Circular Cardboard The scheme has closed its first year of operation, following the implementation of the new regulations on packaging and packaging waste, with over 1.400 member companies, establishing itself as a leading Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for Spanish industry. It is worth noting that over 80% of member companies operate in sectors outside the paper and cardboard value chain, reaffirming the multi-material nature of the model and its positive reception across all types of industries.
The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme specializing in industrial packaging remains committed to a simple, efficient, and transparent model, based on a single, competitive rate of €8 per ton for all types of packaging. Cartón Circular was also the first EPR scheme dedicated to industrial packaging to publish its 2026 rate, reinforcing its commitment to economic transparency and legal certainty for its member companies.
Pilar Arrayás, director of Cartón Circular, Arrayás emphasizes that “2025 has been a key year for consolidating an operating system that prioritizes simplicity, traceability, and respect for the recycling market.” According to Arrayás, “the entry into force of the European Packaging Regulation in August 2026 and the processing of the new Spanish Royal Decree will demand even greater rigor in companies' internal processes and continuous support from Cartón Circular to train companies on current obligations and ensure compliance. Furthermore, it is worth noting that a significant portion of the industrial sector, especially SMEs, has not yet fully adapted to the new regulatory framework, making training and advisory services an essential part of our work for the coming year.”
Throughout 2025, the entity has presented its new agreement for end holders, a tool designed to ensure the traceability of packaging waste attached to this SCRAP, as required by Royal Decree 1055/2022, on packaging and packaging waste.
This solution allows end users to ensure legal compliance without modifying existing operations or altering their relationship with authorized waste managers. As part of this model, Cartón Circular offers a economic incentive Between €3 and €5 per ton of packaging, payable exclusively to the end user for the traceability information they provide, even when the report is submitted by the waste management company through a power of attorney granted to the end user. The Circular Cardboard platform already has more than 400 integrated waste management companies actively collaborating in this process.
Furthermore, SCRAP has launched the Circular Industrial Plan 2025–2029 (PIC 25-29), a collective solution that allows producers to comply with the obligation to implement prevention and ecodesign plans, as set out in Royal Decree 1055/2022, on packaging and packaging waste.
The five-year plan is aimed at companies that exceed certain packaging thresholds or that voluntarily wish to minimize the impact of their packaging. The PIC promotes actions such as waste reduction, improved recyclability, and the use of recycled materials, aligning with European circular economy objectives.
“We want to continue being the leading SCRAP (Single-Purpose Waste Collection) organization for industrial packaging in Spain and support companies in complying with regulations in a simple, transparent way and without altering what already works,” Arrayás concludes.
