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Compliance data: Circularity & end of life

Packaging design and material performance data required under PPWR and DPP to demonstrate recyclability, compostability, minimisation, and reuse compliance across the product lifecycle.

Updated this week

The Circularity & End-of-Life section collects all design-for-recycling, reuse, minimisation, compostability, and disposal information required under:

  1. Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) – Regulation (EU) 2025/40

  2. Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) & the Digital Product Passport – Regulation (EU) 2024/1781

  3. Related EU rules on consumer information, substances of concern, and environmental claims


Entering your compliance data

Reusability

The reuse fields show whether your packaging is designed to be used multiple times according to PPWR design-for-reuse criteria. These requirements follow PPWR Article 11 & Annex V and will become mandatory from 2030.

Packaging is reusable

Enable this field only if the packaging:

  • is intended for multiple reuse cycles, and

  • meets the design-for-reuse requirements in PPWR Article 11 & Annex V (e.g. durability, washability, ability to withstand repeated use).

If the packaging is single-use or you cannot verify compliance → keep it OFF.

Designed number of reuse cycles.

Provide the minimum number of cycles the packaging is designed to withstand. For example:

  • “20 cycles”

  • “50 cycles (B2B pooling system)”

  • “10 cycles (refill model)”

Reuse system

Describe the system that enables reuse, including how the packaging is returned, refilled/washed, transported, redistributed.

Common examples:

  • Deposit-return scheme

  • Refill logistics (consumer refill or B2C take-back)

  • B2B pooling system

  • Closed-loop reuse

This explanation supports PPWR requirements to document how reuse is operationally achieved.

Legal context

  • PPWR Art. 11 & Annex V — design-for-reuse obligations

  • Minimum reuse cycles and system description become mandatory from 2030

  • General PPWR application: 12-08-2026


Disposal instructions

The disposal fields show whether you provide clear end-of-life instructions for consumers, as required under ESPR/DPP Article 8 & Annex II. These instructions appear in the Digital Product Passport and must be accurate for each packaging unit.

Disposal instructions provided

Switch this ON when disposal or sorting guidance is available to end users.
If you do not supply consumer-facing instructions, keep it OFF.

Disposal instructions

These instructions help end users dispose of the packaging correctly and are required in the Digital Product Passport under ESPR/DPP. They should reflect realistic disposal pathways in the markets where the product is sold—meaning they must match how the material is actually collected, sorted, or composted. Keep instructions short, practical, and specific to the packaging components involved.


Common examples:

  • “Flatten and recycle with paper/cardboard.”

  • “Separate cap and recycle plastics separately.”

  • “Rinse and place in plastic collection stream.”

  • “Compostable in industrial facilities only.”

Legal context

  • ESPR/DPP Art. 8 & Annex II — disposal/sorting instructions

  • Required per product group from 2027 onward (delegated acts)


Recyclability

The recyclability fields capture how well your packaging can be collected, sorted, and recycled in practice. These requirements follow PPWR design-for-recycling rules.

Recyclability grade (A–E)

These grades follow PPWR design-for-recycling principles and recognised EU industry methodologies such as RecyClass and CEFLEX.

  • Fully recyclable (grade A)
    Easily collected, sorted, and recycled at scale with high material recovery.

  • Mostly recyclable (grade B)
    Minor design elements limit efficiency, but recycling is well established.

  • Recyclable with conditions (grade C)
    Technically recyclable but dependent on specific infrastructure or separation steps.

  • Poorly recyclable (grade D)
    Significant design or material barriers prevent recycling in most EU systems.

  • Not recyclable (grade E)
    Cannot be collected, sorted, or processed with existing technologies; considered non-compliant after 2030 under PPWR.

Is monomaterial

Indicates whether the packaging is made entirely from a single material type, allowing for classification as “single-material packaging”. Single-material packaging supports higher recyclability performance (Grade A–B).

Assessment methodology

Reference to the methodology or standard used to assess the recyclability of the packaging, in line with PPWR design-for-recycling requirements.

Enter your assesmentor pick an option from the dropdown:

  • RecyClass D4R Protocol – EU-recognised method for assessing recyclability of plastic packaging.

  • CEFLEX Guidelines v3.0 – European industry guidelines for flexible packaging recyclability and design.

  • CITEO Design for Recycling Standard – French national framework for recyclability evaluation.

  • KIDV Recyclecheck – Dutch design-for-recycling guideline for packaging recyclability assessment.

  • National D4R guideline – Country-specific design-for-recycling standard (outside FR/NL).

  • Accredited third-party assessment – Verified recyclability evaluation by an accredited organisation.

  • Internal assessment methodology – Company’s own documented recyclability evaluation.

Legal context

  • PPWR Art. 6 & 8 + Annex II — design-for-recycling rules

  • Grades A–C follow EU-harmonised criteria

  • Obligatory from 2030; “recycled at scale” verification from 2035


Compostability

The compostability fields capture whether your packaging meets EU requirements for industrial or home composting. These requirements follow the PPWR compostability rules under Article 9 and Annex III.

Packaging is compostable

Enable this field only if the product meets the requirements of PPWR Article 9 & Annex III, and you hold proof such as a certificate, accredited test report, or supplier documentation.

Compostability category

Classification of the packaging based on the composting environment under which it meets the requirements of PPWR Article 9 and Annex III. Categories correspond to recognized standards for industrial (EN 13432 / EN 14995) or home composting (e.g. EN 17427, ISO 17088).

  • Industrial - Breaks down under controlled high-temperature conditions.
    Aligned with standards EN 13432 or EN 14995.

  • Home - Breaks down under lower, variable temperatures in home composting.
    Aligned with standards such as EN 17427 or ISO 17088, or certifications like OK Compost HOME.

Standard or certificate

Reference to the compostability standard applied for verifying compliance under the PPWR. Enter an option or select from the drowdown list:

  1. EN 13432 – Industrial compostability for packaging

  2. EN 14995 – Industrial compostability for plastics

  3. ISO 17088 – International compostability standard

  4. EN 17427 – Home compostability

  5. OK Compost HOME – Home composting certification

  6. Accredited test report – Laboratory evidence meeting PPWR criteria

  7. Manufacturer declaration – Internally supported declaration with test data

Legal context

  • PPWR Art. 9 & Annex III — compostability obligations

  • General obligation applies from 12-08-2026

  • Specific formats (e.g. tea bags, labels) required to be compostable from 2028


Minimisation

The minimisation fields show whether your packaging has been intentionally reduced in weight, volume, or empty space. These requirements follow PPWR Article 10 & Annex IV on packaging minimisation.

Designed for Minimisation

Switch Minimised ON when you have implemented and documented measures that reduce the amount of packaging used — such as lighter materials, smaller sizing, or removal of unnecessary components.

This field should only be used when you have evidence of material optimization.

Minimisation measures

Use this field to briefly describe what measured where taken. Examples:

  • “Reduced grammage by 12%”

  • “Optimised box size; empty-space ratio reduced from 28% to 15%”

  • “Removed plastic window”

  • “Thinner film; downgauged by 8 microns”

Short, factual descriptions work best.

Legal context

  • PPWR Art. 10 + Annex IV — minimisation obligations

  • Applies from 12-08-2026

  • Empty-space ratio methodology applies from 2030

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