New marking requirements for single-use plastic products

As required by Directive (EU) 2019/904 on the reduction of the environmental impact of certain plastic products, also known as the Single Use Plastic Directive (SUP), the European Commission has published Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2151. This regulation contains the harmonized marking specifications for certain single-use plastic products. The specifications will apply from July 3, 2021.

Product groups

Marking requirements have been established for the following single-use plastic product groups:

• Sanitary pads and tampons;
• Moist wipes for personal hygiene and household wipes;
• Tobacco products with filters and filters to be used with tobacco;
• Drinking cups partially made of plastic;
• Drinking cups made entirely of plastic.

The markings must be placed on the product or packaging. The purpose of these markings is to inform consumers about the presence of plastic in the products, which ways of disposal should be avoided for that product, and the negative impact of litter on the environment. For products placed on the market before July 4, 2022, the marking may be applied to the packaging by stickers.

Marking specifications

The established specifications of markings in the regulation cover the following aspects:

• Design;
• Formats;
• Placement;
• Colors;
• Minimum resolution;
• Font and font size;
• Translations.

Background

The SUP Directive (EU) 2019/904 was published in June 2019. Member States must apply the measures in this directive no later than 2 years after its entry into force (by July 2021). This directive aims to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the (especially aquatic) environment and on human health. This legislation affects single-use plastic products by, among other things, banning certain products, introducing marking requirements, higher collection targets for plastic packaging, expanded producer responsibility schemes and design requirements.

Want to know more?

Want advice on the new marking requirements or have questions about impact of the SUP directive on your products? Précon Quality Services can help you with this. Please contact us at +31 (0)30 - 65 66 010 or info@precongroup.com. You will receive our free quote.