Beverage bottle caps are about to change drastically due to EU directives!
Finnish dairy brand Valio’s packaging with caps will be gradually replaced with one-piece caps to meet the requirements of the EU Directive on single-use plastics. The first changes to Valio packaging will be available in the first half of 2023, with a deadline of July 2024 to complete all necessary changes.
The EU aims to reduce the amount of plastic waste in the environment, especially on beaches, and promote a circular economy. The first step is to ban requirements such as single-use plastic plates, cutlery and straws in July 2021. On July 3, 2024, the scope of the directive was expanded to require the use of tethered one-piece caps on beverage packaging of less than 3 liters.
The change affects most of Valio's roughly 200 products (such as milk, cream, yoghurt, cooking cream, smoothies, porridge and berry soup) with plastic lids for liquid product containers of up to 3 liters.
“This change required a lot of preparation and planning, both in-house and in collaboration with packaging suppliers. This change will help ensure that plastic caps are collected and don’t end up in the environment,” said Jussi, Packaging Development Manager at Valio. - says Pekka Lumme. It is estimated that using recycled plastic can reduce the carbon footprint of packaging by 40-60% compared to products made from non-recycled fossil plastics.Jussi-Pekka Lumme further pointed out that Valio capped milk, yoghurt, cream and yoghurt products sold in Finland, including their caps, are made from 100% renewable raw materials. The plastic parts of the packaging are not petrochemical-based; they are made from bioethanol, a by-product of the sugarcane industry.Packaging updates will also result in changes to recycling instructions on milk cartons. Packaging including bottle caps must be recycled through carton recycling. Plastic will be separated from cardboard at recycling plants. During the recycling process, the carton pack is soaked, the soaked carton sinks, the plastic rises to the surface, and the plastic part can then be separated.
Valio aims to have all packaging recyclable by the end of 2025, i.e. it can be used to make new products.
