KIDV turns Sustainable Packaging Compass toward recyclability and decreased modulated fees

15 Sep 2022 --- The Netherlands Institute for Sustainable Packaging (KIDV) has made several adjustments to its Sustainable Packaging Compass tool to include the 2022 Recycle Check for rigid plastic packaging. The key focus areas of the update are PET trays and other thermoformed PET packaging and sub-components, such as caps, pumps and cover films.

The Sustainable Packaging Compass makes calculations based on the current provisions of sorting and recycling facilities in the Netherlands. Packaging designers, marketers and buyers use the Recycle Check before launching a new product.

While PET packaging has now been qualified as “good recyclable,” if the packages meet design guidelines, the sub-components that affect the overall recyclability score of a product are given more attention in the Compass calculations.

Currently, the tool can be used for flexible and rigid plastic packaging. KIDV plans to expand the Compass to include the packaging materials like paper, cardboard and glass.

“Companies can use this free tool to determine the [environmental] sustainability of their product packaging based on three pillars: recyclability, circularity and environmental impact,” Maartje Knaap, communication advisor for KIDV, tells PackagingInsights.

“[Companies] can also compare scenarios with alternative ones. The Compass shows how they can tweak their current product packaging combination to achieve circularity.”

KIDV has made adjustments to the Sustainable Packaging Compass that relate to the recyclability of rigid plastic packaging.Toolkit for modulated fees
As per the Dutch Packaging Management Decree, all businesses that make or use packaging are responsible for collecting, sorting and recycling their packaging in the market. The Packaging Waste Fund administers this responsibility and functions on a polluter-pays principle to achieve recycling targets set by the Dutch government.

“The Packaging Waste Fund employs a modulated fee for rigid plastic packaging with good recyclability. The calculation of the Compass can show companies that their packaging has good recyclability and therefore also determine if they qualify for this modulated fee,” Knaap explains.

The fee for packaging waste management, determined depending on the complexity of the packaging, is distributed amongst municipalities, sorters and recyclers for collection and recycling.

Recycle Check – the basis of the Compass
The Compass is based on the KIDV Recycle Checks for rigid and flexible plastic packaging, which gets updated regularly.

The users are asked a short series of questions about the material and packaging components that affect sorting and recycling to assess the degree of recyclability of a product’s packaging.

The Recycle Check focuses on the entire packaging, for example, a bottle with a cap and label, a sleeve, or a bowl with a lid and label. The Packaging Waste Fund uses it to substantiate the modulated fee for plastic packaging in the Netherlands.

The development of the Recycle Check is part of the project Measuring circularity, funded by The Packaging Waste Fund.

Challenges and opportunities of reusable packagingIt is now possible to carry out analyses using the latest version of the Recycle Check for rigid plastic packaging. (Credit: KIDV).
KIDV investigates the challenges and opportunities of reusable packaging with the Community of Practice on Reusable packaging (CoP) – consisting of parties who want to make their packaging more sustainable by studying and implementing reusable options.

“Companies often struggle with the fact that they individually have too little impact on realizing changes in the packaging supply chain,” says Knaap.

“In a CoP or a platform like Planet Reuse, packaging challenges are tackled jointly. KIDV shares information and conducts research that can help fill knowledge gaps. Moreover, KIDV brings different parties from the whole packaging chain together and strives to connect challenges with solutions.”

According to Knaap, the institute approaches the environmental sustainability conversation to gain insight into the external influences on the transition to reusable packaging, such as relevant legislation and consumer preferences. KIDV also analyzes the impact of quality and safety aspects on the use of reusable packaging.

“Hurdles and opportunities in consumer behavior, logistics and administration and environmental and financial break-even point with regards to reusable packaging” are critical areas for KIDV, concludes Knaap.

By Radhika Sikaria