“Circularity by Design guideline” with clear recommendations

The aim of the report is to examine the impact of different components on fibre-based packaging and how these affect the paper recycling processes, in order to present design recommendations.

Consumers are increasingly aware of the environment and the importance of eco-design and recycling in both the goods they purchase and the way they are packaged. According to 4Evergreen, fibre-based packaging is both a sustainable and ‘circular’ solution because it is renewable and has one of the highest recycling rates globally.

Since packaging needs to fulfil various functions, such as protecting the contents, communicating information about the products, and facilitating their transportation, to achieve these different properties may require a combination of materials. Due to the wide variety of fibre-based packaging solutions, some adaptations in the recycling process may be needed to increase the rate of material recovery. Indeed, the amount and variety of fibre-based packaging on the market is continuously growing. Innovative solutions are therefore needed to maintain and further increase the recycling rates across Europe.