The EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is set to transform how packaging is designed, used, and disposed of across the European market. Although much attention has focused on consumer goods, the regulation explicitly applies to all packaging, including that used in industrial and commercial supply chains: “EU law covers all packaging and packaging waste on the European market, including all materials and packaging in commercial, household, industrial and other sectors.”
(European Commission – Packaging Waste)
This means that companies transporting bulk solids such as chemicals, polymers, minerals, fertilizers, or food ingredients are directly in scope. All transport packaging placed on the EU market must comply with obligations around:
- Recyclability by 2030 (Art. 6 PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40)
- Minimum recycled content in plastic packaging (Art. 7 PPWR)
- Reuse and refill targets for certain packaging categories (Arts. 26–28 PPWR)
- Minimization of material use and empty space (Art. 9 PPWR)
- Restrictions on substances of concern (Art. 5 PPWR)
Because these requirements apply at the point of placing packaging on the EU market, industrial transport packaging such as big bags, IBCs, and container liners are squarely within scope – not just packaging visible to end consumers.
Which Packaging Formats Are Affected?
The PPWR does not differentiate between consumer-facing and industrial transport packaging. All packaging is covered (Art. 3, Regulation (EU) 2025/40). For bulk solids, this includes:
- Big bags (FIBCs) used for powders, granules, or crystalline products.
- Intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) for solid and liquid raw materials.
- Container linerbags, which turn shipping containers into bulk carriers.
- Heavy-duty sacks, films, and shrink hoods used in industrial transport.
Each format must meet recyclability and recycled-content obligations. While rigid packaging such as IBCs may be better suited to reuse systems, flexible packaging like FIBCs and linerbags will be assessed on recyclability, recycled content integration, and minimization of material use.
Minimum recycled content targets under PPWR
The most influential piece of this new legislation is the requirement to have a minimum content of recycled material in any packaging. Building on the previous targeted requirements laid out by the Single Use Plastics Directive, Article 7 expands minimum recycled content requirements to four primary plastic packaging categories.
The requirements outlined by the Article are as follows (% Deadline 2030 (% Deadline 2040)):
- 30% (50%) for contact-sensitive PET packaging, excluding single-use beverage bottles.
- 10% (25%) for contact-sensitive packaging made from other plastics, excluding single-use beverage bottles.
- 30% (65%) for single-use plastic beverage bottles.
- 35% (65%) for other types of plastic packaging, meaning packaging not covered by the above categories (non-contact-sensitive, non-single-use‐bottles, etc.
While provisions are included which allow for chemical recycling to contribute to these requirements, a large variety of processes and methodologies must first be established at various levels of EU lawmaking (Veolia Legislation Breakdown).
Only if the packaging is classified as contact-sensitive (direct food/pharma packaging) would the lower thresholds (10% → 25%) apply. Furthermore exemptions are made for packaging of dangerous goods.
Linerbags vs. FIBCs Under PPWR – A Strategic Advantage?
When comparing shipping container linerbags with FIBCs (big bags), linerbags may hold a strategic advantage in meeting PPWR requirements:
- Material Efficiency
- Linerbags typically use around 16 kg of mono-material polyethylene film for a 20-foot container load.
- The same shipment packed in FIBCs requires 20–24 big bags, each weighing about 1.5 kg—adding up to 30–36 kg of packaging material.
- With packaging minimization now a legal obligation (Art. 9 PPWR), linerbags clearly outperform FIBCs in terms of resource efficiency.
Comparing FIBCs and Linerbags
- Economic Advantage Under Recycled-Content Rules
- As recycled content becomes mandatory (Art. 7 PPWR), packaging material costs are expected to rise.
- Using less material per shipment gives linerbags a significant cost advantage over FIBCs: half the packaging weight means lower exposure to higher future costs.
- Recyclability
- Linerbags are typically mono-material PE, making them easier to recycle in existing film recycling streams.
- FIBCs often combine woven PP with liners or coatings, complicating recyclability and risking non-compliance.
- Recycled Content Integration
- Film-based PE liners are generally more compatible with recycled resin incorporation compared to woven PP fabrics, which demand high tensile strength.
- Reuse Potential
- While FIBCs can be reused, this requires inspection, cleaning, and a return system, which is often impractical for bulk solids due to contamination risks.
- Linerbags, though usually single-use, are lightweight and recyclable, supporting compliance through recycling rather than reuse.
- Operational Efficiency
- Linerbags transform standard shipping containers into bulk carriers, allowing larger loads, less handling steps in loading and unloading and fewer packaging units per shipment – another indirect advantage under the PPWR’s minimization principle.
The PPWR is designed to accelerate Europe’s transition to a circular economy for packaging. For producers and shippers of bulk solids, it brings packaging into the compliance spotlight.
While all formats – FIBCs, IBCs, and liners – must adapt to recyclability and recycled-content requirements, linerbags offer a compelling pathway. With lower material use, simpler recyclability, and easier integration of recycled content, they may prove to be the most future-proof option under the new rules.
For companies operating in global supply chains, aligning packaging choices with the PPWR is no longer just about compliance. It is about gaining an economic and sustainability edge in a regulatory environment where packaging performance is measured not only in logistics terms but also in environmental impact.
Many companies involved in bulk solid production and transportation are now switching to linerbags or updating their current procurement of those. While suppliers of linerbags are relatively easy to find, specialized manufacturers of machinery to load and discharge bulk solids from linerbags are more difficult to encounter. WWTec has been supporting the trend towards linerbags for over 20 years and is an expert in loading and unloading equipment for all kinds of bulk materials. Many linerbag suppliers recommend WWTec’s solutions as the best in the market, often referencing the Siloadmaxx portfolio which is developed and distributed by WWTec around the world. If you are working on shifting your supply chain from Big Bags to Linerbags and want to profit from its advantages contact WWTec today to get support for your project.
