+ANNEX II Categories and parameters for assessment of recyclability of packaging

ANNEX II Categories and parameters for assessment of recyclability of packaging

ANNEX II

Categories and parameters for assessment of recyclability of packaging

Table 1

Indicative list of packaging materials, types and categories referred to in Article 6

Category No	Predominant packaging material	Packaging type	Format (illustrative and non-exhaustive)	Colour / Optical transmittance
1	Glass	Glass and composite packaging, of which the majority is glass	Bottles, jars, flacons, cosmetics pots, tubs, ampoules, vials made of glass (soda lime silica), aerosol cans	—
2	Paper/cardboard	Paper/cardboard packaging	Boxes, trays, grouped packaging, flexible paper packaging (e.g. films, sheets, pouches, lidding, cones, wrappers)	—
3	Paper/cardboard	Composite packaging of which the majority is paper/cardboard	Liquid packaging board, and paper cups (i.e. laminated with polyolefin and with or without aluminium), trays, plates and cups, metallised or plastic laminated paper/cardboard, paper/cardboard with plastic liners/ windows	—
4	Metal	Steel and composite packaging of which the majority is steel	Rigid formats (aerosols cans, cans, paint tins, boxes, trays, drums, tubes) made of steel, including tinplate and stainless steel	—
5	Metal	Aluminium and composite packaging of which the majority is aluminium – rigid	Rigid formats (food and beverage cans, bottles, aerosols, drums, tubes, cans, boxes, trays) made of aluminium	—
6	Metal	Aluminium and composite packaging of which the majority is aluminium – semi-rigid and flexible	Semi rigid and flexible formats (containers and trays, tubes, foils, flexible foil) made of aluminium	—
7	Plastic	PET – rigid	Bottles and flasks	Transparent clear / coloured, opaque
8	Plastic	PET – rigid	Rigid formats other than bottles and flasks (including pots, tubs, jars, cups, mono- and multilayer trays and containers, aerosol cans)	Transparent clear / coloured, opaque
9	Plastic	PET – flexible	Films	Natural / coloured
10	Plastic	PE – rigid	Containers, bottles, trays, pots and tubes	Natural / coloured
11	Plastic	PE – flexible	Films, including multilayer and multi-material packaging	Natural / coloured
12	Plastic	PP – rigid	Containers, bottles, trays, pots and tubes	Natural / coloured
13	Plastic	PP – flexible	Films, including multilayer and multi-material packaging	Natural / coloured
14	Plastic	HDPE and PP – rigid	Crates and pallets, corrugated board plastic	Natural / coloured
15	Plastic	PS and XPS – rigid	Rigid formats (including dairy packaging, trays, cups and other food containers)	Natural / coloured
16	Plastic	EPS – rigid	Rigid formats (including fish boxes / white goods and trays)	Natural / coloured
17	Plastic	Other rigid plastics (e.g. PVC, PC) including multi-materials – rigid	Rigid formats, including. intermediate bulk containers, drums	—
18	Plastic	Other flexible plastics including multi-materials – flexible	Pouches, blisters, thermoformed packaging, vacuum packaging, modified atmosphere/modified humidity packaging, including flexible intermediate bulk containers, bags, stretch films	—
19	Plastic	Biodegradable plastics (1) – rigid (e.g. PLA, PHB) and flexible (e.g. PLA)	Rigid and flexible formats	—
20	Wood, cork	Wooden packaging, including cork	Pallets, boxes, crates	—
21	Textile	Natural and synthetic textile fibres	Bags	—
22	Ceramics or porcelain stoneware	Clay, stone	Pots, containers, bottles, jars	—

Table 2

Indicative list of packaging materials and categories referred to in Article 6

Materials	Categories	Link to Table 1, Annex II
Plastic	PET rigid	categories 7, 8
	PE rigid, PP rigid, HDPE and PP rigid	categories 10, 12, 14
	Films/flexible	categories 9, 11, 13, 18
	PS, XPS, EPS	categories 15, 16
	Other rigid plastics	category 17
	Biodegradable (rigid and flexible)	category 19
Paper/cardboard	Paper/cardboard (except liquid packaging board)	categories 2, 3
Paper/cardboard	Liquid packaging board	category 3
Metal	Aluminium	categories 5, 6
Metal	Steel	category 4
Glass	Glass	category 1
Wood	Wood, cork	category 20
Others	Textile, ceramics/porcelain and others	categories 21, 22

Table 3

Recyclability performance grades

Packaging recyclability shall be expressed in the performance grades A, B or C.

From 2030, recyclability performance is based on design for recycling criteria. The design for recycling criteria shall ensure the circularity of the use of the resulting secondary raw materials of sufficient quality to substitute the primary raw materials.

The assessment based on design for recycling criteria shall be carried out for each packaging category listed in Table 1, taking into account the methodology established under Article 6(4) and the related delegated acts, as well as the parameters established in Table 4. After weighing the criteria per packaging unit, it will be classified into categories A, B or C. When a packaging unit’s recyclability performance grade is below 70 %, it is considered to be non-compliant with the recyclability performance grades and therefore the packaging will be considered technically non-recyclable and its placing on the market shall be restricted.

From 2035, a new factor shall be added to the assessment of the packaging recyclability, which is the recycled-at-scale assessment. Consequently, a new assessment shall be carried out based on the quantity (weight) of the material effectively recycled from each of the packaging categories in accordance with the methodology established in the implementing acts adopted under Article 6(5). The thresholds related to the annual recycled packaging materials for compliance with the recycled-at-scale assessment shall be defined taking into account the targets set in Article 3(1), point (39).

2030		2035			2038
Recyclability performance grade	Design for recycling (DfR) Assessment of recyclability per unit, in terms of weighting	Recyclability performance grade (for DfR)	Design for recycling (DfR) Assessment of recyclability per unit, in terms of weighting	Recyclability performance grade (for recycled-at-scale assessment)	Recyclability performance grade	Design for recycling (DfR) Assessment of recyclability per unit, in terms of weighting	Recyclability performance grade (for recycled-at-scale assessment)
Grade A	higher or equal to 95 %	Grade A	higher or equal to 95 %	Grade A RaS	Grade A	higher or equal to 95 %	Grade A RaS
Grade B	higher or equal to 80 %	Grade B	higher or equal to 80 %	Grade B RaS	Grade B	higher or equal to 80 %	Grade B RaS
Grade C	higher or equal to 70 %	Grade C	higher or equal to 70 %	Grade C RaS	Grade C CANNOT BE PLACED ON THE MARKET	higher or equal to 70 %	Grade C RaS
TECHNICALLY NON-RECYCLABLE	lower than 70 %	TECHNICALLY NON-RECYCLABLE	lower than 70 %	NOT RECYCLED AT SCALE (below thresholds of Article 3(1), point (39).	TECHNICALLY NON-RECYCLABLE	lower than 70 %	NOT RECYCLED AT SCALE (below thresholds of Article 3(1), point (39).

Table 4

Non-exhaustive list of parameters for setting design for recycling criteria under Article 6

The list in this Table shall be used as a basis when defining design for recycling criteria, as set out in Article 6(4). The design for recycling criteria shall then be used in order to set the calculations leading to the performance grades listed in Table 3. In addition, the assessment of the parameters set out in that list shall consider:

—	separability of any component of packaging, either manually by end users or in processing plants,

—	efficiency of sorting and recycling processes, for example yield,

—	evolution of sorting and recycling technologies (to address the aspect if the packaging cannot be sorted today, but it might be sortable in 2 years), and

—	preservation of functionality of secondary raw materials enabling the substitution of primary raw materials.

The packaging functionality that the following parameters provide to the packaging shall be factored-in in the setting of design for recycling criteria.

Parameters for design for recycling criteria	Parameter’s relevance
Additives	Additives refer often to substances added to materials to confer specific properties. The presence of additives in the packaging containers can result in incorrect sorting of the packaging materials during the sorting process and can contaminate the obtained secondary raw materials.
Labels	Coverage rate of labels can affect the efficiency of the sorting process. Material from which the label is made and type of glue or adhesive also affect the quality of the secondary raw material.
Sleeves	Coverage rate of the sleeve on the main packaging body affects the possibilities for sorting. In addition, the use of sleeves can affect the ability to separate them from the main packaging body. The material from which the sleeve is made can affect both the sortability and the recyclability of the packaging.
Closures and other small packaging components	Closures refer to components used to close or seal the packaging. There may be different types of closures, rigid or flexible, such as tamper-evident shrink wrap, linings, caps, lids, seals, valves, etc. The material from which the closures is made can affect both the sortability and the recyclability of the packaging. Closures that are not firmly attached to the packaging can increase litter. Small packaging components attached to the main packaging body can affect the separability and the recyclability of the packaging. In addition, the components can be lost in the sorting and recycling process.
Adhesives	Adhesives can be used in such a way that they can be easily separated in the recycling process or by the end user or in a way that they do not affect the efficiency of the sorting and recycling processes. The presence of adhesive residues on the packaging can downgrade the quality (purity) of the secondary raw materials. Washable adhesives can ensure the separation from the main packaging body and that no adhesive residue remains in the secondary raw material.
Colours	Colours are substances that impart colour to the packaging material. Heavily dyed materials in paper or plastics can cause problems with regard to sorting and can downgrade the quality of secondary raw materials.
Material composition	Use of mono-materials or material combinations that permit easy separation and ensure high yield of secondary raw materials is preferable.
Barriers / coatings	The material or substance added to confer barrier properties (barrier), or a variety of materials applied on the surface to impart other properties (coating). The presence of barriers or coatings within the packaging can make recycling more difficult. Combinations that ensure high yield of secondary raw materials are preferable.
Inks and lacquers / printing/ coding	Inks and lacquers are mixtures of colorants with other substances applied onto the material by a printing or coating process (ink) or a protective coating made of resin or cellulose ester, or both, dissolved in a volatile solvent (lacquer). Coding refers to printing applied directly to sales packaging for the purpose of batch coding and other information and branding. The use of inks with substances of concern hinders recycling, as those packaging units cannot be recycled. Printing inks when released can contaminate the recycling stream through the washing water. Likewise, printing inks which are not released can impair the transparency of the recycling stream.
Product residues / ease of emptying	Residues of the content of the packaging can affect the sortability and the recyclability of the packaging. The design of the packaging should enable the easy emptying of its content and when disposed of should be in a fully drained condition.
Ease of dismantling	Components that are firmly attached to each other can affect the sortability and the recyclability of the packaging. Packaging design can facilitate the possibility of separating different components into different material streams.

(1) Please note that this category contains plastics that are readily biodegradable (meaning a proven ability to convert >90 % of the original material into CO2, water and minerals by biological processes within 6 months) and regardless of the feedstock used for their production. Biobased polymers that are not readily biodegradable are covered under the other relevant plastic categories.

1. Forbhreathnú

Teideal	Rialáil

1.1 Tagairtí

1.2 Ceanglais aitheanta

1.3 Caighdeáin ghaolmhara

2. Ceanglais aitheanta

Ceanglais
Foinse	Ceanglas

3. Caighdeáin ghaolmhara

Caighdeáin
Foinse	Ceanglas

Builddate: 22.01.2025 00:00:00 -Doknr: CELEX:32025R0040
EULAW -
European Regulation published on http://eur-lex.europa.eu/