EPBP opens industry consultation on design for circularity guidelines for PET bottles

EUROPE – The European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) has launched an industry-wide consultation to gather stakeholder feedback on its newly developed Design for Circularity (DfC) guidelines for PET bottles, marking a key step in the sector’s transition toward multi-loop, closed-loop recycling systems.

The consultation will run for two months, closing on February 15, 2026, and follows EPBP’s recent publication of its Circularity Protocol and the Quick Test–AIT.Circularity (Accelerated Impact Test).

Together, these initiatives reflect a broader shift in European packaging policy and industry practice, as regulators and brand owners push for higher recycled content and stronger material circularity.

According to EPBP, while Design for Recycling (DfR) guidelines focus on ensuring that PET bottles can be recycled into high-quality recyclate after a single use, Design for Circularity raises the bar by aiming to preserve material quality and functionality across multiple recycling cycles.

This approach aligns with evolving EU policy expectations and the industry’s ambition to establish robust, closed-loop PET bottle systems.

“The move from DfR to DfC represents a structural change in how packaging is designed and assessed,” EPBP said, noting that circularity must now be evaluated over repeated life cycles rather than a single recycling loop.

The transition from DfR guidelines to the new DfC framework will be formally presented at the Petcore Europe Annual Conference, scheduled for February 4–5, 2026.

EPBP said the consultation is intended to ensure that the DfC guidelines are practical, scientifically sound, and compatible with real-world operational conditions.

PET resin producers, converters, brand owners, recyclers, technology providers, and other value chain stakeholders are invited to review the framework and submit feedback before the guidelines are finalized.

As a liaison organization to the CEN Technical Committee, EPBP added that it will share progress from the consultation with CEN, supporting ongoing European standardization efforts.

The platform said this collaboration is designed to strengthen regulatory alignment and market coherence as circularity requirements become more prescriptive across the EU. Stakeholders can access the consultation and submit feedback via EPBP’s online portal.

The consultation builds on momentum created earlier this year when EPBP introduced its Circularity Test Protocol, aimed at helping industry players adapt to multi-loop recycling and comply with upcoming EU mandates on minimum recycled PET (rPET) content.

The protocol is expected to support the PET value chain in navigating tighter regulatory deadlines and identifying next steps for system-wide circularity.

In related developments, PET recycler Enviroo and plastics recycling authority RECOUP recently announced plans to build a PET recycling facility in the North West of England, following what they described as a “comprehensive validation” of the UK PET recycling market.

The planned plant aims to increase domestic recycling capacity and supply high-quality, food-grade rPET, underlining growing investment across Europe as policy and industry converge around circular packaging systems.

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