Packaging news 2022, new mandatory environmental labelling of packaging from 1 January 2023 in Italy

Italian Republic requires the obligation of environmental labeling of all packaging from 1 January 2023, in order to indicate the correct disposal of waste according to the principles of separate collection.
The importance of environmental sustainability of packaging and the correct disposal of packaging waste has long been a topic of growing interest, both for the legislator and for consumers, who are increasingly attentive to environmental issues.

WHAT DOES THE LEGISLATION SAYS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL LABELING?

Legislative Decree no. 116 of 3 September 2020 states that all packaging shall be “appropriately labelled in accordance with the procedures laid down in the applicable UNI technical standards and in compliance with the decisions of the European Commission, in order to facilitate the collection, reuse, recovery and recycling of packaging, and to provide consumers with proper information on the final destination of packaging. For the purposes of identifying and classifying packaging, producers are also required to indicate the nature of the packaging materials used, on the basis of Commission Decision 97/129/EC.”

WHY IS IT MANDATORY TO APPLY THE NEW LABELING ON THE PACKAGING?

The environmental labeling system for packaging was introduced in order to facilitate the collection, reuse, recovery and recycling, while at the same time providing consumers with precise indications on the destinations of packaging after its use, through precise symbols and words.
Now, this labeling system can be voluntarily adopted, but from 1 January 2023, with the introduction of the mandatory labelling, it will no longer be possible to market packaging without environmental labelling.

WHICH PACKAGING ARE SUBJECTS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELLING?

Producers must indicate the alphanumeric code provided for in Decision 97/129/EC on all packaging (primary, secondary and tertiary).

HOW TO DESIGN THE NEW PAPER AND CARDBOARD PACKAGING?

According to the Decision 97/129/EC, the symbol is represented by three arrows in the shape of a triangle, containing an alphanumeric code as per Decision 97/129/EC.
For example, in the case of paper packaging we will find the abbreviation PAP, which stands for PAPER, followed by a number. In fact, for paper and cardboard packaging it will be mandatory to use the following codes:

- PAP 20: corrugated fibreboard;
- PAP 21: non-corrugated fibreboard;
- PAP 22: paper.

A useful tool for creating and understanding the environmental label are the Guidelines of Conai - Italian national packaging consortium.

WHICH ARE THE ENVIRONMENTAL LABELS THAT WE USE ON OUR PAPER TUBE PACKAGING?

Tecnopaper, as a manufacturer of round boxes and cardboard tubes for packaging, will be subject to the obligation of environmental labeling of packaging from 1 January 2023, but we have already begun to indicate the code in many of our products.
Depending on the materials used to create the packaging, in our round containers and rigid cardboard tubes we apply the following codes:

- PAP 21: for tubes and packaging produced using only cardboard;
- C/PAP 83: for cardboard packs with metal bottom.

In addition to cardboard cores for wrapping, Tecnopaper produces three different types of paper tubes:

1. All cardboard packaging, consisting of a rigid cardboard spiral tube with cardboard bottom and cardboard cap.
2. Packaging with cardboard tube and cardboard bottom and metal cap.
3. Packaging consisting of a rigid cardboard tube with metal cap and metal bottom.

At this link you can find many examples of the different types of cardboard tubes we produce.

For more information on environmental labels and our packaging, please contact us here.