‘Design for recyclability’ is on everybody’s mind. Ecomodulation criteria and EPR fees are pushing brands to move towards packaging materials and formats with more established recycling pathways. Collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure are different across geographies, which makes it hard for companies to implement universal design guidelines consistently across markets. While there is still disconnect between those designing packaging and those processing it at end-of-life, this is beginning to change: early examples show brands working directly with recyclers to identify pain points, so which components contaminate or block processing, and feeding those insights back into design decisions.
The challenge now is scaling that dialogue. What the industry may need is not just better design guidelines, but a structured engagement framework — similar to the protocols brands already use with suppliers — applied downstream to waste management operators. Treating the waste sector as part of the value chain, not just the end of the supply chain, could drive more effective collaboration on both material innovation and infrastructure development. In this panel, we’ll discuss:
- Brand-recycler collaboration: Where has it worked, what made it effective, and what can be learned to apply this more broadly
- Compliance-readiness: How can brands and waste operators collaborate more effectively to substantiate recyclability claims, and meet EPR and traceability requirements?
What to expect from this type of session...
Main stage sessions, but not as you know them. Because we’re off-the-record, leading experts can speak candidly about their experience with what works, and what doesn’t. At least half the session is dedicated to audience insights and questions to ensure we tackle the big issues head on.
