European manufacturers face August 2026 packaging compliance deadline as EPR regulations tighten

European manufacturers face August 2026 packaging compliance deadline as EPR regulations tighten globally

Trioworld's Policy to Practice webinar series highlights the near-term documentation requirements companies need to be preparing for now 

The August 2026 deadline

European manufacturers have until August 2026 to complete a formal compliance assessment and hold documentation of compliance under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Suppliers into those manufacturers are also required to provide supporting information to enable compliance assessments to be completed.

This deadline was highlighted as one of the most immediately actionable requirements facing European businesses during Trioworld's second Policy to Practice webinar, held on 10 June 2026. The session, titled Understanding Packaging EPR Across Markets: Europe and North America, brought together Lena Lundberg, Public Affairs and Regulatory Director at Trioworld; Crystal Bayliss, Interim Executive Director of the U.S. Plastics Pact; and Drew White, Technical Product and Training Specialist at Trioworld.

PPWR and the changing European landscape

Lena Lundberg outlined how PPWR is reshaping producer responsibility across the EU, including a harmonised definition of producer that will affect how companies participate in national EPR schemes, and the introduction of modulated fees based on recyclability performance and potentially recycled content inclusion.

The harmonisation of the producer definition is a significant change for companies operating across multiple EU member states. Where previously a company might carry different responsibilities depending on the national system it was operating in, PPWR creates a single shared framework as the baseline.

Fee modulation under PPWR links what companies pay into EPR schemes to the recyclability grade of their packaging. In practice, several member states are already ahead of the PPWR framework on this point. Belgium offers a fee discount for plastics containing a minimum of 10% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content for non-contact applications, or 20% PCR for contact-sensitive applications. France is introducing a bonus of between 450 and 550 EUR per tonne for the use of recycled plastics in wholesale packaging from 2026, rising to 1,000 EUR per tonne after 2027.

North America: seven states, no single rulebook

The webinar also addressed the North American regulatory landscape, where EPR legislation has now passed in seven US states, with a further three states in study or needs-assessment phases. Crystal Bayliss, Interim Executive Director of the U.S. Plastics Pact, highlighted California's 2032 targets as the most consequential near-term benchmark for companies operating in the US market.

California's legislation requires 100% recyclable or compostable plastic packaging, a 25% source reduction target for plastic packaging, and a 65% recycling rate for single-use plastic packaging, all by 2032. Transport packaging, including stretch film, is within scope.

“You cannot just assume that because it got collected and sorted and sent to the recycler, that it is going to get bought and put into a new product. If there is not a demand pull there, you will not hit your recycling rate requirements.”

Crystal Bayliss, Interim Executive Director, U.S. Plastics Pact

The PCR demand gap

Bayliss raised a structural challenge facing the industry on both sides of the Atlantic. EPR legislation is driving investment in collection and sorting infrastructure, but collected material still has to be purchased and turned back into products. Several plastic film reclaimers closed in 2025 amid insufficient demand for recycled content, raising questions about whether current incentive structures are generating enough pull from manufacturers and brand owners to keep the recycling system economically viable.

California's 65% recycling rate target cannot be met through collection alone. It requires active procurement of PCR material by the companies placing packaging on market.

“Companies can no longer look at packaging compliance market by market in isolation. What this session confirmed for us is that the companies who will navigate this most effectively are the ones treating packaging as a system, not a series of separate procurement decisions.”

Lynne Elliott, Director of Global Marketing and Communication, Trioworld

Trioworld's response

Trioworld's Loop product range contains a minimum of 30% independently verified PCR, offering customers a direct route to reducing virgin plastic content and contributing to the demand side of the recycling system. The company's Triocircular closed-loop service collects used stretch film from customers, processes it, and returns it as new product with verified recycled content, creating a closed loop for flexible packaging in the supply chain.

The full recording of the webinar is available on demand at  trioworld.com/epr0626

About Trioworld

Trioworld is a global manufacturer of high-performance PE and PP plastic film, founded in 1965 and headquartered in Smålandsstenar, Sweden. The company operates 18 production sites across Europe, North America, and South Asia, employing approximately 2,480 people. Trioworld serves customers across agriculture, transport packaging, consumer packaging, industrial, healthcare, and retail applications. The company's sustainability strategy is guided by its purpose, Together, we responsibly lead our industry into circularity, and its tagline, Re-thinking plastic.

For more information, visit trioworld.com