On Monday evening March 24th, negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member states reached an agreement on reducing packaging waste. The result is no more mayonnaise packets, no shampoo in hotels, no more sealing of suitcases at airports, a ban on single-use plastics in the hospitality industry, and many other disposable packaging items that will be a thing of the past by 2030.

In December of last year, European environmental ministers already reached an agreement on a law aimed at reducing packaging waste in Europe. On Monday evening, a consensus was also reached between negotiators from the EU member states and the European Parliament. To formally ratify the agreement, member states and the parliament will need to approve it once again.

The new rules are intended to promote more sustainability in terms of packaging materials. According to the EU, each European produces around 190 kilograms of packaging waste per year, a figure that needs to be reduced. That’s why deposit systems and recyclable packaging are encouraged. By 2030, there should be a 5 percent reduction in packaging material in circulation, followed by 10 percent in 2035 and 15 percent in 2040. The agreement also introduces a ban on PFAS in packaging that comes into contact with food by 2026.

Despite the comprehensive nature of the agreement, it seems that EU member states are committed to implementing the plan, which means a significant amount of work for many sectors in recycling.