La European Union, within the framework of European Circular Economy Strategy, the goal has been set that by 2030 100% of European packaging will be recycled. It has also committed to recycle and reuse 50% of packaging in 2025 and 55% in 2030.
In the framework of the objectives of the EU, Montse Castillo, coordinator of the Master in Packaging Management of IQS Executive Education and packaging consultant at BRC Global Standards, offered a webinar in April on the status of European guidelines on circular economy and recycling in the packaging sector.
For the expert, changes have to emerge at the regulatory level to advance in the process: «the challenge is to rethink and redesign in a totally disruptive way, a model in which outflows are minimal, and reuse and reuse prevail. recycling. Recycling options are needed that pay off economically. '
Montse Castillo defended the need for the packaging sector to comply with regulatory frameworks. In addition, he stressed the need to go a little further by encouraging plastic recycling and its reuse through measures that benefit producers. «You have to identify which measures are the best and move to establish future plans and establish a roadmap. In this sense, it is necessary to know which are the most effective alternatives to be able to meet the objective, "he explained.
In this sense, Montse Castillo referred to the 2020 AECOC Shopper view study, in which 69% of those surveyed gave importance to buying more sustainable products. “Although plastic can demonstrate its circularity and is sometimes an alternative, the consumer continues to have a negative view. The industry will have to opt for alternatives or for communication campaigns that explain the benefits of its circularity, ”said the expert.
