The packaging recycling The recycling of consumer products for the general public has become one of the environmental priorities of the European Union and the Spanish government. However, there are still many citizens in the Eurozone and in Spain who do not recycle packaging correctly and/or have doubts about the classification of the colours used in the containers on the public highway.
In order to address these information gaps on how to recycle properly, the state has been running information and awareness campaigns on this issue. However, until now, industry has not been asked to collaborate in better management of packaging recycling.
With the publication of the Royal Decree 1055/2022 of 27 December on packaging and packaging waste, it was made compulsory to indicate the destination container for household packaging for packaging placed on the Spanish market from 1 January 2025.
So, in a few weeks, many companies will have to review their labelling to comply with the requirements of the Royal Decree 1055/2022 on packaging and packaging waste. Once and for all, companies that want to introduce their consumer products on the Spanish market will have to inform on the labelling about the container in which the packaging of the same product should be placed.
Packaging recycling: regulatory developments in Royal Decree 1055/2022
As we have already reported, from 1 January next, the Royal Decree 1055/2022 on packaging and packaging waste makes it compulsory to indicate the destination container of household packaging for packaging placed on the Spanish market after this date.
What happens to products that are already in stock or back on the market?
- This change in packaging and waste legislation is not retroactive.
- It does not apply to consumer goods placed on the market before 1 January, nor does it apply to those already in stock.
What does the new obligation to indicate what type of waste product packaging generates imply in practice?
- This obligation involves placing an information phrase or symbol on the packaging.
- No specific format or symbol is established, but it must be placed on the packaging itself or on the label. This information may be accompanied by information or symbols for other countries that are also obliged to provide this information.
New tools for consumers: consumer product labelling
The environmental protection organisation ECOEMBES has taken on the mission of enforcing the new waste legislation, and to manage it, it has created the symbols "..." and "...".RecycleThe "Waste to Waste" campaign, which your organisation's member companies can use to inform consumers about what type of waste a product's packaging is and in which container it should be disposed of.