Packaging: EU – Commission to propose additions to Directive’s Annex I

Over the years there have been intermittent discussion between the European Commission and the member states about extending the list of Illustrative examples of items which fall into the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive’s definition of ‘packaging’ – and items that do not.

The Commission is expected to make a proposal on this issue at the next Article 21 meeting in February 2010.  (The Article 21 Committee is the committee of member states’ representatives, chaired by a Commission official, which meets to consider technical amendments to the Directive.)

It is expected that the list of ‘packaging’ items in Annex I of the Directive will be extended to include

·       cake doylies (sold with a cake)

·       flower pots (intended to sell and transport plants to the next owner without staying with the plant throughout its life time)

·       mailing pouches for catalogues and magazines (with a magazine inside)

·       cosmetic applicators sold together with the product (e.g. brush, powder puff, sponge, spatula, plastic part of the lipstick)

·       CD spindles. (sold with CDs and not intended to be used as storage)

·       reusable steel cylinders used for various kinds of gas

·       rolls, tubes, cylinders around which flexible material (for example plastic film and paper) is wound

·       plastic foil for cleaned clothes in laundrettes

·       clothes hangers (sold with a clothing item)

·       RFID tags

·       glass bottles for [medical] injection solutions

·       sterile barrier packaging.

The list of items which are ‘not packaging’ will be extended to include

·       cake doylies (sold without the cake)

·       flower pots intended to stay with plant through out its life.

·       paper baking cases (sold empty, without a cake inside)

·       matchboxes

·       graveside [candle] lights

·       CD spindles (sold separately, intended to be used as storage).

·       CD, DVD, video cases (sold together with a CD,DVD, video inside).

·       wrapping paper (sold separately).

·       coffee pods (all types dry and liquid).

·       clothes hangers (sold separately)

·       cartridges for printers

·       soluble bags for detergents.

·       mechanical quern (when integrated in the jar) [e.g. in salt mills]

·       release paper of self adhesive labels.

It is not yet known whether the Commission intends to incorporate these changes via an amendment to the Directive, a Commission Decision or a guidance document.