In the last few months, EU regulations have changed the way how packaging should be re-used and recycled because of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The PPWR aims to decrease packaging waste, promote high-quality recycling, and ensure all packaging on the EU market is recyclable in an economically viable way by 2030. This has a huge impact on a lot of companies that handle large amounts of packaging. The PPWR does not focus on the coffee grounds inside the coffee capsules. This is still highly valuable material, so we help you obtain this material with the CoffeeCoiner.

All sorts of single use coffee capsules fall under this regulation. Distributors, importers, and suppliers of single-use coffee capsules in the EU become responsible for the end-of-life solution and overall environmental impact of the packaging. Therefore, the regulation has enormous impact on coffee brands, and also on CoffeeCoiner. On the positive side, the regulation tackles the enormous problems around packaging waste. So our ultimate goal to increase the recycling rate of aluminum capsules to 100% has now become a goal of the EU, and will be enforced by the PPWR. So hopefully all the waste coming from aluminum capsules will be a thing of the past soon.

The EU PPWR in summary:

• Plastic packaging must be made in part from recycled content, with increasing targets for 2030 and 2040. 
• All Packaging must be recyclable by 2030: This means packaging must be designed so that all parts can be used for something else afterwards, instead of valuable material being dumped or burned. Als knows as "Design for Recycling" (DFR)
• People must be able to see what it’s made of, where to bin it, how to return it for reuse. 
• No more layers of useless packaging or pellets in your deliveries. Small, light packaging without empty space. 
• Deposit and return systems will be boosted. Some single-use plastics will be banned. Companies must make reuse or refill options available whenever possible, with no extra charge.
• Brands using non-recyclable or environmentally harmful materials will have to pay to clean them up. Harmful and cancer-causing “forever” chemicals (PFAS) will be banned from packaging from August 2026.

(source: European Comission)