PPWR compostable packaging rules have thrown the European market into a fresh debate, and Italy has just made it personal. In April 2026, Rome formally asked Brussels for an exception that would allow certified compostable and biodegradable single-use packaging to replace plastics banned under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), starting in 2030. For brands serving European foodservice and retail, the request signals both an opportunity and a warning about how the EU now views compostable materials.
This guide explains what the PPWR actually says about PPWR compostable packaging policy, what Italy asked for and why, where the compostability-versus-recyclability debate stands, and what your brand should verify before betting its European strategy on compostable alternatives.
PPWR Compostable Packaging: A Niche, Not the Norm
The PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40, entered into force on 11 February 2025 and applies generally from 12 August 2026. Reading the regulation as a whole, one priority dominates: packaging must be designed for recyclability. Recycled-content targets, collection and sorting systems, and reuse obligations occupy far more of the text than compostability ever does.
Under the PPWR, mandatory compostability is limited to a handful of formats: tea bags, coffee and tea pods under certain conditions, fruit and vegetable stickers, and certain very lightweight plastic bags where member states require them for hygiene or food-waste reasons. For virtually every other application, recyclability is the default.
That marks a significant shift in tone. A decade ago, compostable plastics were promoted as one of the key solutions to Europe’s packaging waste problem. Today, official guidance treats compostable packaging as a niche material that should be used only where it delivers a genuine environmental benefit — and only where a composting collection system actually exists. The message from Brussels is clear: compostability has been quietly demoted from a broad solution to a carefully limited option.
The logic behind this restraint is straightforward. Most packaging waste in Europe is handled through recycling schemes, and compostable materials entering those streams can degrade the quality of recycled output. Regulators also worry about consumer confusion: when shoppers cannot tell a compostable fork from a conventional one, both bins suffer. Compostability, in the EU’s view, is valuable only when packaging can be directed confidently into an organic-waste stream — which is exactly the condition Italy claims to meet.
Italy’s Exception: What Rome Is Asking Brussels For
On 1 April 2026, Italy’s Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security submitted a draft bill to the European Commission (TRIS notification 27798) under Article 9 of the PPWR, the provision that lets member states request derogations when they can demonstrate the infrastructure to collect and manage biowaste.
If approved, the bill would permit, from 1 January 2030, single-use packaging certified as compostable or biodegradable by accredited bodies to replace PPWR-banned plastic formats in three areas: packaging for pre-packaged fresh fruit and vegetables weighing less than 1.5 kg; pre-filled food and beverage packaging intended for on-site consumption in hotels, restaurants and catering (HORECA); and other single-use plastic packaging used in the HORECA sector, excluding takeaway service and medical-care settings. The bill also requires biodegradable or compostable alternatives for flexible packaging of cosmetics and hygiene products in hotels when those items are discarded before the next guest arrives.
Italy argues that the exception fits its national reality. Separate collection of organic waste is a cornerstone of its circular economy, and the country hosts Europe’s largest bioplastics manufacturing base. The government’s regulatory impact assessment states that the approach is better suited to national waste-management infrastructure, protects the competitiveness of green-chemistry leaders and packaging processors, and can act as a catalyst for innovation in bio-waste processing. In short, Rome is telling Brussels that its composting systems make certified compostable packaging a workable end-of-life route where other member states cannot yet rely on one.
The Debate: Compostability Versus Recyclability
The Italian request sits at the centre of a broader European argument. Compostable packaging advocates, including Italy’s bioplastics sector and industry associations such as European Bioplastics, argue that certified compostable materials are the correct end-of-life route where organic-waste collection is mature, because they turn food-contaminated packaging into compost instead of sending it to landfill or incineration.
Italy’s position is not abstract. The country hosts one of the world’s largest bioplastics sectors, with industrial producers such as Novamont supplying compostable materials at commercial scale. That industrial base gives Rome both an economic interest and a practical argument: Italian producers maintain that PPWR compostable packaging requirements should reflect a member state’s demonstrated capacity to collect and process organic waste.
Critics — and in practice the European Commission’s own guidance — take a more cautious line. Compostable packaging that enters the wrong bin contaminates recycling streams and confuses consumers about disposal routes. Its environmental value depends entirely on the existence of suitable collection and treatment systems, which is precisely why EU guidance restricts compostability to applications where the benefit is demonstrable rather than assumed.
This debate matters to brands because it defines where PPWR compostable packaging claims will be accepted, and under what conditions. A compostable claim is no longer a general-purpose green credential; it is a market-specific compliance decision.
What the Italian Exception Means for Brands
First, Italy represents a genuine opportunity — if the derogation is approved. From 2030, HORECA operators and fresh-produce suppliers in Italy could legally use certified compostable single-use packaging where the PPWR ban would otherwise apply. Brands exporting molded-fiber tableware, bowls, clamshells, and cutlery into Italian foodservice should monitor the TRIS review process and prepare EN 13432-certified product lines that match the bill’s scope.
Second, do not read PPWR compostable packaging rules as permission to switch everything to compostable materials. In most member states and for most applications, the PPWR pushes brands toward recyclability. Choosing compostable packaging for a market without organic-waste collection simply relocates the waste problem instead of solving it.
Third, certification and documentation are the gatekeepers. Any compostable claim must be backed by an EN 13432 certificate for industrial composting that matches the exact product configuration, including coatings and additives. The table below summarises how the two material strategies compare under the PPWR.
| Factor | Compostable packaging | Recyclable packaging |
| PPWR default | Restricted to specific formats | Preferred strategy for most packaging |
| Typical applications | Tea bags, coffee pods, produce stickers; Italian HORECA from 2030 if approved | Bottles, rigid containers, most takeaway formats |
| End-of-life route | Industrial composting facility | Established recycling streams |
| Key proof required | EN 13432 certificate per product | Recyclability design compliance |
| Brand risk | Market-specific; needs collection systems | Harmonised rules across the EU |
For brands, the practical question is simple: which country, which application, and which disposal system? The answer determines whether PPWR compostable packaging rules make compostable materials a compliance asset or a compliance risk for your product portfolio.
Timing matters as much as geography. The PPWR begins general application on 12 August 2026 — well before Italy’s proposed 2030 start date — which means most single-use restrictions will already be in force across the Union while Rome’s request is still under review. Brands should plan around the regulation as it stands today and treat any approved derogation as a future expansion of options rather than an early reprieve.
How Brands Should Prepare
The PPWR applies generally from 12 August 2026, and the future of PPWR compostable packaging in Italy will be decided against that timeline. Whatever the outcome, four steps will keep your packaging strategy on safe ground.
- Audit your current packaging. Map every SKU against the PPWR application dates and identify which formats fall under the single-use restrictions in each market you serve.
- Map your destination markets. Does each country operate separate organic-waste collection? Is it pursuing an Article 9 derogation like Italy? Compostable packaging only works where the collection system exists.
- Demand supplier documentation. Before placing orders, request EN 13432 certificates, disintegration and biodegradation test reports, and food-contact compliance files that match the exact SKU.
- Keep both lanes open. Maintain recyclable product lines for general EU distribution and build certified compostable lines for markets where the infrastructure — and, potentially, the law — supports them.
FAQ
Is compostable packaging banned under the PPWR?
No. The PPWR does not ban compostable packaging, but it does restrict where PPWR compostable packaging claims apply. Mandatory compostability is limited to specific formats such as tea bags and coffee pods, and recyclability is the default for virtually everything else.
What exactly did Italy request from the EU?
On 1 April 2026, Italy submitted a draft bill under Article 9 of the PPWR asking to allow certified compostable and biodegradable single-use packaging from 1 January 2030 in areas including HORECA on-site dining and fresh fruit and vegetable packaging under 1.5 kg.
When do the new EU packaging rules apply?
The PPWR entered into force on 11 February 2025 and applies generally from 12 August 2026, with further obligations phasing in through 2030 and beyond.
Should my brand switch to compostable packaging in Europe?
Only where the application and the destination market justify it — for example, Italian foodservice if the derogation is approved. For general EU distribution, recyclable packaging remains the safer default under current rules.
Will other EU countries follow Italy’s example?
Other member states can also apply for derogations under Article 9 if they can demonstrate biowaste collection infrastructure. Italy’s request may serve as a precedent, but any expansion will be reviewed by the European Commission on a case-by-case basis.
At Goecopac, we manufacture certified compostable foodservice packaging and help buyers meet PPWR compostable packaging requirements with the documentation European markets now demand — EN 13432 certificates, compostability test reports, and food-contact compliance files. If you are preparing product lines for Italy or other EU markets, our team can help you match materials to the regulatory picture. To understand how policy programmes are reshaping demand, read our analysis of how government food programs are accelerating compostable packaging adoption worldwide, then contact us for samples, certificates, and specification sheets.
