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Reusable packaging - EPR, registration and reporting

Reusable packaging - what is it, and what applies to your company?

Reusable packaging is a separate type of packaging with its own rules. It is therefore important to clarify whether your packaging is legally considered reusable packaging - and what this means for registration, reporting and the practical setup.

Reusable packaging must be part of a loop

Reusable packaging is packaging specifically designed to be used several times for the same purpose and included in an active return or take-back system where the packaging actually circulates between multiple stages.

To qualify as reusable packaging in a legal sense, packaging must not only be capable of being used several times. It must be designed for the same purpose several times and be part of a system where it actually returns and is used again.

Packaging therefore does not become reusable packaging simply because one actor chooses to use it again. What matters is how the packaging is designed and the system it forms part of.

What is required for your packaging to be reusable packaging

The packaging must be designed for reuse

The packaging must be developed to be used several times for the same purpose without losing its function. Examples include plastic crates, return boxes, EUR pallets or bottles designed for repeated handling, return and use.

The packaging must be placed in circulation for the purpose of reuse

It is not enough for the packaging to be capable of being used several times. It must also form part of a setup where it is intended to return and be used again - for example through a return scheme, a collection agreement or another system where the packaging circulates between several parties.

The packaging must be part of an actual loop

Reusable packaging is not simply robust packaging. It must be part of a practice where it actually returns and is used again for the same purpose.

Examples - and common misunderstandings

EUR pallets, IBC containers and return boxes in active return schemes will typically be reusable packaging. However, the decisive factor is not only the type of packaging, but whether the packaging has actually been placed in a system where it returns and is used again for the same purpose.

A EUR pallet is therefore not automatically reusable packaging in every situation. If the pallet is part of an active loop where it is returned and used again, it will typically be reusable packaging. If, however, it is imported and subsequently disposed of through the ordinary waste system because it can no longer be reused, it must be treated as ordinary packaging.

Conversely, single-use packaging does not become reusable packaging simply because someone uses it again. What matters is whether the packaging is designed for reuse and is part of an actual take-back or return system.

If your packaging is in a grey area, the question is often decided by a specific assessment of design, use, take-back and return flows.

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Who has EPR for reusable packaging?

In open loops where there is no single system owner, responsibility generally lies with the company that first makes the reusable packaging available on the Danish market. Companies that merely receive and return reusable packaging in an existing loop normally do not have EPR.

In closed loops, responsibility may depend on who owns or operates the system and in whose name or trademark the reusable packaging is made available. For reusable packaging, membership of a PRO is not mandatory, but registration with DPA is still required.

If you choose to fulfil your responsibility for reusable packaging through Emballageretur, we help you with knowledge and guidance on the requirements that apply.

Reporting and documenting reusable packaging

You must report the quantities of reusable packaging that your company first makes available on the Danish market. This means that each individual rotation does not count. What counts is the quantity of packaging placed on the market as reusable packaging for the first time.

Reporting is done in kilograms and must be based on data that makes it possible to calculate the quantities correctly. If you are below the de minimis threshold of 8 tonnes, you can report the total quantity without a material breakdown.

You must be able to document the loop

When you report reusable packaging, you must be able to document the quantities you first make available on the Danish market. You must also be able to account for the fact that the packaging has actually been placed in a reuse system.

This means that you should have control of how the packaging is taken back, how it is used again and which quantities may leave the loop over time.

Three key concepts to distinguish

Reuse

Reuse means that the packaging is used again in its original form for the same purpose.

Recycling

Recycling means that the packaging has become waste and is then treated so that the material can be used again in new products.

Recycled content

Recycled content means that the packaging is made from material that has previously been recycled. The three concepts do not mean the same thing, so it is important to keep them separate.

Leave the heavy administration to us‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌

Keeping track of material categories, deadlines and quantities can be complex.‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‍‍‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‍‌

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