Paper Clips

Sustainability Reigns Supreme For Ryan Bennett, product manager at Minneapolis-based Meyers, a PRINTING United Alliance member company, sustainability is something customers are looking for. “It used to be, you stood out if you were a sustainability leader, but now it’s kind of the starting point,” Bennett says. “You have to start there and then innovate.” A Need for Speed Another trend shaping the packaging and label industry going into 2026 is the demand for shorter runs and quicker lead times. Bennett says more and more brands are adopting this mindset. “Industry standard for the printing industry is usually three weeks from PO, and people are doing anything to push that just to get to market quicker,” he says. “There’s a ton of stuff that drives that.” Managing the Supply Chain The supply chain has made headlines this year, with tariffs being threatened, levied, and reduced seemingly at random throughout 2025. But supply chain has been top of mind for converters for longer. Preparing for What’s to Come Looking forward, the biggest concern on Bennett’s mind is labor. “The one thing that we do see that is a challenge — not even next year, but going into the next decade — is the aging workforce,” he says. “The workforce for printing seems to be getting older and older.”

Packaging industry groups call for the Circular Economy Act to strengthen the EU Single Market and harmonize circular packaging rules. The European Environmental Bureau warns that market priorities must not weaken national environmental measures or waste-reduction policies. Debate centers on recycling targets, prevention, reuse policies, and recycled-content rules as the EU shapes future circular economy legislation.

Across the UK, regulatory frameworks, retailer expectations and science-based climate targets are motivating brands to view fossil-based materials in the rear-view mirror. Circularity – once a strategic ambition – has become a commercial and operational priority. MM Group is supporting this shift with recyclable monomaterial cartonboard solutions designed to function within established paper and board recycling systems. By reducing plastic content in complex laminates and barriers, these formats simplify material structures while maintaining required strength, stability and product protection. By increasing the percentage of recycled fibres in packaging’s material mix, designers further strengthens circular material flows, supporting responsible resource use at industrial scale.

Toyo Ink Europe, the European energy-curing inks division of Japan’s Artience Group, has introduced a complete lineup of UV curable inks consisting of low-migration and low-energy solutions designed for food-safe packaging.  The solution was developed to meet migration limits as mandated under the German Printing Ink Ordinance (GIO). Toyo Ink aims to create innovations that exceed the key safety benchmarks in Europe before they become mandatory. “Toyo Ink Europe’s GIO-compliant inks combine low-migration chemistry with low-energy UV/LED curing to deliver strong, consistent color, excellent adhesion on flexible substrates, and low odour characteristics for food packaging,”

Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, has installed a state-of-the-art additive manufacturing system, also known as 3D printing, at its Innovation Center in Barcelona, Spain. Part of Amcor’s Rigid Packaging Division, the center will leverage this advanced technology to accelerate design and development. This latest investment means that all five of Amcor’s centers for rigid packaging solutions – which in addition to Barcelona are located in Muttenz, Switzerland, Evansville and Manchester in the USA, and Shanghai, China – now have 3D printing facilities. This will enable the centers to cooperate globally in the design and delivery of consumer- and patient-centric rigid packaging across a wide range of markets, including health, beauty and wellness, nutrition and food & drink. 3D printing allows creative concepts and subsequent CAD drawings to be quickly turned into physical models and prototypes from which important assessments can be made in areas such as aesthetics, functionality and ease of manufacture. Sample packs can also be produced for initial consumer research and feedback. This can greatly speed up the development process, enabling packs to be brought to market quickly and cost-effectively.

K‑beauty’s lightning-fast innovation and creative use of stock packaging components is forcing US beauty brands to rethink their approach to launches and design. K‑beauty is everywhere right now. From playful new formats to science-driven ingredient stories, Korean beauty has quickly become a global leader. 2026 is already shaping up to be a breakout year for K‑beauty brands in the US, but the real shift isn’t just what’s launching. It’s how fast it’s getting to shelf. What’s unfolding right now feels less like a trend cycle and more like a reset. K‑beauty isn’t only influencing aesthetics or formulas — it’s accelerating innovation timelines and amplifying packaging trends in ways that are forcing beauty brands to rethink how products get developed in the first place.

Nearly 80 corporations associated with the environmental groups the US Plastics Pact, The Consumer Goods Forum, and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, have been warned that continued participation in these initiatives could expose them to antitrust liability.  These US-based environmental groups focus on promoting a circular economy and reducing the environmental impact of packaging and plastic. They often work with FMCG manufacturers and retailers, design packaging using non-plastic materials, and enhance recycling schemes.  Letters signed by 10 US state attorneys general, including Florida, Texas, and Georgia, explain that, by setting uniform packaging targets and “dictating” recyclable materials, the environmental groups may be reducing competition, limiting consumer choice, and degrading product quality.

he National Association of Wholesaler Distributors (NAW) has secured a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of Oregon’s EPR law after arguing that it imposes burdensome fees and taxes on distributors.  NAW is a trade association that represents companies that distribute products across various sectors, including food and industrial supplies. “The injunction relieves NAW member companies of the fear of enforcement from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality — an enforcement that comes with the potential of US$25,000 a day in penalties, which could cause severe harm,” says Hoplin.  “This is a new law, the first in the US. It is complex and imposes a massive regulatory and financial burden on distributors, many of whom are located across state lines and were unaware of the law until just a few months ago.”

Aluminum food and beverage cans are having a moment, with manufacturers and analysts alike predicting a strong year for the sector. Crown Holdings aims to harness those timely growth opportunities while simultaneously advancing its sustainability work, said Sandrine Duquerroy-Delesalle, Crown’s vice president of global sustainability and external affairs. “We are on track with the commitments that we made five years ago, and we are even more ambitious now,” Duquerroy-Delesalle said, also highlighting the importance of collaboration across the value chain to promote sustainability. Although certain goals have shifted, overall “people are more and more conscious — I think this is across Europe and the U.S. — about circularity and how can they get their packaging to be collected and recycled. ... Circularity is very important to our business.”

The Biodegradable Products Institute is ramping up its push for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to publish an interim final rule on compost that could improve clarity on acceptable compost inputs across the United States. The member organization recently sent a letter to the agency urging it to act related to an August 2023 petition from BPI. USDA did not act directly on that petition, which requested a revised regulatory definition of “compost feedstock.” BPI’s February letter garnered dozens of supportive signatories. The list included associations such as Ameripen, the EPR Leadership Forum, the Foodservice Packaging Institute and the Consumer Brands Association. Producers in support included Georgia-Pacific, InnoPak, CJ Biomaterials, Atlantic Packaging and NatureWorks. Composters and haulers that signed on included Black Earth Compost, Veteran Compost, Garbage to Garden and Earth Matter.

Atlantic Packaging Products has earned international recognition for transforming a standard corrugated coffee box into a high-impact brand storytelling medium. The company’s solution for Zavida Coffee Roasters’ Organica Keurig 72-pod box won Best in Class in the Technical category at the 2026 PAC Global Awards. Produced on a Koenig & Bauer Durst SPC 130, the box showcases high-precision, high-colour digital print directly on uncoated white-top corrugate. The technology enables shorter lead times, greater production flexibility, and more targeted, high-impact designs for retail brands.

“A year ago, it never would occur to me that we would be having a conversation about the challenges of PET recycling,” Keefe Harrison, CEO of The Recycling Partnership, said in the webinar “PET Packaging: Solving for an Out-of-Sync System” on Thursday, February 12. She said that because polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the highest recycled packaging plastic, with more than 2 billion pounds of PET bottles collected for recycling annually in the US, according to The National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR). And recycled PET is also in demand for use in new packages. But now imports are flooding the market, US PET reclamation facilities are shutting down, and domestic sourcing is in jeopardy. My take on this … PET has been the poster child here in America for plastic packaging recycling and it’s in trouble. This does not bode well for the successful recycling of any packaging plastics in America. And if we don’t recycle, the waste crisis and climate shifts will worsen.

Digital printing for packaging has been slowly gaining steam the last few years and picking away at market share for analog systems such as flexography, rotogravure and offset lithography. But 2026 could be notable for the sector’s maturation, according to a newly released report from consulting firm Keypoint Intelligence. Digital printing is “entering a more mature, disciplined phase of adoption,” the report says, and growth this year is expected to come from different avenues than in the past. The report notes that packaging converters are considering these solutions “less as standalone innovations and more as components within broader production and manufacturing environments.”

Clearly, the U.S. packaging industry has entered the extended producer responsibility era. What remains unclear to some people is the end goal. One EPR ambition is to increase recycling rates, several speakers and attendees noted during The Packaging Conference in Austin, Texas, from Feb. 9-11. But when audience members asked speakers whether they thought EPR would actually boost recycling rates, they were generally met with skeptical responses. “Off the record?” joked Laura Stewart, executive director at the National Association for PET Container Resources, while muttering “No” and shaking her head amid audience laughter.  “EPR is great for producers, but I don’t know that it motivates the average human to actually recycle,” said Steve Lyons, vice president for strategic environmental analysis at PET packaging consulting firm SBA-CCI, pointing to deposit programs as a better incentive. “I think [EPR] will create more access points, which is good for recycling, but you have to motivate humans.”

The Canadian Federal Court of Appeal (FCA) has decided to uphold the government’s order to list plastic-manufactured items (PMI) as “toxic” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA).  The ruling means the Canadian government can continue to regulate single-use plastics, like bags, straws, and cutlery under CEPA. The decision has been met with doubt from the plastics industry and acclaim from environmental campaigners.  “The FCA’s decision is a landmark ruling for Canada and internationally. In a unanimous decision, the court recognized plastic pollution as a serious environmental and public health issue,” Anthony Merante, senior plastics campaigner at Oceana Canada, tells us.

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) released the January 2026 Packaging Papers Monthly report. According to the report, total packaging papers & specialty packaging shipments in January decreased 1% compared to January 2025. The total operating rate for the packaging papers segment was 80.7%, higher than both January 2025 and December 2025, but lower than the overall rate for 2025 (81.2%).

When shipping highly sensitive optical and electronic equipment, there is no room for compromise. Even minor shocks, dust, or contamination can impact performance. That’s why Thorlabs Sweden partnered with Emballageteknik and Stora Enso to rethink protective packaging — replacing fossil-based foams with a renewable, high-performance alternative. The result is Papira®, a bio-based, recyclable and biodegradable shock-absorbing material from Stora Enso, converted and engineered by Emballageteknik to meet the strict demands of Thorlabs Swedens’ precision products.

Life-cycle assessments take time and money. Are the benefits worth the effort? It was a question that came up during a presentation at MD&M West.  Adam Wozniak, Director of Sustainability at Ravago North America, and I were talking about how to make plastic packaging easier and more profitable to recycle in the session “Designing for Circularity: Transforming Plastics from Problem to Packaging Solution.” We tackled the topic of plastic packaging circularity from a general sustainability perspective, as well as in this era of extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws. We kept the scope broad because not all brand owners will be selling into states that have EPR regulations. But the work being done in writing these EPR laws can help anyone. In a word, Wozniak says, yes. LCAs are valuable in several ways. Specifically, I asked, “If the law has already done the work [of identifying appropriate packaging materials for sustainability], do you need LCAs?” Wozniak answered, “In general, LCAs … help expose the underbelly of processes, too. So not only are you evaluating your systems … what you’re also doing with life-cycle assessments is your evaluating your supply chain. You’re evaluating who you source products from and understanding furthermore any impacts logistics have, impacts that the manufacturing has. “… regardless of extended producer responsibility, I think life-cycle assessment is going to be here to stay. It’s going to continue to become more of a common practice.

The choice between mailers and boxes has traditionally meant trading speed for protection. Mailers offer efficiency, while boxes provide the cushioning needed for fragile items. This binary approach creates inefficiencies across thousands of shipments, particularly as consumer expectations and regulatory requirements intensify. Consumer expectations and regulations are forcing brands to rethink their packaging. Shoppers increasingly favor environmentally responsible brands, making sustainable packaging a growth driver, not a tradeoff. At the same time, tightening laws like California’s SB 54 and expanding Extended Producer Responsibility requirements are accelerating the shift. The traditional choice between mailers and boxes is being redefined by hybrid solutions that deliver box-level protection with mailer efficiency. For fulfillment operations navigating rising costs, tightening margins and increasing sustainability pressure, WaveKraft recyclable, padded mailers represent a shift in how protective packaging can meet operational, regulatory and consumer demands.

Pregis®, a global leader in protective packaging, mailing & bagging, and flexible packaging solutions, introduces Pregis EasyPack® Strata, a high-speed on-demand paper system designed to produce structured paper pads for enhanced void fill, light cushioning and full cushioning packing applications. The system expands the Pregis on-demand paper portfolio with a solution built to meet the pace, variability and throughput demands of modern fulfillment operations. Strata forms structured paper pads that optimize space within the box, enabling more uniform packing and reducing unnecessary material use. In enhanced void fill applications, these pads maintain a more consistent form than traditional void fill, improving material efficiency. The system also supports higher productivity in fast-paced packing environments, delivering dispensing speeds of up to 60 inches per second. “Fulfillment operations need packaging systems that will keep up with throughput demands without adding complexity,” explains Joey Phister, President of Protective Products at Pregis. “EasyPack Strata was developed to give operators the ability to adjust protection levels in real time, improving throughput, reducing waste and creating a faster, more intuitive packing process.”

Footprint optimization and a structural reorganization are on the table as Graphic Packaging International embarks on a transformational period, said CEO Robbert Rietbroek. Sales during the fourth quarter of 2025 were essentially flat year over year, said executives on Tuesday’s earnings call. It was the first earnings call for Robbert Rietbroek, whose career has spanned stints at PepsiCo and P&G, since being named GPI’s CEO in December and taking over the role Jan. 1. “In several of these roles, I’ve been a customer of Graphic Packaging, and my teams worked closely with the Graphic Packaging team to design winning packaging solutions,” he said. Market trends: One of Rietbroek’s early observations is that “the external environment remains challenged near term,” and that overcapacity in bleached paperboard markets is putting pressure on finished packaging. Plus, consumer demand for staples remains uneven due to affordability issues and macroeconomic uncertainty. “We are not simply waiting for markets to recover. We are focused on what we can control,” he said.

Cascades Inc. has announced it will discontinue its honeycomb paperboard and partition packaging activities, leading to the closure of three manufacturing facilities in Canada and the United States.  The decision is part of the company’s ongoing effort to optimize its operating platform and concentrate on markets aligned with its long-term growth strategy. The closures will affect plants in York, Pennsylvania, and in Saint-Césaire and Berthierville, Quebec. According to Cascades, the operations targeted serve niche markets that no longer fit with the strategic priorities of its Packaging sector. As part of the exit, certain assets have been acquired for approximately $9 million by Emballages LM, a major North American producer of honeycomb paperboard based in Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, Quebec. The buyer aims to ensure continuity of service for customers during the transition.

Once viewed primarily as a shipping solution, corrugated packaging is increasingly recognized as a strategic component of modern supply chains. Driven by sustainability requirements, digital technologies and changing brand expectations, fibre-based packaging is gaining renewed importance across industries. From recycling to circular innovation Corrugated packaging’s environmental credentials have long been well established. It is recyclable, renewable and often produced with a high proportion of recycled fibres. By combining established materials with advanced manufacturing and digital technologies, the corrugated packaging sector continues to demonstrate that sustainability and innovation can progress together—well beyond the box.

Extended producer responsibility continues to dominate packaging policy discussions. While major changes to policy trends might be hard to spot year to year, industry groups see opportunities to take some lessons from the earliest examples of EPR implementation in the U.S. to further inform legislative discussions this year. Last year saw the adoption of EPR bills in Maryland and Washington, each of which called for producers to ultimately reimburse 90% of recycling costs, following a similar approach in Minnesota the prior year. In 2026, much attention on state EPR activity centers on the Northeast, including ongoing discussions in New Jersey, Rhode Island and New York.

AMERIPEN, the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment, has launched the new Power of Packaging website. This interactive, complimentary online platform serves as a broader, public audience to complement the organization’s industry advocacy. It does so by addressing all stakeholders across the entire packaging value chain — including consumers. Content includes real-world examples and insights from across the packaging value chain. The website aims to expand public understanding of the value of packaging.  Visit the Power of Packaging website at https://powerofpackaging.org/ to see how these features advance AMERIPEN’s — and the packaging industry’s — progress in resolving critical challenges.

International Paper announced Thursday it plans to split into two independent, publicly traded companies based on geography, following its acquisition of U.K.-based DS Smith in January 2025. Going forward, IP would be comprised of the current North American business, which includes legacy assets from both IP and DS Smith. The Europe, Middle East and Africa business would include legacy assets from both companies in that region. IP’s current EMEA business operates in 30 countries across the region. IP expects to complete the spinoff in the next 12 to 15 months, pending board and regulatory approvals in both the United States and United Kingdom.

Fortune names Smurfit Westrock as one of the world’s most admired companies The prestigious corporate reputation ranking considers several criteria including investment value, quality of management, products, social responsibility and ability to attract talent. Companies also must have revenue greater than $10bn to be included. Tony Smurfit, Smurfit Westrock President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’re honored to be included on the Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies list. This recognition is testament to the skills, talent and dedication of the people at Smurfit Westrock that I’m privileged to work with.” The latest accolade follows on from Smurfit Westrock being recognized both as one of Forbes’ Global 2000 most successful companies and one of TIME Magazine’s World’s Best Companies in 2025.

Analysts expected at least one increase this year as operating rates rise following a 10% capacity pullback in North America. Cascades also announced an increase for corrugating medium in December. The containerboard sector had a rough ride in 2025, with demand decreases playing into closures that resulted in an approximately 10% loss of North American production capacity. The last of those closures is set for next month, and the full impact to the industry should be realized at that time. Already in the past couple months, the capacity cuts have resulted in producers’ operating rates ticking up into the low 90s, with multiple analysts projecting mid-90s this year. That fueled predictions for containerboard price hikes in 2026.

As a part of its long-term ambition to develop the world’s most sustainable food package2, Tetra Pak has introduced an innovative solution in its aseptic beverage cartons where the traditional aluminium foil layer is replaced with a new paper-based barrier. This innovation increases the paper content in beverage cartons to approximately 80% and, when combined with plant-based polymers, increases the traceable renewable content of a carton up to 92% – cutting the carbon footprint by up to 43%1. By simplifying the material structure from three to two main materials: paper and polymers, further benefits are anticipated for recycling infrastructure. These include maximising the recovery of paper content during the recycling process of carton packages and delivering high-quality fibre and non-fibre fractions. To accelerate the development of this innovative aseptic packaging material, Tetra Pak is investing €60 million in a new paper-based barrier pilot plant in Lund, Sweden. This facility will also provide its customers with valuable insights into the new solution across the entire manufacturing journey – from barrier creation to packaging material and filled package production.

Smurfit Westrock has once again demonstrated its leadership in paper-based packaging by picking up 15 WorldStar awards. Stand-out solutions amongst this year’s trail-blazing haul included an eye-catching point-of-sale protein pack, whisky packaging which created a delightful unboxing experience and a cleverly designed pack for interlocking 10-litre bottles. One winning packaging solution, an innovative pack for an industrial washing machine, replaced expanded polystyrene (EPS) buffers with corrugated alternatives, eliminating 3.3 tonnes of plastic annually.  Another winner, which also replaced EPS in the packaging, enables solar panels to be transported upright leading to a 33% reduction in CO2 emissions. Commenting on Smurfit Westrock’s success, Saverio Mayer, CEO of Smurfit Westrock EMEA & APAC, said: “The WorldStar awards celebrate the best of what our industry has to offer, so to win so many is both an honour and a privilege. At Smurfit Westrock we have a relentless commitment to making industry-leading packaging that out-performs for our customers.”

To buy or not to buy other companies’ assets: That is the question for packaging executives in 2026. Commentary from company executives at the end of 2025 suggested muted outlooks for M&A activity in 2026 compared with previous years. “Sentiment after Q3 was fairly tepid” for 2026, said Cael Pulitzer, managing director who leads the packaging investment banking practice at Brown Gibbons Lang & Co. Activity could be more concentrated in certain adjacent sectors with tailwinds — such as with distribution services and packaging machinery — as opposed to packaging converters, he said. But analysts don’t expect a wholesale pullback in M&A activity this year. They anticipate the pace of packaging mergers and acquisitions will at least hold steady, or more likely pick up a bit in 2026.

The Biodegradable Products Institute is focusing on bringing more clarity to compostable packaging’s future in California, dually advocating for rulemaking at USDA as well as new state legislation. At a meeting last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board recommended against unanimously against adding synthetic compostable materials as compost feedstocks to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. How the board got to that vote was a multi-year process. USDA determinations on what’s allowed in organic compost would hold notable weight in California. Under California’s 2021 compostables law AB 1201, products labeled “compostable” would have to be an allowable agricultural organic input under the requirements of USDA’s National Organic Program.

Huhtamaki is raising its climate ambition and adopting more rigorous short-term emission reduction targets. The updated Scope 1 and 2 targets are aligned with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. By 2030, the company aims to reduce Scope 1 and 2* GHG emissions by over 50% and Scope 3 emissions** by 25% compared to 2022 levels. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has approved Huhtamaki’s near-term science-based emissions reduction targets. In addition, Huhtamaki has committed to setting long-term emissions reduction targets with the SBTi, in line with reaching net-zero by 2050.

The Russian government has seized control of assets in that country owned by Canpack, a metal canmaker with corporate offices in Wayne, Pennsylvania, and Krakow, Poland. Canpack’s operations have been put under “temporary external administration by Presidential Decree,” according to a company news release. Canpack said in the release that it doesn’t understand the government’s action because it has operated in Russia for 30 years in adherence with all regulations, and it has provided jobs for more than 500 Russian employees. A wave of global companies discontinued operations in Russia following the latter country waging its ongoing war on Ukraine starting in 2022. Packaging manufacturers that exited Russia include Amcor, Ball and International Paper.

en percent might not seem like a lot in certain contexts, but it’s notable when describing the loss of North American containerboard production capacity in 2025. On the heels of that extraordinary pullback, analysts project a more positive 2026 for containerboard, although they have different opinions on the likelihood of a bona fide recovery. Overall, analysts expect containerboard demand at the beginning of 2026 to remain in the depressed state where it ended 2025, with some incremental improvements throughout the year. Analysts expect the halt to falling demand will translate to fewer production capacity cuts. The “historic” 10% pullback in 2025 resulted in the “largest annual downward adjustment the sector has seen,” according to a Fastmarkets RISI analysis released last year. As such, it would be difficult for the containerboard sector to match that level of single-year loss again in 2026, although a few closures of older, less efficient facilities or production lines are still likely, analysts say.

In the category of “Why Didn’t They Think of This Sooner,” the Heinz Dipper fry box for foodservice has restored my faith in packaging design as a bringer of delight. The new foodservice fry container uses a flap that pulls out to create a small storage area for ketchup, Heinz Ketchup if you please, or other condiment. Starting January 13, the Heinz Dipper is currently in trial in 11 countries, including six US cities, at participating restaurants and sports stadiums. According to the Heinz press release, the trial will run while supplies last.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board on Tuesday voted unanimously against adding synthetic compostable materials as compost feedstocks to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. That list in part stipulates which substances can be used in organic crops or processed organic products. The board determined that the broad classes of materials it was evaluating did not meet necessity, environmental and human health, and sustainable agriculture criteria for the National List. But going forward, the group said it’s open to evaluating individual substances, as some showed potential to meet those criteria. It would also consider allowing broader classes of substances with more restricted use patterns, such as for fruit stickers or collection bags. Many composters are screening out compostable polymers altogether, Lewis said, to avoid contamination from other plastic lookalikes diverted by confused consumers. “We are not hearing them asking for more compostable polymers. We are hearing them ask for less contamination in the food waste they accept,” said Lewis, the vice chair of NOSB’s crops subcommittee. NOSB’s decisions on what’s allowed in organic compost hold particular weight in California. Under a 2021 law aimed at tightening “compostable” labeling, the item would have to be an allowable agricultural organic input, as defined by NOP. That requirement was set to take effect Jan. 1 of this year, but CalRecycle granted an extension to June 30, 2027.

Consumer packaging has long been a minefield of greenwashed sustainability claims plagued by recycling pitfalls that vary from state to state. A new bill introduced by Congressman Randy Weber (TX-14) is poised to harmonize the issues by creating a consistent federal framework under the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with the overarching goal of an improved circular economy. The aptly named Packaging and Claims Knowledge (PACK) Act of 2025 specifically targets unverified claims like “recyclable,” “compostable,” and “reusable” claims that appear on consumer packaging, which, in combination with the pothole-laden state of recycling and composting infrastructure, makes it hard to know what can actually be recycled. The PACK Act was introduced in December. Rep. Weber said it’s been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he serves as a member. “While the legislative process takes time, my office is actively engaged in moving this bill through committee and advancing it through Congress,” he commented. “We are committed to moving this pro-consumer, pro-commerce legislation to the President’s desk.”

The UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published new fee proposals for the second year (2026/2027) of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging. For the first time, the plans include modulated fees (green, amber, red), which are linked to the recyclability of packaging and are based on the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM). Defra cautions that the currently published fees are preliminary; the final fees are to be set in June 2026, taking into account the data that obligated companies must submit by 1 April 2026. Click on the link to see the fee schedule ranging from $225 to $540 per metric ton. Depending on material.