The world of packaging is facing profound change. The new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) creates the first Europe-wide uniform legal framework that applies to all packaging – from supermarket shelves to large industrial containers such as IBCs.

What is behind the PPWR?

The PPWR has a clear goal: less packaging waste, more circular economy. To this end, it sets binding requirements for recyclability, reusable quotas and the use of recycled materials. In future, packaging must be designed in such a way that it can be efficiently recycled or reused multiple times. Labelling requirements such as uniform symbols and digital product passports will also become standard from 2030 onwards, creating transparency across Europe.

Timetable and milestones

The PPWR provides a clear roadmap:

• The regulation has been officially in force since February 2025.
• The transition period ends in August 2026 – the first obligations regarding recyclability, labelling and reusability become binding.
• By 2030, all packaging must be either reusable or recyclable. In addition, binding quotas for reusable and recycled materials will apply for the first time.
• From 2035, the quotas will increase further, while at the same time the requirements for separability and sortability will rise.
• Finally, by 2040, the volume of packaging in the EU is to be reduced by 15% compared to 2018 – an ambitious goal that affects all industries.

What does this mean for the IBC industry?

Industrial packaging, which until now has been selected primarily on the basis of cost and logistics considerations, is becoming the focus of regulation. This poses challenges for plastic IBCs: material combinations are often difficult to recycle, single-use variants increase waste volumes and lead to rising EPR fees.

Stainless steel IBCs, on the other hand, meet key criteria: they are durable, can be recycled as single-material waste and can be combined with smart technologies. They help companies not only to meet the new requirements, but also to derive economic benefits from them.

Conclusion

The PPWR is more than a bureaucratic milestone – it marks the beginning of a new era in which packaging is becoming a strategic management tool. For decision-makers in the chemical, food and logistics industries, acting early creates security, saves costs and opens up competitive advantages. 

The first step is to critically examine your own IBC fleets: What materials are in use, where are fees likely to rise – and where does stainless steel already offer the opportunity to combine sustainability, compliance and cost-effectiveness?

Our white paper ‘Safety is no coincidence’ offers practical guidance:

• the objectives and requirements of the PPWR explained in an understandable way,
• the most important deadlines and quotas at a glance,
• and a practical positioning on how regulatory obligations for IBCs can be transformed into opportunities for efficiency, safety and competitive strength.

Find out more now and download the white paper: https://www.ibc.schaefer-container-systems.com/en/whitepaper-safety-is-no-accident/