The European Union's new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which came into force in February 2025, aims to transform packaging practices across the EU. Its objectives include reducing the use of primary raw materials, ensuring all packaging is recyclable by 2030, incorporating recycled plastics safely, and achieving climate neutrality in the packaging sector by 2050.
Key provisions of the PPWR include setting minimum recycled content requirements for plastic packaging, mandating that all packaging be recyclable, and introducing stringent design for recycling criteria. The regulation also imposes obligations on producers to minimize packaging volume and weight, and to ensure packaging is reusable or recyclable.
The PPWR's comprehensive approach is expected to significantly impact businesses involved in packaging. Companies operating in the EU need to assess their packaging strategies to ensure compliance with the new regulations and to contribute to the EU's sustainability objectives.
The benefits of banding
Banding is a highly sustainable packaging solution due to its minimal material usage and flexibility. Unlike traditional packaging methods like plastic wrapping, banding uses only a small band to secure products together, label them and reduces so the amount of packaging waste generated. And at the same time it has the same advantages as traditional packaging methods:
- Branding with banding on the shelf- Integrated printer- Company logo’s, sell-by dates or retail prices can be printed directly just-in-time during the banding process.
- no additional adhesives needed-less waste
Banding materials are often recyclable and easy to remove, encouraging proper disposal or recycling. Because it can accommodate a variety of product shapes and sizes, it minimizes the need for excessive packaging, making it an eco-friendly alternative to more resource-heavy options.
ATS offers banding machines with ultrasonic and heat seal technology with material-saving, efficient bundling of all kinds of products for logistical purposes, as well as ecological, promotional and customer-friendly sales packaging. Recyclable paper banding replaces shrink films, plastic bags and other conventional plastic packaging when packing fruit and vegetables, convenience food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products or printed matter of all kinds. Banding is used in e-commerce to bundle ordered products for right-size packaging systems, to seal shipping packages or serves as tamper-evidence for returns handling. Sustainable banding materials In banding, a 15 to 100 mm wide band of paper or film is placed around one or more products by a banding machine and sealed with ultrasound or heat. The length of the band is determined either by the resistance of the product or by an adjustable fixed length. The force with which the band surrounds the product is infinitely adjustable.
Advantages of TruePaper
TruePaper is an environmentally friendly, ultrasonic and heat-sealable paper band. It consists of optionally at least 95% pure or more than 50% recycled fibers, can be recycled in the normal paper cycle and is suitable for direct contact with food. TruePaper contains a water-based bonding agent that can be sealed with ultrasonic and heatseal technology. Basically, any paper with the new bonding agent can become TruePaper which means high flexibility and security in the supply chain.
The main drivers behind the development of TruePaper were the sustainability strategies and goals of ATS’ customers, the legal bans on single-use plastic in a growing number of countries as well as the increasingly important implementation of the circular economy.
The new and exclusive post-consumer recycled (PCR) banding film:FTN PCR35 is an environmentally friendly, high strength banding film with a minimum of 35% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content that can be sealed using ultrasonic and heat-sealing technologies.
This environmentally friendly banding film promotes the circular economy by using recycled materials and reducing the need for virgin plastics. FTN PCR35 is manufactured from high quality polypropylene (PP) and contains a minimum of 35% post-consumer recycled polypropylene. The film contains no harmful plasticizers and is easily recycled. And with FTN PCR35, our customers can save money: The EU plastic tax aims to reduce plastic waste and promote recycled materials. FTN PCR35 with PCR content supports this goal and reduces taxes.
For more information visit: Banding - ATS - Unique Banding