PPWR: Key Requirements Applicable Since 12 August 2026 and Upcoming Deadlines, How to prepare?
The European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), Regulation (EU) 2025/40, has applied since 12 August 2026. It aims to reduce packaging waste, improve recyclability and promote the circular economy. Its requirements are being introduced progressively, with further major deadlines in 2030 and beyond.
Which PPWR Requirements Apply Since 12 August 2026?
Several PPWR requirements have applied since 12 August 2026 to packaging placed on the EU market.
Restrictions on hazardous substances
The PPWR sets a limit of 100 mg/kg for the sum of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium in packaging and its components.
Specific restrictions also apply to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in food-contact packaging, with limits of 25 ppb for individual PFAS, 250 ppb for the sum of targeted PFAS and 50 ppm for total fluorine, subject to the conditions laid down in the Regulation.
Packaging identification: Cf Article 15 (5) (6)
“Manufacturers shall ensure that the packaging bears a type, batch or serial number or other element allowing its identification or, where the size or nature of the packaging does not so allow, that the required information is provided in a document accompanying the packaged product. Manufacturers shall indicate on the packaging or on a QR code or another data carrier their name, registered trade name or registered trademark as well as the postal address at which and, where available, the electronic means of communication by which they can be contacted. Where that is not possible, the required information shall be provided as part of the information through the QR code or other type of standardised, open, digital data carrier as referred to in Article 12(1), (2), (4) or (5) or in a document accompanying the packaged product. The postal address shall indicate a single point at which the manufacturer can be contacted”.
Environmental claims
Environmental claims relating to packaging properties regulated by the PPWR are subject to specific conditions. They may only highlight performance that exceeds the applicable minimum requirements. Their scope must also be clearly specified, whether it concerns the entire packaging, a component or all packaging placed on the market by the economic operator.
Conformity assessment and technical documentation
Manufacturers must assess packaging conformity, prepare technical documentation before placing packaging on the market. Supporting documentation must be retained for five years for single-use packaging and ten years for reusable packaging.
Availability of the declaration of conformity to authorities
Upon request from market surveillance authorities, manufacturers must provide the EU declaration of conformity and the relevant technical documentation within 10 days, in a language that the authorities can easily understand.
What Are the Upcoming Regulatory Deadlines?
The PPWR introduces further requirements over the coming years, which manufacturers should anticipate.
Certain single-use packaging formats will also be prohibited from 2030, subject to the exemptions provided for in the Regulation.
These deadlines may require changes to packaging design, material composition and supply chains. Early preparation can help manufacturers anticipate these changes.
How Can Packaging Suppliers and Producers Prepare for PPWR Compliance?
Preparing for PPWR compliance starts with identifying the packaging concerned and the company’s role in the supply chain, as obligations vary depending on whether an operator is a manufacturer, importer or distributor.
Manufacturers should then assess their packaging portfolios, focusing on material composition, restricted substances, recyclability and environmental claims. Collecting reliable information from suppliers, particularly on recycled content and material composition, is an important part of this process.
Finally, a prioritised action plan can help address current obligations and anticipate future requirements, including potential laboratory testing, packaging redesign and updates to technical documentation.
How Can CEHTRA Support Your PPWR Compliance?
CEHTRA offers a comprehensive approach to PPWR compliance, from building internal expertise to managing the implementation of requirements across your entire packaging portfolio.
Our support includes:
PPWR training to help teams understand the regulation, its requirements and upcoming deadlines, and build the knowledge needed to manage compliance internally.
Digital PPWR gap analysis using our dedicated dashboard to assess packaging portfolios at scale, identify compliance gaps and prioritise actions across the full range of packaging.
Long-term PPWR consulting supports helping companies address evolving requirements, prepare for successive regulatory deadlines and integrate PPWR compliance into their packaging processes over the 15-year implementation horizon of the Regulation.
Dedicated resources / support on a managed basis for companies looking to fully or partially outsource their PPWR activities. CEHTRA can provide dedicated regulatory expertise to manage the subject on an ongoing basis, from portfolio assessment and supplier data collection to compliance monitoring and implementation.
This approach allows companies to choose the level of support that best fits their needs, from targeted training and one-off portfolio assessments to long-term support or a dedicated resource managing PPWR compliance on their behalf.
