PPWR and FIBCs: what changes?

PPWR will affect FIBC decisions around packaging minimisation, recyclability, recycled content and reuse. But these requirements do not replace the fundamental requirements of an FIBC: it still needs to contain and protect the product and perform safely during filling, lifting, transport and discharge.

For FIBC users, PPWR therefore means looking at the complete specification. An FIBC may need to carry 500, 1,000 or even 1,500 kg of product, while its construction also needs to suit the product, filling process, handling conditions and intended use.

The question is not simply how to use less material. It is how much material and which components are necessary for the FIBC to perform its required function.

What does packaging minimisation mean for FIBCs?

From 2030, PPWR introduces packaging minimisation requirements aimed at reducing packaging weight and volume to what is necessary for its functionality. The detailed assessment methods for individual FIBC applications are still being developed.

For FIBCs, minimisation cannot be considered separately from performance and safety requirements. FIBCs are engineered packaging, with specifications based on factors such as the Safe Working Load (SWL), safety factor, product characteristics, filling and discharge processes, handling conditions and applicable standards such as ISO 21898. This means that reducing material does not automatically mean specifying a lighter fabric. Different constructions and manufacturing processes may require different material specifications to achieve the required performance. In many applications, commercial and logistical considerations have also already driven optimisation of the FIBC and the amount of product transported per bag.

PPWR therefore makes it relevant to review the specification, but the outcome does not necessarily have to be a lighter FIBC. Where material can be reduced without compromising functionality, safety or required performance, this may provide an opportunity. In other cases, the existing construction may already be necessary for the intended application.

This matters because FIBCs are used for a wide range of products. Food ingredients, agricultural products, chemicals, minerals and construction materials can place very different demands on the packaging. Requirements relating to product contact, cleanliness, strength or safety can also influence which materials can be used. The applicable requirements therefore need to be assessed for the specific FIBC and its intended use rather than assuming that one recycled-content approach will fit every application.

Does PPWR mean FIBCs need to be reusable?

Not necessarily. Whether PPWR reuse requirements apply to an FIBC depends on how the packaging is classified and used. PPWR includes reuse requirements for certain types of transport packaging and for certain sales packaging used for transporting products.

FIBCs typically contain the product directly and can perform several functions beyond transport, including product protection, storage and handling. Industry organisations therefore argue that many FIBCs should be considered sales packaging rather than transport packaging and should not automatically fall within these reuse requirements. The application of the requirements to FIBCs is still being discussed and clarified.

For FIBCs intended for reuse, there is also an important practical distinction between designing a bag for multiple trips and operating a system in which that bag can actually be reused. Its previous use, condition and next application need to be considered. What product did it contain? How was it handled? Can it be returned and inspected? Is cleaning required? Is contamination a concern? And can its condition and history be controlled sufficiently for another use?

Return logistics are equally important. A technically reusable FIBC only becomes part of a reuse system when there is a practical way to collect, inspect, prepare and redistribute it for another rotation. For FIBCs, reuse is therefore not only a packaging-design question. It is also a question of application, classification and supply chain.

What should FIBC users do now?
PPWR does not mean that every existing FIBC needs to be replaced. A useful starting point is to understand the current specification and the reasons behind it.

Look at the complete FIBC rather than only the woven fabric. Which components are used and why? Which functions are essential for product protection, filling, handling and transport? Has the product or application changed since the specification was developed? And where could material minimisation, recyclability, recycled content or reuse become relevant?

These questions are connected. A reusable FIBC, for example, may require a construction capable of withstanding multiple rotations. A liner may add material but also perform an essential product-protection function. Reducing material in one area should not create a problem somewhere else. Across NNZ, FIBC knowledge is shared between our teams and locations, including TechnoPac in Austria. This combination of local application knowledge and broader technical experience helps us assess an FIBC in relation to the product, filling process, handling, transport and changing regulatory requirements.

For FIBC users, this is perhaps the most important consequence of PPWR: the specification needs to balance regulatory requirements with what the packaging actually needs to do.

That does not necessarily mean a completely different FIBC. But it does make understanding and reviewing the choices behind the specification increasingly important.

Do you see challenges for your FIBCs in relation to PPWR?