(36)To ensure packaging circularity, packaging should be designed and manufactured in such a way as to allow for the increased substitution of primary raw materials with recycled materials. The increased use of recycled materials supports the development of the circular economy with well-functioning markets for recycled materials, reduces costs, dependencies and negative environmental impacts related to the use of primary raw materials, and allows for a more resource-efficient use of materials. In relation to the different packaging materials, the lowest input of recycled materials is in plastic packaging. In order to address these concerns in the most appropriate manner, it is necessary to increase the uptake of recycled plastics by establishing mandatory targets for recycled content in plastic packaging at different levels depending on the contact-sensitivity 21 of different plastic packaging applications and by ensuring that those targets become binding by 2030. In order to ensure packaging circularity on an incremental basis, increased targets should apply from 2040.
Recital 36
- 21 Contact-sensitive packaging refers to plastic packaging of products covered by Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on additives for use in animal nutrition ( OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 29 ), Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 October 2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food ( OJ L 338 13.11.2004, p. 4 ), Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 on the placing on the market and use of feed, amending European Parliament and Council Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 and repealing Council Directive 79/373/EEC, Commission Directive 80/511/EEC, Council Directives 82/471/EEC, 83/228/EEC, 93/74/EEC, 93/113/EC and 96/25/EC and Commission Decision 2004/217/EC ( OJ L 229, 1.9.2009, p. 1 ), Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products ( OJ L 342, 22.12.2009, p. 59 ), Regulation (EU) 2017/745, Regulation (EU) 2017/746, Regulation (EU) 2019/4 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the manufacture, placing on the market and use of medicated feed, amending Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directive 90/167/EEC ( OJ L 4, 7.1.2019, p. 1 ), Regulation (EU) 2019/6, Directive 2001/83/EC and Directive 2008/68/EC. ↩