2025 Packaging Regulations: Manufacturing Biodegradability in the EU and US

July 28, 2025

With new packaging mandates taking effect in 2025, manufacturers must understand how evolving laws in the EU and US affect material choices, especially in relation to recyclability, compostability, and biodegradability. Here’s a detailed roadmap for packaging producers and brand owners aiming to stay compliant and ahead of the curve.

EU Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)

The EU’s Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) entered into force in February 2025 and applies broadly from mid-2026 onward. It replaces the old directive and imposes clear design, recyclability, and content rules:

  • Design for recyclability: All packaging must be recyclable by 2030, with performance targets ramping up through 2035 and beyond.
  • Recycled content mandates: Plastic packaging must incorporate a minimum percentage of recycled materials, with thresholds set by 2026.
  • Substance restrictions: PFAS and other harmful substances are banned in packaging from August 2026.
  • Single-use bans and reuse quotas: Certain single-use plastics are restricted, while reusable packaging systems are promoted and deposit return systems are phased in by 2029.
  • E-commerce efficiency: Online packaging must minimize void fill and empty space.

Under the PPWR, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes evolve to include systemic producer accountability for end-of-life costs. Documentation like Declarations of Conformity will become mandatory.

US Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging

In the United States, momentum for packaging EPR is growing at the state level:

  • California’s SB 54 requires brand enrollment by July 1, 2025, 2024 data submission by August 31, and fee payments starting in 2026. The law includes aggressive goals—a 25% reduction in plastic packaging by 2032, and full recyclability or compostability by then.
  • By mid-2025, states including Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Maryland, Colorado, and Maine will join with EPR laws requiring producer-funded recycling systems, eco-modulation fees, and performance targets.
  • Fees are being calibrated through eco-modulation, rewarding packaging that is lightweight, recyclable, or uses recycled content.

These programs demand that manufacturers register with Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), report volumes, and pay into the system based on material type, recyclability, and eco-design.

Implications for Conventional Plastic Packaging

These regulatory shifts signal a sea change for traditional plastic packaging:

  • Design accountability: Packaging must be recyclable, reusable, or compostable—and increasingly, contain recycled content.
  • Substance exclusion: PFAS and other hazardous chemicals are banned in several regions, requiring material reformulation.
  • EPR compliance: Global producers must anticipate extended producer responsibility, funding recycling or recovery and reporting packaging volumes.
  • Cost impacts: Fees in both the EU and US are moving toward eco-modulation—packaging that is easier to recycle, lighter, or biodegradable may reduce fee liability.

The Growing Role of Biodegradable Additives

Biodegradable additives—like EcoPure®’s landfill-triggered formula—offer potential benefits:

  • Meeting landfill biodegradability goals: For packaging that can’t be recycled or composted, additives can demonstrate controlled breakdown under anaerobic conditions typical of landfills.
  • Eco-modulation incentives: Products that better degrade in end-of-life scenarios may qualify for reduced EPR fees.
  • Compliant performance: When paired with testing standards like ASTM D5511, additives offer measurable evidence of breakdown, aiding environmental claims and compliance.

That said, compliance requires clear documentation (e.g., third-party testing results, conformity statements) and accurate, transparent labeling.

Tips for Manufacturers Preparing for 2025 and Beyond

  • Conduct or obtain the required testing: Use ASTM D5511 for landfill biodegradability, ASTM D6400 or EN 13432 for compostability, and recyclability protocols as applicable.
  • Develop clear documentation: Prepare Declarations of Conformity, maintain test reports, and stay ready for audits or PRO reporting.
  • Engage in eco-modulated fee systems: Material selection directly affects compliance costs. Choose packaging that is lightweight, widely recyclable, or biodegradable in relevant conditions.
  • Review supply chains: Ensure materials and additives meet recycled content rules and avoid restricted substances like PFAS.
  • Update product labeling: Only make environmental claims supported by test data. Be specific about conditions required for biodegradation or composting.
  • Monitor regulatory changes: Packaging rules in both the EU and the US are evolving. Build internal systems to track and adapt to future updates.

As 2025 unfolds, packaging regulations in both the EU and the US are reshaping how packaging is designed, labeled, and managed at the end of life. Recyclability and recycled content will remain core pillars—but in areas where those systems fall short, scientifically backed biodegradability can provide a meaningful alternative.

Manufacturers who take a proactive approach, investing in compliant materials, clear documentation, and verified performance, will be best positioned to meet the new standards, reduce liability, and support a more sustainable packaging future.