NEWS

(03/29/2023 / sbr)

Why do we need a Recyclability Evaluation Protocol?

The industry is constantly innovating to increase the recycling rate of fibre-based packaging, but that innovation can be perfected by a strong understanding of how using different materials and components will impact the recyclability of fibre-based packaging solutions. So far, packaging producers across Europe have lacked a harmonised, objective method to assess and compare different packaging solutions’ suitability for efficient recycling.

(by 4evergreen Alliance)

What is the Protocol? Is it already available?

The Protocol is a landmark industry tool to evaluate which fibre-based materials can be recycled depending on different recycling technologies.

A beta release of the first version of this protocol for measuring recyclability in standard mills is already available. The result of the collaboration of 75 experts from across the entire fibre-based packaging value chain who analysed data and incorporated results from more than 50 actual recycling tests involving close to 100 different samples. Data was reprocessed and calibrated to create the most up-to-date scoring for the recyclability of fibre-based packaging in standard mills.

What is coming next?

After the release of the first part of the Recyclability Evaluation Protocol, Workstream 1 Experts are already working on future versions of the document, which will allow an evaluation of fibre-based packaging recyclability for floatation-deinking and specialised recycling mills and are due for release in the second half of 2023. In addition, 4evergreen experts, are working on adapted test methods that will be used as a basis for the new versions.

We need your contribution!

We strongly encourage every user to test the Protocol with all types of fibre-based packaging and report back their findings to 4evergreenalliance@gmail.com by the 30th of June 2023, specifying “Recyclability Evaluation Protocol – Feedback” in the subject line.

Any comment and suggestion will be extremely helpful for our experts to optimise this beta release into a first completed version and feed into future ones.