As the EU's non-recycled plastic levy rises to €1 per kilogram in 2028-up from €0.80-aluminium-plastic composite packaging faces a reckoning. The tax, tied to inflation and embedded in the bloc's long-term budget, is more than a fiscal tweak-it's a hard push toward circularity. For manufacturers of multi-layer pouches, stand-up bags, and liquid packaging, the pressure is mounting.
The Recycling Challenge
Aluminium-plastic laminates are prized in food, pharma, and beverage packaging for their unmatched barrier properties. Yet under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which took effect in early 2025, all packaging must be recyclable by 2030, with escalating targets: 50% for plastic and aluminium by 2025, rising to 70% for aluminium and 55% for plastic by 2030.
The problem? While aluminium cans enjoy 74.5% average recycling rates in Europe (and 99% in Germany's deposit-return system), flexible multi-material packaging struggles. The fusion of aluminium foil with polyethylene or polypropylene makes mechanical recycling nearly impossible. Aluminium Deutschland warns that food-grade recycled plastic remains scarce, dominated by a handful of suppliers amid fierce global competition.
Innovation vs. Infrastructure
Chemical recycling and delamination technologies (such as hydro-pulping to separate layers) offer hope. Pilot projects in China have achieved 50% recycling rates for similar composites-but Europe's infrastructure isn't ready. Recovered aluminium often ends up in lower-grade applications, not high-barrier packaging. Without standardised collection systems-a key PPWR requirement-scaling remains a challenge.
A Patchwork of Policies
The EU's green taxation lacks uniformity. Germany imposes producer fees through its Einwegkunststofffondsgesetz, France relies on extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes, and Italy has delayed its plastic tax to 2026. This fragmentation drives up compliance costs for cross-border suppliers.
Worse, 18 EU states risk missing 2025 waste targets, per the European Environment Agency. Eastern Europe's recycling rates hover at 36-38%, far behind Germany's 99%-a gap rooted in collection inefficiencies, not consumer habits.
The Way Forward
For aluminium-packaging producers, adaptation is non-negotiable:
Design for recyclability: Shift toward mono-material structures (e.g., ultra-thin metallisation) or separable layers that meet EFSA safety standards.
Secure recycled supply chains: Long-term contracts with recyclers are critical-Ball Corporation's closed-loop aluminium cups and China's food-grade rPET breakthroughs prove it's possible.
Push for harmonisation: Advocate for EU-wide EPR and deposit-return schemes. Germany's near-total aluminium recovery rate shows the model works.
The €1/kg tax isn't just a cost-it's a signal. The industry must evolve or risk obsolescence.
