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Requirement · REC-02Assess and grade each packaging unit A, B or C for recyclability; from 2030 do not place packaging below grade C on the market, and from 1 January 2038 do not place packaging below grade B.
Manufacturers of packaging must comply, and this is law in force.
Why it matters
This is law in force, not a proposal.
- It is Art. 6(3), in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. as of 2026-08-18
- The act gives its timing as: Grade C floor from 1 January 2030 or 24 months after the Art. 6(4) delegated acts, whichever is later; grade B floor from 1 January 2038 (Art. 6(3)). as of 2026-08-18
- It names 5 industries by name: Plastics converting, Paper and board, Glass, Aluminium and Wood. as of 2026-08-18
- Compliance is checked by technical documentation (Annex VII), per packaging unit. as of 2026-08-18
What changes
All packaging manufacturers, on a rising floor: grade C from 2030, grade B from 2038. The 2038 step removes an entire performance grade from the market.
The rule
New — no predecessor
Trigger
assessing packaging before placing it on the market
Obligation
Assess and grade each packaging unit A, B or C for recyclability; from 2030 do not place packaging below grade C on the market, and from 1 January 2038 do not place packaging below grade B.
Who is affected
Addressee
Manufacturers of packaging
Class
Businesses
Sectors
Names Plastics converting, Paper and board, Glass and ceramics, Aluminium and metals, Wood and wood products · Reaches Waste and landfill, Food, drink and tobacco, Retail and distribution
Applies
Grade C floor from 1 January 2030 or 24 months after the Art. 6(4) delegated acts, whichever is later; grade B floor from 1 January 2038 (Art. 6(3))
Burden drivers
D1 · D4 — 2 of 7 marks fire on this provision.
No size threshold.
Source text
Verbatim
Packaging recyclability shall be expressed in the recyclability performance grades A, B or C as described in Table 3 of Annex II.
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