW criteria, the Commission may, but is not obliged to, use the technical recommendations developed by the JRC. The document only proposes EoW criteria for recycling processes that are able to treat thermoplastic waste without deliberately altering the molecular structure of the polymers with the exception of the damages that are repaired within the process like, for example through solid-state polymerisation. Therefore, in this document, JRC only considers mechanical recycling and purification through physical means like solvent-based purification. The document does not cover other recycling processes like PET depolymerisation processes. It leaves open the possibility to address them at a later stage. It is proposed that a consignment of recovered plastic waste ceases to be waste when it is ready for use in the production of new plastic products or objects containing plastic and it fulfils the full set of EoW criteria. The proposed EoW criteria come with requirements on the plastic waste, on the waste treatment processes and techniques, on product quality, on quality assurance procedures and on the provision of information. 

Summary of EU regulatory affairs updates - July 2024

OJEU: published Waste Shipment Regulation

On 30th April, Regulation (EU) 2024/1157 on shipments of waste was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. This Regulation lays down measures to protect the environment and human health and to contribute to climate neutrality by reducing the negative impacts that may arise from waste shipments and the treatment of waste at its destination. It establishes procedures and control regimes for waste shipments depending on the origin, destination and route of shipment, the type of waste and the type of treatment to be applied to the waste at its destination. The regulation entered into force 20 days after the publication in the OJEU.

 OJEU: published Critical Raw Materials Act

On 3rd May, Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. The general objective of this Regulation is to improve the functioning of the internal market by establishing a framework to ensure the Union’s access to a secure, resilient and sustainable supply of critical raw materials, including by fostering efficiency and circularity throughout the value chain. Therefore, the Regulation sets out measures to: reduce the risk of supply disruptions related to critical raw materials; improve the Union's ability to monitor and mitigate the supply risk related to critical raw materials; and ensure the free movement of critical raw materials and products containing critical raw materials placed on the Union market while ensuring a high level of environmental protection and sustainability. The regulation entered into force 20 days after the publication in the OJEU.

OJEU: published Net-zero Industry Act

On 28th June, Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 establishing a framework of measures to strengthen the European zero net emission technology production ecosystem was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.  The overall objective of the regulation is to improve the functioning of the internal market by establishing a framework to ensure the Union's access to a secure and sustainable supply of net-zero technologies, including by increasing the production capacity of net-zero technologies and related supply chains to safeguard their resilience, while contributing to the achievement of the Union's climate and climate neutrality and creating quality jobs in the net zero-emission technologies sector, thereby also improving the Union's competitiveness. The regulation entered into force on the day following its publication in the OJEU.

OJEU: published Ecodesign Regulation

On 28th June, Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 establishing the framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.  This regulation establishes a framework for setting ecodesign requirements that products must comply with in order to be placed on the market or put into service, in order to make sustainable products become the norm and to reduce the overall carbon footprint and environmental footprint of products throughout their life cycle, as well as to ensure the free movement of sustainable products in the internal market. It also establishes a digital product passport, provides for the establishment of mandatory requirements for green public procurement, and establishes a framework to prevent the destruction of unsold consumer products. It applies to any physical good placed on the market or put into service, including components and intermediate products.

As for the next steps, the regulation enters into force on the 20th day following its publication in the OJEU. The Regulation foresees several delegated acts to be adopted by the Commission after the publication in the OJEU establishing specific ecodesign requirements for the different categories of products included in the scope. According to a provisional timeline, the adoption of delegated acts for ecodesign requirements for textiles and steel is foreseen by end 2025 (and application from mid-2027), while those for other sectors by 2026 (and application expected from late 2027/early 2028).

Council of EU: adopted general approach on the targeted revision of the Waste Framework Directive

On 17th June, the Council of the EU adopted the general approach on the proposed targeted revision of the Waste Framework Directive – which has a specific focus on textile and food waste. Below are the main points related to the textile sector:

• the Commission will consider setting specific targets for waste prevention, collection, preparation for re-use and recycling of textile waste by the end of 2028;

• it sets harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes requiring fashion brands and textile manufacturers to pay fees to help finance the costs of collecting and treating textile waste; EPR schemes to be set up up to 30 months after entry into force of the directive and the general approach includes micro-enterprises in the scope;

• the level of these fees will be based on the circularity and environmental performance of textile products (so-called eco-modulation). As waste prevention is the best option, the general approach states that Member States may require higher fees for companies that follow 'fast fashion' industrial and business practices;

• included specific provisions for Member States where there is a higher share of textile products assessed as suitable for re-use on the market. These Member States can require re-users to pay a (lower) fee when making these products available on their market for the first time.

As for the next steps, the general approach constitutes the Council's negotiating position for future inter-institutional negotiations (so-called trilogues). Since the EU Parliament has already adopted its negotiating mandate, the trilogues can now be started.

EP Plenary: adopted interinstitutional agreement on PPWR

On 24th March, the Plenary of the European Parliament adopted the interinstitutional agreement on the proposal for a regulation on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR) with 476 votes in favour, 129 against and 24 abstentions. Please find below a summary of the main points:

• Sustainability requirements and recycled content in packaging (Art.6-7): maintained the 2030 and 2040 headline targets for the minimum recycled content in plastic packaging. It exempts compostable plastic packaging and packaging whose plastic component represents less than 5% of the total weight of the packaging from these targets. By 31 December 2026, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts establishing the methodology for the calculation and verification of the percentage of recycled content, recovered from post-consumer plastic waste recycled and collected within the Union;

• Restrictions on certain packaging formats (Art.25 and Annex V): introduced restrictions on certain packaging formats, including single-use plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables, for food and beverages, condiments, and very lightweight plastic bags, as indicated in Annex V. Among others, Annex V foresees a restricted use of: plastic packaging used at the point of sale to group goods sold in bottles, cans, tins, pots, tubs, and packets designed as convenience packaging, excluding  grouped packaging necessary to facilitate handling (row 1); single use plastic packaging for less than 1.5 kg pre-packed fresh fruit and vegetables. However, Member States may set up exemptions to this restriction under some circumstances (row 2); very lightweight plastic carrier bags, except if required for hygiene reasons or to prevent food waste (row 6);

• Re-use targets and re-fill obligations (Art.29): on reuse, introduced binding targets for 2030 and indicative ones for 2040, notably for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (excluding wine and aromatised wines, milk and other highly perishable beverages), transport and sales packaging (excluding packaging used for dangerous goods or large-scale equipment and flexible packaging in direct contact with food) and grouped packaging. Member States will have the possibility to grant a five-year derogation from these provisions under certain conditions;

• Deposit and return systems (Art.50): included an obligation for the Member States to ensure the separate collection of at least 90% of single-use plastic bottles and metal beverage containers by 2029 except if they reach a separate collection rate of above 80% by 2026 and if they submit an implementation plan with a strategy for achieving the overarching 90% separate collection target. To achieve that target, they are required to set up deposit return systems (DRSs) for those packaging formats. The minimum requirements for DRS will not apply to systems already in place before the entry into force of the regulation, if the systems in question achieve the 90% target by 2029.

   

As for the next steps, the interinstitutional agreement on the PPWR will have to be transmitted to the Council for final ratification at ministerial level and subsequently published in the Official Journal of the EU. It should be noted, however, that the dossier will follow an urgency procedure, the so-called corrigendum procedure. It means that the previous Parliament adopted the text without the necessary linguistic-legal revisions. The new Parliament will have to adopt the text definitively, i.e. after linguistic and legal review. It is important to note that the content of the text would remain unchanged during this process. Subsequently, the text will be transmitted to the Council for final ratification at ministerial level. Then, it will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication. It shall apply 18 months from the date of entry into force of the Regulation.

 Updates on Working Groups & Recyclability Evaluation Platforms 

 ADVOCACY WG: the latest established PETCORE EUROPE WG with frequent updates for the regulatory developments. The driving Force for Advocacy WG:

• The European Commission intensively works to finalize a number of policy files. This work will continue with the new EU Parliament and Commission set up.

• PETCORE has the knowledge and expertise to share the PET Value Chain educated position with the decision makers (Commission, MEPs, Council). 

• PETCORE can  communicate and work with the decision makers, proposing to them solutions that reflect leading edge technology and science.

• PETCORE can liaise with other EU associations, when there are common positions, to advance and support policy objectives.

   

Mission

To advocate the interest of the PET value chain by establishing a strong communication channel with decision makers, proposing to them solutions and guidance that reflect the edge of technology and science.

Deliverables for the Advocacy:

• Short free webinars, for PETCORE members, related to regulatory developments

• Identify key stakeholders in the area of legislative developments and build fruitful dialogue with them

• Be connected to the Technical WG’s to identify/validate the key topics and subjects important for the value chain and promote them to the legislators/decision makers

• Identify relevant activities/forums where regulatory stakeholders are present and where we can speak on behalf of the PET value chain.

Next action steps

• PPWR (implementing acts)

• SUPD implementation

• rPET restrictions: Recycled content certification

• Food Contact Materials Regulation

   

CEN STANDARTIZATION FOR DESIGN FOR RECYCLING: PETCORE EUROPE as liaison organisation in CEN is driving the development of the design guidelines standardization and recyclability assessment under the mandate given by the EU Commission. Still work to do until February 2025 to finalise the documents. Next step is to start reviewing the comments on the drafts submitted that will be received in the coming months.

DEPOLYMERISATION WG: The annual Depolymerization webinar has been scheduled to take place on the 19th of October 2024. To find more information, please, check our website, the announcement will be available soon.

FUNCTIONAL BARRIER CONSORTIUM: Following the different steps set for the timelines of the regulation and the activities of the consortium, the team is focused now on the deployment of the Monitoring Programme.

More than 130 lines have been monitored for NIAS analysis. This has been made through the KOR platform, where all the members ordered the sampling to approved laboratories. The data from the analysis performed by the labs, were uploaded to the platforms, where we got the compiled results from the laboratories for further analysis.

Complying with the requirement of the regulation, a round robin exercise has been made with the different laboratories within the platform, where we have the opportunity to find the difference in the procedures and methods applied by every lab and to work with the labs on harmonisation activities.

The Scientific team, together with the laboratories and coordinated by KÖR, is working on evaluation of next step on the monitoring programme. The evaluation of migrations based on the results from the NIAS analysis, using migration analysis by the labs, and further simulation using certified programmes.

The next milestone where we need to deliver the next Monitoring program Report to the Authorities, is 10th of October.

The team still has a long way to go and a lot of effort to be deployed.

LCA WG: Food packaging plays a significant role in our society today, securing food quality and consumer safety. PET as ‘number 1’ circular and recyclable material has an imperative contribution to make to consumer safety and environment protection both as a bottle for beverages and as thermoforms for foods.

An LCA analysis for the PET value chain is adding big value and help to our stakeholders for decision making towards the 2025, 2030 EU mandates and 2050 climate neutrality.

Soon we will announce the availability of the LCA tool/platform for PETCORE EUROPE members. An introductory webinar for the LCA tool/platform took place on July 11th.

It presented:

• The tool/platform operating principle

• Detailed tool/platform presentation, access rights and subscription

• A tool/platform demo

   

The webinar was jointly organised by PETCORE EUROPE and Pilario, the tool/platform developer.

Labels WG: The labels WG and EPBP are working on a better connection as labels is a major topic for recyclability and Circularity One of the topics is to analyse and improve the deployment of the labels Design Guidelines established by EPBP. We are actively gathering data and will share some insights in the coming months.

NIAS WG: As communicated previously, PETCORE EUROPE and KÖR have developed a digital platform where the full value chain can source laboratory measurements in particular all the measurements related to food safety. The labs platform is currently used to perform a Proficiency Test with almost 30 laboratories to improve NIAS measurements. This is a key step forward to make sure our value chain is in full control of food safety topics.

REUSE WG: PPWR is changing market dynamics. The Reuse WG continues to direct its activities towards:

• Follow up on the PPWR implementation on Country and EU level

• Best practices sharing

• Inform stakeholders about the potential and challenges of reusable PET

• Inviting in the WG meetings expert-guest speakers for helping our markets to better understand the details, benefits, prerequisites and challenges towards REUSE transition

• Deliver, through EPBP, Design for Recycling Guidelines for Reuse/Refillable PET bottles.

• Developing Factsheet on Reusable PET bottles

   

 With all these activities, led by PETCORE EUROPE and the Reuse Working Group, we continue communicating the REUSE concept as another pillar (together with REDUCE and RECYCLE) supporting Climate neutrality by 2050.

THERMOFORMS WG: Due to the requirements of resources of the Functional Barrier Consortium, the activities of the Thermoforming working group were slowed.

Once the Consortium is moving in the Monitoring programme, we resumed activities and the main actions have been:

• Determine and confirms key leaders and participants

• Chair and Co-Chair of the Working group have been confirmed

• Leaders for the task forces been nominated

• Participants on the different working groups have been onboarded.

• Discussion and confirmation on “One-Pager” with Mission and Vision of the working group and Task forces

• Collection and sorting

• Recycling Technologies

• Food Contact requirements

• Standardization and Design for Recycling

• Communication.

The Task forces have started their activities and we expect further progress during the year.

EPBP Driving Force: to drive and promote the circularity in the PET bottle value chain, providing industry with design guidelines and package-technology assessments.

Objective: The European PET Bottle Platform is an industry initiative that provides PET bottle design guidelines for recycling, evaluates PET bottle packaging solutions and technologies and facilitates understanding of the effects of new PET bottle innovations on recycling processes. This initiative fully supports a circular economy for the European PET value chain.

EPBP assessments are performed ensuring strict business confidential information protection and the opinions are fully recognised by decision makers that source PET bottle packaging solutions.

Our members can find all related information in the EPBP site (https://www.epbp.org/)

 Our recent accomplishments:

• Implement the new operating model

• DfR for reusable PET bottles

• Finalise the min and max inorganic opacifier content for white opaque PET bottles

• Continue working on circularity

• Publish the updated QT508

Our priorities for the next months:

• Drive efficiency for applications

• Proceed to the next steps on circularity

• Continue the support to CEN standardization work

• Work on the non-food PET DfR

• Improve the connection with PETCORE EUROPE Working Groups

• Communicate EPBP accomplishments through stakeholders’ communication channels

• Prepare 2025 plans

TCEP WG: Driving Force for TCEP: To drive and promote circularity in the PET tray value chain, providing industry with design guidelines and package-technology assessments.

Objective: The mission of the Platform is to give support to the value chain of thermoformed PET trays to improve recyclability of thermoforms and strive for circularity. The Platform consists of technical experts in the field of PET thermoforms design, production and recycling, whose only objective is the evaluation of existing technologies and innovation and providing an independent and confidential assessment of their impact on the PET recycling processes across Europe.

Our members can find all related information in the TCEP site (https://www.tcep-europe.org/).

Our recent accomplishments:

• Drive efficiency for applications

• Finalise the validation of a third laboratory. Details will be announced soon

• Finalise the collaboration agreement with Ecosense in the area of certification

• Review testing protocols and related thresholds

Our priorities for the next months:

• Continue supporting the CEN standardization work

• TCEP site improvement

• Improve communication to external environment

• Prepare 2025 plans

• Communicate and promote the collaboration with Ecosense in the area of certification

PETCORE EUROPE Welcomes New Members 

PETCORE EUROPE now counts 170 Members and represents the PET value chain more than ever. Please welcome our new members: Aimplas Plastic Technology Centre, Ravago & GEA.

Updates on Social Media: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn & YouTube.

News related to past and present activities for members and all stakeholders interested in PET value chain developments.

News from Our Members and Allies! 

 How should policymakers help the European soft drinks industry to remain competitive and sustainable?

In its latest article in Euronews, Peter Harding, President of UNESDA and CEO of Suntory Beverage & Food International, shares our sector’s vision and policy needs for the 2024-2029 EU political term to ensure the European soft drinks industry remains competitive and sustainable. Peter underlines three key priorities:

• prioritise a sustainable, growth-oriented agenda to maintain the competitiveness of European businesses and advance environmental sustainability;

• renew engagement with industry through deeper collaboration;

• focus on the proper implementation of existing legislation before proposing new laws.

Find out more in UNESDA’s Manifesto here and watch our two new videos here and here.

Ensure PET Product Safety with KÖR's Testing Services via Labs

Ensure PET Product Safety with KÖR's Testing Services via Labs

PETCORE EUROPE and KÖR now offer comprehensive testing services for PET products through the Labs platform. This collaboration ensures products meet the highest safety standards.

Services Available:

• Migration Testing: starting from 29 July 2024.

• NIAS Testing: for Food Contact Materials

Key Benefits:

• Competitive pricing

• Access to KÖR-accredited labs

• Consistent results format

• Database access to results

• Door-to-door service

   

Labs provides a seamless, efficient testing experience to ensure products comply with regulatory standards. Contact us for more information on how KÖR's services can support your testing needs!

More info on KÖR and Labs: www.kor-group.com

PETCORE EUROPE Digital Platform

PETCORE EUROPE will implement in the coming weeks the Organica Digital Platform (see here for some information) to manage all the activities of the association (meetings and events organization, communication, data sharing, polls, membership management, WG participation & so on).

All our members will receive links and guidance explaining how to use the platform that will facilitate our day to day activity and make the association more efficient.

PETCORE EUROPE THERMOFORMS CONFERENCE 2024 - HIGHLIGHTS

As a keystone of the activities of the Thermoforming Working Group, and following the success of last year’s event in Bologna, we held our annual Thermoforming event in Granada this year.

The event attracted more attention and improved participation from the 2023 event:

• 100 participants

• 5 Sponsors

• 6 Media Partners

   

  At the event, we have the opportunity to discuss where we stand, the challenges and actions the industry is performing, and set the ground for solid progress towards the targets of PETCORE-EUROPE and its members. The conference was divided in 4 blocks:

   

• Presentation of Authorities and discussion about the regulation and the implications of such regulatory actions.

• PETCORE activities toward the circularity of PET trays though the Working Group, Design for Recycling, Standardization, Functional barrier consortium and TCEP - the platform for thermoforming packaging circularity evaluation.

• Presentation of examples toward the circularity of PET trays through collection, sorting and recycling, with presentation of EPRs and recyclers

• Presentation and discussion on real cases of Tray-to-Tray activities, with the presence of brand owners, recyclers and converters, where we have the opportunity to see full circular examples.

   

The event was completed with the visit to one of the most modern sorting centres of Spain, where we had the opportunity to see a post sorting facility where PET trays are selected in a separate stream, demonstrating the feasibility of the separate sorting of trays.

Media Coverage - PETCORE EUROPE activities

PETCORE EUROPE is always interested to collaborate with the media in order to expand its outreach and deliver its message more widely. Recently, we had a chance to collaborate with a number of media on key topics:

MACPLAS:

https://macplas.it/it/fiere-e-convegni/verso-la-conferenza-sulla-termoformatura-2024-di-petcore-europe

MACPLAS: 

https://macplas.it/en/exhibitions-and-conferences/petcore-europe-thermoforming-conference-2024-coming

La Plastica: 

Dialogue and recycling culture: two pillars for the future of PET - Plastic Today and Tomorrow (interprogettied.com)

Argus Media

https://www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-insights/latest-market-news/2578742-huge-potential-for-tray-to-tray-recycling-petcore

Seasonal Greetings from PETCORE EUROPE