Environment and sustainability – September 2025
Rules and regulations in the EU
The EP has given its green light to the revision of the Waste Framework Directive, with a focus on food and textile waste. Together with GS1 Germany (in German), Forum Rezyklat has developed a tool to support PPWR-compliant reporting. The EC has announced legal action against Estonia and Germany and Poland for failing to correctly transpose the SUP. Close the Glass Loop has published an overview of glass packaging collection systems. France: Legislation (in French) giving parameters for the modulation of EPR fees for plastic has been published. Set to enter into force on 1 January 2026, it introduces a bonus depending on the amount of recycled plastic used. Germany: ZSVR has published the 2025 edition of the minimum standard for determining the recyclability of packaging. NL all info is in Dutch unless stated otherwise: The new rates for 2026 announced by Verpact show an increase for beverage cartons and aluminum. On 11 September, the Circular Economy debate took place. You can rewatch the debate here. Beforehand, MPs received a compilation letter and a letter on improving the DRS stating that ILT will be imposing a further charge under penalty on Verpact. An evaluation (4.15 MB) of the reuse and recycling targets for 2021-2023 was also sent to the House. The NVWA has published useful insights following trial inspections for the EUDR (in English). The monitoring report 2024 (274 kB) by Verpact shows a recycling and reuse rate of 88%, the same as in 2023. The collection rate for plastic beverage bottles increased from 74% in 2023 to 77% in 2024. Research (3.95 MB) by Copper8 and SD&Co shows that structural cost reduction is needed to make the mechanical plastic recycling sector profitable and future-proof. Poland: KPMG has published an article on draft EPR legislation (in Polish) published by the government (in Polish). The system will be managed by a state fund and will be implemented gradually starting in 2026.
Rules and regulations outside the EU
Australia: As of September 2025, another group of SUPs including plastic soy sauce fish are banned in South Australia. ACCC is proposing to authorise a voluntary scheme for soft plastics recycling. Hong Kong: The government has passed legislation for EPR organisations. India: Legislation (scroll down for English, 944 kB) introducing EPR for non-ferrous metals has been published. United Arab Emirates: The government and the Tadweer Group have signed a MoU to pilot the UAE’s first EPR scheme. UK: Plastic tax statistics show that revenue totalled £259 million in 2024 to 2025, decreasing by 3% compared to 2023 to 2024. US: California: CalRecycle has opened a comment period for SB 54 draft regulations on EPR.
Research and reports
In a report that you can download after filling in your details, Eunomia and Systemiq highlight the environmental and economic costs of SUPs in the healthcare sector. A report (39.98 MB) by EA, shows that Plastic Overshoot Day 2025 was on 5 September, just as in 2024. An estimated 27 million tons of plastic is floating as nanoparticles in the North Atlantic Ocean according to a study by NIOZ and Utrecht University. Research from Bangor University reveals that the combined effects of ocean warming and microplastic pollution could severely damage marine ecosystems. According to a report (11.84 MB) by OECD, plastic leakage could fall by more than 95% in Southeast and East Asia by 2050 with stronger policies. A study (10.71 MB) by JRC analyses EU plastic materials flows and suggests ways to reduce environmental impacts.
An LCA (12 MB) by Circular Analytics of PE-packaging and alternatives on the EU market is published in Cleaner Environmental Systems. Another LCA (3.75 MB) by CBQF of different packages for cherry tomatoes is published in the Journal of Cleaner Production.
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