The EU directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (94/62/EC) deals with the problems of packaging waste and the presence of heavy metals in packaging. The directive restricts the presence of certain heavy metals in packaging (lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium) with the goal of protecting the environment from hazardous substances and materials. ProductIP’s VERIFEYER service enables you to test whether your packaging meets these requirements at a low cost.
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive also requires member states to meet targets for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste. These targets are set as a percentage of the total amount of packaging flowing into the waste stream. Moreover, the directive requires registration, reporting, and recycling in each EU member state where a company is considered the producer.
Packaging must meet certain requirements. For this reason, the Commission encourages the development of European standards. EU member states must ensure that packaging placed on the market complies with the essential requirements of Annex II:
The EU directive regarding packaging and packaging waste covers all packaging and packaging waste, whether it is used or released at industrial, commercial, office, shop, service, household or any other level, regardless of the material used.
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive also requires that the packaging of a product indicates the nature of the materials used for the packaging in order to facilitate identification and classification. The marking must be attached to the actual packaging or on its label and must be clearly visible and legible.