Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive

The Member States must further develop systems for the return and/or collection of used packaging to attain no later than end 2030, amongst other aspects, the following minimum targets for recycling: 80% of ferrous metals and 60% of aluminium contained in packaging waste.

Aerosol containers are generally made from steel or aluminium; permanent materials with established market demand. Recycling is FEA’s preferred route for recovering the value of used up (i.e. empty) aerosols and recommends that aerosols are included in waste packaging recycling schemes.

The current recycling trend shows that empty aerosols can be included in the normal household waste packaging stream effectively without causing concern. Large numbers of used up aerosols are already being recycled successfully around the world.

FEA continues to work responsibly to secure a safe and effective recycling of all aerosols towards a circular economy. Therefore, FEA also collaborated with Petcore Europe to anticipate the need to recycle higher amounts of plastic aerosols.

Currently PET aerosols dispensers placed on the EU single market usually contain metal valve components. The European aerosol industry commits to replacing these with PET aerosol dispensers that contain no metal or non-floatable plastic components except PET, and which fully aligns to the European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) Design for Recycling Guidelines.

The European Commission made a proposal for a Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation.

Like aluminium and steel aerosols, glass and plastic aerosols have been placed on the EU internal market for many years. Even if they represent less than 1% of the entire aerosol market, glass and plastic aerosols should be covered by the same provisions. This will bring legal clarity and certainty, as well as a level playing field within the aerosol industry.