This article is reposted by Newlife - Flexstone stone paper; the copyright belongs to the original author. The original link is provided in the "Sources" section at the end.

EU PPWR Fully Applicable! The Green Test for Packaging Exporters:

4 Chain Reactions You Must Understand

According to sohu.com, starting August 12, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, EU 2025/40) is officially fully applicable, replacing the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC), which had been implemented for over 30 years. This represents the most significant regulatory restructuring in the EU packaging sector in nearly 30 years, bringing the entire chain—from packaging design and material selection to recycling and disposal—under unified supervision.

For Chinese enterprises exporting to the EU, the PPWR is not merely a "document far away in Europe," but a green pass that directly determines whether products can enter the European market. The chain reactions following the implementation of the regulation are continuously fermenting. From the PFAS restrictions on food contact packaging to the disputes among member states regarding compostable packaging, every link affects the compliance nerves of export enterprises.

I. Understanding the Underlying Logic of the PPWR:

Green Restructuring of the Entire Packaging Lifecycle

According to the report, the core objective of the PPWR is to ensure that every piece of packaging on the EU market is "recyclable, reusable, and sustainable." Unlike the past, which only focused on end-of-life waste, the regulatory reach now extends to the entire lifecycle of packaging: design, materials, market placement, and recycling/disposal.

The report indicates that this regulation establishes three key institutional pillars: - Recyclable design priority: All packaging must meet recyclability design requirements by 2030. Packaging that cannot be recycled will gradually exit the EU market. - Mandatory recycled content: Starting in 2030, plastic packaging must use a minimum proportion of recycled plastic content, increasing year by year. - Packaging minimization: Restricting over-packaging at the source; empty space and multi-layer packaging will be strictly constrained.

In short, what the EU demands is not packaging that "looks environmentally friendly," but packaging that "can truly be recycled."

II. Dissecting the Four Major Chain Reactions After the PPWR Implementation

Chain Reaction 1: PFAS Restrictions on Food Contact Packaging Officially Take Effect

According to sohu.com, the first major impact of the full application of the PPWR is the official implementation of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) restrictions on food contact packaging: single PFAS substance content ≤25ppb, total content ≤250ppb (≤50ppm in polymers).

PFAS is often used as a waterproof and oil-proof coating, widely present in takeaway paper boxes, paper cups, and grease-proof packaging. After the new regulation takes effect, food contact packaging that fails to meet the standards will be unable to enter the EU market. Export enterprises need to immediately investigate all packaging materials in their supply chain that may come into contact with food, replacing them with compliant coatings or switching to natural barrier solutions.

Chain Reaction 2: The "Member State Dispute" Over Compostable Packaging Becomes Public

The PPWR delegates the decision on whether specific packaging (such as tea bags, coffee pods, lightweight plastic bags, etc.) must be compostable to the autonomous discretion of each member state. This design has directly triggered a standard game within the EU. On September 25, Italy publicly opposed Brussels' compostable plastic exemption rules, questioning whether the current composting certification system matches the actual composting capacity of member states, and even warning that "exemption rules may harm the domestic food industry."

Behind this game is the recalibration of "degradable/compostable" standards within the EU: What is truly compostable? Is the existing certification system credible? Are the degradation products safe? For export enterprises, this means that EU compliance standards are still dynamically changing. Choosing degradable materials that can withstand strict inspection is more important than "following the trend."

Chain Reaction 3: Compostable/Biodegradable Packaging Required to be "Priority Recyclable"

According to the report, one of the most noteworthy points for Chinese degradable material enterprises in the PPWR is: Before February 12, 2028, compostable packaging (including biodegradable plastic packaging) must be primarily designed to be materially recyclable and must not affect the recyclability of other waste streams.

This means that simply "being degradable" is no longer enough. In the EU's governance logic, degradation is only the end-of-life fallback; circular recycling is the first priority. Biodegradable plastic packaging that cannot be compatible with the existing recycling system or that pollutes other recycled materials will be considered a compliance risk of "interfering with the recycling stream."

At the same time, the industrial composting obligation for specific packaging such as tea bags and coffee pods will be strictly enforced from February 12, 2028. The unified technical specifications for compostable packaging will also be formulated by the end of 2026. The EU's regulation on "degradable" claims is comprehensively tightening to avoid misleading consumers.

Chain Reaction 4: Compliance Transmission from Packaging to the Entire Industry Chain

The impact of the PPWR is not limited to the packaging itself but is transmitted layer by layer along the supply chain: - Brand owners: All product packaging placed on the EU market must undergo renewed compliance audits; material selection directly affects product access. - Packaging manufacturers: Material formulations, labeling, and recyclable design must be comprehensively upgraded. - Material suppliers: Recycled content, compostability, and PFAS control have become new order access conditions.

Compliance capability is becoming one of the most important core competencies for export enterprises.

III. Breaking the Game for Chinese Enterprises:

Crossing the EU Compliance Cycle with "Dual-Attribute" Materials

Facing the multiple constraints of the PPWR—"recycling priority, degradation fallback, strict limits"—what Chinese enterprises need is no longer materials with a single selling point, but a full-lifecycle solution that can simultaneously meet recyclability, degradability, and safety compliance.

According to sohu.com, in the track of polyolefin biodegradation, the OBE ore bio-enzyme degradation technology independently developed by Shangkun Group is a "dual-attribute" solution born to cope with EU green rules, which can help export enterprises cross multiple thresholds of the PPWR at once. (Note: Claims regarding Shangkun Group's technology are based on the cited source and are subject to further verification.)

1. Recyclable + Degradable: Directly Hitting the PPWR "Recycling Priority" Logic

According to the report, the OBE technology uses traditional PE/PP as the base material without destroying the main chain structure of the polymer, endowing the material with dual attributes of "recyclable + biodegradable." - Recycling stage: During intact use, the molecular structure of the material is complete, and its physical properties are completely consistent with native polyolefins. It can directly enter the existing plastic recycling system without polluting recycled materials or affecting the recyclability of other waste streams—perfectly responding to the PPWR's core requirement that "compostable packaging should be priority recyclable and must not interfere with the recycling stream." - Degradation stage: Unrecyclable waste products can be completely decomposed by microorganisms in a controlled composting environment, ultimately metabolizing into carbon dioxide, water, and mineralized inorganic salts, with no microplastic residues, achieving thorough harmless treatment at the end of life.

From design to recycling, from circulation to degradation, the full lifecycle fits the PPWR governance logic, helping enterprises avoid compliance risks from the material end.

2. Hardcore Safety Data: Calmly Coping with Strict Limits such as PFAS

In response to the PPWR's safety control over food contact packaging, the report states that OBE food-grade products have reportedly passed the US FDA food contact safety certification and EU RoHS testing. They are said to be safe for contact with various foods, free of PFAS risk substances, resistant to high temperatures and oil, and moisture-proof, fully adapting to the high standards of food contact packaging. (These specific certification claims are subject to further verification.)

3. Authoritative Degradation Data: Withstanding EU Standard Inspections

The core breakthrough of the OBE technology is the unique chitosan microcapsule coating process (a national invention patent). According to the source, it uses nano-level natural chitosan to wrap specific degrading functional bacterial enzymes into microcapsules, making them resistant to the 340℃ high temperature of plastic processing and stably retained in the finished product. Upon entering the degradation environment, the enzymes are released directionally to precisely break the carbon-carbon main chain of the polyolefin, achieving true biomineralization.

Tested by authoritative third-party institutions according to the GB/T 19277.2 standard, the report claims: - The OBE degradation masterbatch achieves a composting biodegradation rate of 92.66% in 180 days; - Disposable catering products reach up to 94.27%.

Both figures are said to reach the international advanced level, fully meeting the EU's strict definition of fully biodegradable materials, and can calmly cope with the unified composting standards being formulated by the EU. (These performance data are subject to further verification.)

4. Full-Chain Qualifications: Directly Docking with EU Access

To cope with PPWR compliance reviews, complete intellectual property and international certifications are the pass. According to the article, around the core OBE technology, Shangkun has reportedly built a matrix of 22 independent intellectual property patents, protecting the entire chain from core strains, preparation processes to production equipment. Among them, the exclusive Bacillus subtilis SK01 technology has reportedly obtained an invention patent authorization from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), and its technological originality has gained international recognition. With supporting complete testing reports and compliance documents, it can directly support enterprises in exporting to the EU and easily cope with various green access reviews. (These patent and qualification claims are subject to further verification.)

5. Full-Scene Coverage: Empowering Export Upgrades in Various Industries

Based on the OBE technology, the report mentions that Shangkun has formed a full-category product matrix covering six major fields: catering tableware, agricultural materials, logistics packaging, medical consumables, daily civilian use, and industrial products. It can provide customized material solutions for different export scenarios such as food packaging, catering takeaway, and e-commerce logistics. More importantly, the OBE technology is said to be fully compatible with traditional plastic processing equipment. Enterprises do not need to modify production lines or replace molds; they only need to add degradation masterbatch to complete the green upgrade of products, with low transformation costs and fast landing speed, enabling a rapid response to the PPWR compliance window.

IV. Conclusion:

The Tighter the EU Green Rules, the Greater the Value of Dual-Attribute Materials

The full application of the PPWR marks that the EU packaging governance has officially entered the full-lifecycle era of "recyclability priority, degradation fallback, and strict limits." The tighter the rules, the more rigid the demand for materials that "can be recycled, can be degraded, and are safe"—this is precisely the strategic window for Chinese enterprises to exchange compliance for market access.

Instead of waiting and seeing in the standard game, it is better to take the lead with technology that can withstand inspection. Dual-attribute solutions like the OBE ore bio-enzyme degradation technology, which combines recyclability and degradability, holds original patents, and withstands authoritative testing, is becoming a core asset for export enterprises to cross the EU compliance cycle.

Sources

- sohu.com (2026-10-06) - Original link: EU PPWR Fully Applicable! The Green Test for Packaging Exporters: 4 Chain Reactions You Must Understand_Composting_Recycling_Materials - https://sohu.com/a/1084227610_123001911

(Note: As the primary source for the technical claims regarding Shangkun Group's OBE technology is a single self-media/PR article on sohu.com, the specific data, certifications, and patent authorizations mentioned in the text are reported as claims and remain subject to further verification.)