EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation enters into application, restricting PFAS in food packaging

The European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) began applying across the bloc on August 12, 2026, establishing a harmonised framework for packaging and packaging waste in the Single Market and introducing a restriction on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food-contact packaging, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment announced on August 11, 2026. From that date, food-contact packaging containing PFAS above set limits can no longer be placed on the EU market.

PFAS, a group of highly persistent chemicals sometimes called “forever chemicals,” have commonly been used in items such as takeaway containers, fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, bakery paper and pizza boxes to repel water and grease. The Commission said the restriction is designed to cut human exposure to PFAS and reduce the release of the chemicals into the environment. The regulation itself entered into force in February 2025, with its rules applying on a phased basis starting August 12, 2026, according to the Commission.

What changes under the EU packaging waste regulation now

Alongside the PFAS restriction, the PPWR harmonises definitions for manufacturers and producers responsible for extended producer responsibility of packaging, and requires new markings and information so that packaging manufacturers or importers can be identified and contacted. The regulation replaces fragmented national packaging rules with a single EU-wide framework, which the Commission said brings greater legal certainty for businesses operating across borders while creating conditions for investment in circular packaging solutions.

Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, said the regulation “is an investment in Europe’s future: it will help reduce waste, increase recycling, make food-contact packaging safer for the consumers by limiting harmful substances such as PFAS, and reduce our dependence on virgin raw materials.” She added that the Commission “worked intensively with market operators to implement the new rules in a pragmatic and unbureaucratic way.”

Without the regulation, the Commission projected that packaging waste in the EU would grow by 19% by 2030, with plastic packaging waste rising by as much as 46%.

Phased rollout through 2040

The August 12, 2026 application covers only the first set of PPWR obligations. From 2028, a harmonised labelling system for packaging will apply across the EU to make waste-sorting more efficient, which the Commission said should save the packaging industry billions of euros over time. The majority of obligations become applicable from 2030, including limits on empty space in packaging, reuse targets, restrictions on very small single-use plastic packaging formats used in hotels and restaurants, mandatory use of recycled plastic in new plastic packaging, and a requirement that all packaging be recyclable. Further requirements phase in on a rolling basis through 2040, according to the Commission and legal analysis from the National Law Review.

The Commission said it is preparing secondary legislation to support implementation and will continue working with national authorities, industry and civil society “to ensure the efficient and pragmatic implementation of the new rules.” Bergeson & Campbell, a law firm tracking the regulation, noted that public comment opportunities on implementing measures remain open as the phased rollout continues. The EU’s push to standardise packaging rules follows broader work on the circular economy that Winss has covered for small and mid-sized businesses, many of which will need to adapt packaging and supply chains to the new EU-wide standard.

About the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation

The PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40) was adopted to respond to both environmental and economic pressures on the EU packaging sector, replacing the previous Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. It entered into force in February 2025, and its provisions are designed to reduce the EU’s dependence on imported fossil fuels used to make plastic packaging, keep materials in use longer, and strengthen the market for secondary raw materials produced within the bloc. The regulation’s first substantive obligations, including the PFAS restriction in food-contact packaging, took effect August 12, 2026, with the bulk of its measures, including recyclability and recycled-content requirements, scheduled to phase in from 2030 as the EU works toward its 2050 circular-economy and climate-neutrality targets.

Sources: European Commission, Directorate-General for Environment; National Law Review; Bergeson & Campbell, P.C.

Featured image: photo by Jan van der Wolf on Pexels (free Pexels license).

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Figen Sekin

I specialize in sustainability education, curriculum co-creation, and early-stage project strategy. At WINSS, I craft articles on sustainability, transformative AI, and related topics. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing the perfect sushi roll, exploring cities around the globe, or unwinding with my dog Puffy — the world’s most loyal sidekick.