One of the most important rules of eco-design for plastic packaging is using light colors. Packaging which is black or a very dark color can disorientate intelligent sorting machines, resulting in lowering the recycling level.

A good design practice is using mono-material, so that packaging can circulate. All additional elements related to the packaging should be manufactured with compatible polymers and materials.

Be careful with minimization – the smaller the packaging, the more difficult it can be to catch it in the sorting processes.

Let’s reduce the packaging’s weight – in spite of the lower weight, plastic packaging easily fulfils all functional requirements, e.g. in terms of transport hygiene and safety. Nowadays, no other packaging material has such properties.

Let’s use recycled PET plastic.

Let’s optimise packaging’s shape so that it allows full use of the product in it.

Let’s avoid all shrink sleeve labels on the entire surface of the packaging and let’s use label adhesives which can be separated at the recycling processes stage. When deciding on the label, let’s choose between those made of: paper, where adhesive used dissolves in contact with warm water; the same material as the rest of packaging, which will not disrupt the recycling process; foil made fully or in a significant proportion of recycled plastics.

Always include the code indicating the recyclability for the packaging.  This sign is the manufacturer’s declaration of fulfilling requirements in terms of recyclability of the material.