New EU Regulation Poses Challenges for Finland’s Sustainable Packaging Initiatives

The Finnish beverage industry is hoping for a different outcome as the European Parliament prepares to give final approval to the EU’s packaging waste regulation in a vote on Wednesday. The new regulation poses challenges for Finland’s bottle deposit system, which requires that by 2030, ten percent of drinks should be sold in reusable packaging. This primarily affects the brewing industry, as certain beverages were granted exceptions in the negotiations.

MEP Elsi Katainen from the Center party believes that the demand for a parallel return system is unreasonable. She questions the need for a new system alongside Finland’s innovative bottle return system, which sees drink packages on deposit recycled as raw material. Adding reusable packaging would require a separate system, and she feels that this could lead to significant costs and inconvenience for consumers.

Social Democrat Miapetra Kumpula-Natrin views the situation as a result of lobbying that came too late. She believes that negotiators from the Parliament and the Council reached an agreement in March without considering the impact on existing systems like Finland’s bottle deposit system. Several MEPs have differing views on the regulation, with some concerned about its impacts on recycling rates and costs for businesses.

MEP Mauri Pekkarinen from the Center party plans to vote against the regulation, expressing concerns about punishing progressive operators who are trying to reduce their environmental footprint by using sustainable packaging options. His colleague, Elsi Katainen, is undecided but questions whether adding another layer of complexity to an already complex system will lead to more sustainable outcomes or just create more confusion and inconvenience for consumers and businesses alike.

Amidst differing opinions, MEPs will have to carefully consider their votes on the packaging waste regulation. The issue of creating a parallel bottle return system could potentially be resolved through executive guidance or other measures aimed at finding solutions that work within existing systems while still meeting sustainability goals. With high recycling rates, Finland may be eligible for an exception to the regulation if it can demonstrate its commitment to sustainable practices and innovation in packaging waste reduction efforts.