3.1.4 Glass

DECORATION AND OTHER COMPONENTS

If the packaging is printed directly, the printing inks must at least be EuPIA-compliant and non-bleeding in order to prevent potential contamination. Minimal printing with light or glazing colours is advantageous. If labels and sleeves are used, they should be made of the same base material (PP) as the bottle.

If the decoration is made of a material other than PP, a maximum of 50% of the packaging surface should be covered so as not to hinder the correct sorting of the base material.8 The batch coding and the indication of the best-before date should ideally be carried out in the form of an embossing or laser marking.

Wet-strength paper labels are preferable to conventional paper labels as they do not release fibres that contaminate the recyclate.

Labels and sleeves made of PE and PET can be used if necessary, provided that a maximum of 50% of the packaging surface is covered 8 .

In addition, all labels made of a material other than PP or PE should be water-washable to ensure separation from the PP fraction and no adhesive residue should remain.

The batch coding and indication of the best-before date can, if necessary, also be carried out by means of minimal direct printing with other coding systems (e.g. ink-jet), provided that food-grade inks are used.

Labels made of other materials that are not water-washable can negatively affect the sorting or recyclate quality of the PP fraction.

PVC sleeves and labels should generally be avoided, even if they are water-washable.

Large-area decorations (> 50% of the packaging surface) and full-surface sleeves made of a material other than PP can impair the sorting of the packaging) 8 . Adhesive materials containing metal or aluminium (with a layer thickness of > 5 µm) can lead to unwanted sorting into the metal fraction. Bleeding inks should be avoided.

Closures should ideally be made of the same basic material (PP) as the bottle. Ideally, the cap and the bottle are also the same colour. Closure systems without liners are preferable. If necessary, EVA or TPE liners should be used. If sealing foils are used, they must be easy to remove without leaving any residue. Flexible closures made of PE and PP plastic laminates are compatible with the PP fraction in small quantities 9 . From 2024 onwards, the adhesion of the closure (according to Article 6, 2019/904/EC) must be guaranteed for the time of intended use for beverage containers up to 3 litres.

CLOSURE SYSTEM

PE closures can lead to contamination in larger quantities 9 . Closures made of other materials such as PET, PET-G, PS and PLA should be avoided, as these can lead to secondary contamination of the PE fraction.

Metals, thermosets, EPS, PVC as well as seals and silicones that cannot be completely removed are considered interfering substances. Pump systems made of other materials (especially with glass & metal springs) also represent interfering materials. Sealing foils that are not completely removable and contain an aluminium component (layer thickness > 5 µm) can impair the sorting.

MATERIAL

S

DECORATION

MATERIAL

Regular three-component packaging glass (silica sand, soda, limestone) in standard colouring transparent/white, green or brown (or related quartz) can be recycled effectively.

The heavy metal concentration in the material must comply with Commission Decision 2001/171/EC, in order to prevent contamination.

The use of alternative, opaque or metallic shades makes it more difficult to match the required standard shades in recycled glass again.

Black or dark-blue coloured glass should, therefore, be avoided.

Non-packaging glass such as heat-resistant glass (e.g. Boro silicate glass), lead crystal, cryolite glass and enamel components are major impurities that affect the recyclate quality of packaging glass.