PPWR & Compostables: One of the Keys to the Future of Packaging in Europe

With the new PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation EU), all packaging rules will change starting in 2026. The goal: 100% recyclability by 2030. But the regulation goes even further—it clearly acknowledges the role of compostable solutions.

• Ultra-light bags (<15 µm) for fruits and vegetables will be required to be compostable.

• Lightweight bags over 15 µm: each Member State will decide individually.

• Stickers on fruits and vegetables, as well as tea and coffee sachets, must also be compostable by 2028.

This sends a strong message: compostables are part of the solution. And the framework is still evolving. Member States, industry players, and stakeholders are already working to expand the role of compostables. In Germany, Plastics Europe Deutschland and other trade associations are calling for compostable fruit and vegetable bags to become the norm. The clear objective: reduce sorting errors, improve organic waste quality, and limit plastic pollution.

Switzerland has a unique opportunity: to deliver a strong and concrete response to the issue of microplastics contaminating both compost and the environment. With some of the most advanced industrial composting infrastructure in Europe, the country is ideally positioned to lead the way. While many hesitate to mandate compostables due to technical constraints, Switzerland already has the tools to act—and to prove that a fully aligned, plastic-free composting chain is not only possible, but effective.