Italy has passed Decreto-Legge n. 143, requiring compostable alternatives for several single-use plastic packaging formats that will otherwise be prohibited under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
The law covers single-use plastic packaging for pre-packaged vegetables weighing less than 1.5 kg. It also applies to pre-filled single-use plastic packaging for food and beverages served in the HORECA sector, including products for on-site consumption and individual portions of condiments.
Single-use flexible packaging for cosmetics, beauty, and hygiene products supplied in the hospitality sector and discarded before the next guest arrives is also covered.
Packaging for takeaway foods intended for immediate consumption without further preparation is excluded, as is packaging required to maintain safety and hygiene in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and other medical environments.
Packaging covered by the Italian requirements must be certified as compostable under EN 13432 or an equivalent standard recognised at European level.
The measures relate to Article 25 and Annex V of the PPWR, which will prohibit specified single-use plastic packaging formats on the EU market from January 1, 2030. Member States may permit these formats if they are biodegradable or compostable, collected with biowaste, and covered by established collection and treatment infrastructure.
The PPWR also requires packaging placed on the European market to meet design-for-recycling requirements by January 1, 2030. Decreto-Legge n. 143 provides businesses with an alternative route and a three-year transition period.
Businesses failing to comply by January 1, 2030, face penalties ranging from US$2,940 to US$29,400. The maximum penalty can increase up to fourfold when the packaging involved has a value exceeding 10 per cent of company turnover.
Micro-enterprises can be exempt where they demonstrate that compostable packaging is not technically feasible or that relevant infrastructure is unavailable.