April 2026 Updates: New Standards Advance Sustainable Packaging and Distribution

The landscape of Packaging and Distribution of Goods is witnessing a transformative shift with the publication of four important international standards in April 2026. Building on the foundation set in Part 1, this second article in the series explores how the latest standards empower manufacturers, converters, and supply chain professionals to meet ambitious sustainability goals, ensure regulatory compliance, and facilitate the circular economy. These standards—spanning PET bottles, PE and PP flexible packaging, PS and XPS rigid packaging, and EPS applications—set new benchmarks for design, recyclability evaluation, and compatibility with advanced recycling technologies.

Overview / Introduction

The Packaging and Distribution of Goods sector is at the core of global commerce, with growing demands to balance performance, protection, and environmental stewardship. Standards play a pivotal role by providing harmonized requirements and detailed protocols that ensure products are developed and managed with recyclability and circularity in mind.

This article examines four newly released standards from April 2026 that target the most common types of plastic packaging materials. Through comprehensive guidelines and evaluation processes, these standards offer manufacturers and stakeholders the clarity needed to redesign product packaging for optimal recovery, high-quality recycling, and minimal environmental impact. Readers will gain:

• A clear understanding of the scope and requirements for each new standard
• Key changes relevant to current industry practices
• Insights for implementing these standards efficiently

Detailed Standards Coverage

EN 18120-14:2026 – Recyclability Evaluation for PS and XPS Rigid Packaging

Packaging – Design for recycling of plastic packaging – Part 14: Recyclability evaluation process for plastic packaging – Protocols for PS and XPS rigid packaging

Scope: This standard provides an evaluation framework for any rigid packaging where the primary packaging unit consists predominantly of polystyrene (PS) or extruded polystyrene (XPS). It details protocols to assess design compatibility with state-of-the-art collection, sorting, and recycling processes. Packaging elements made from non-PS or XPS materials are also evaluated for compatibility with PS/XPS recycling streams.

Key Requirements and Specifications:

• Outlines a stepwise laboratory and industrial test methodology that simulates actual recycling operations—covering grinding, washing, flotation, drying, extrusion, and characterization of recyclate.
• Requires the use of at least 25 kg of control material and mandates comparative analysis against reference plastics.
• Evaluation of individual design elements or whole packaging is possible, allowing flexibility in scope and depth of assessment.
• Design elements are classified for compatibility (green, yellow, red categories), supporting decision-making for packaging improvement.

Who Needs to Comply:

• Manufacturers and designers of PS/XPS rigid packaging for consumer, industrial, and commercial applications
• Recycling facility operators and technology developers
• Quality and compliance managers seeking to align with evolving EU and international regulations

Practical Implications:

• Facilitates product design modifications for recyclability at source
• Supports innovation in packaging that is both marketable and circular economy-ready
• Enables proactive compliance and easier product certification

Notable Changes:

• Enhanced focus on interface issues with multi-material packaging
• Updated compatibility criteria reflecting best available recycling technologies

Key highlights:

• Clear protocols for simulating recycling operations
• Material compatibility evaluation for PS/XPS and other co-components
• Flexibility to assess entire items or individual elements

Access the full standard:View EN 18120-14:2026 on iTeh Standards

EN 18120-15:2026 – Recyclability Evaluation for EPS Packaging

Packaging – Design for recycling of plastic packaging – Part 15: Recyclability evaluation process for plastic packaging – Protocols for EPS packaging

Scope: This standard focuses on evaluating the recyclability of rigid expanded polystyrene (EPS) packaging, including protective packaging, white goods packaging, and fish boxes. It considers not only the main EPS elements but also all other component materials in terms of their compatibility with polymer recycling.

Key Requirements and Specifications:

• Outlines mandatory listing of unit operations: from collection through recycling to end-use of recyclate
• Establishes test conditions and sampling procedures for laboratory simulations that mimic real-world recycling operations
• Defines threshold criteria for determining design compatibility (green, yellow, red categories)
• Addresses foreseeable critical points in packaging design and identifies strategies to mitigate negative impacts on recyclability

Who Needs to Comply:

• EPS packaging manufacturers, designers, and converters
• Producers of packaging for electronics, appliances, and perishable goods
• Sustainability managers and compliance teams in sectors with high EPS use

Practical Implications:

• Supports the shift towards mono-material and recyclable packaging solutions
• Enables product innovations that meet brand owner and regulatory recycling targets
• Facilitates harmonized market access and cross-border trade

Notable Changes:

• Expands guidance to include EPS used in fish boxes and food-contact applications
• Clarifies requirements for components made from materials other than EPS within packaging assemblies

Key highlights:

• Comprehensive checklists for design compatibility and recyclability
• Industry-relevant test methods and validation procedures
• Guidance for cross-material component evaluation in EPS packaging

Access the full standard:View EN 18120-15:2026 on iTeh Standards

EN 18120-4:2026 – Design for Recycling Guidelines for PET Bottles

Packaging – Design for recycling of plastic packaging – Part 4: Guideline for PET bottles

Scope: This standard addresses the design and construction of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to ensure their compatibility with established collection, sorting, and recycling channels. It focuses on maximizing recyclate quality and enabling closed-loop bottle-to-bottle applications, especially for food contact use.

Key Requirements and Specifications:

• Recommends maximizing mono-material PET use for bottle bodies and components
• Specifies design principles for closures, labels, sleeves, and barrier layers to avoid contamination of PET streams
• Advocates for unpigmented, easily removable labels and adhesives compatible with PET recycling
• Provides threshold limits for non-PET constituents (colorants, barrier materials, adhesives) to ensure high-quality recyclate
• Introduces a design compatibility rating system (green/yellow/red)

Who Needs to Comply:

• Beverage, food, pharmaceutical, and personal care product manufacturers using PET bottles
• Packaging designers, converters, and sustainability officers
• Procurement and compliance teams involved in packaging supply chains

Practical Implications:

• Accelerates adoption of design-for-recycling principles
• Ensures conformity with fast-evolving regulatory environments (such as SUP Directive, EPR schemes)
• Sustains brand reputation and market competitiveness through circular packaging strategies

Notable Changes:

• Updated requirements on adhesives, inks, and full-body sleeves
• Stricter limits for non-PET additives and colorants targeting high-purity recycling

Key highlights:

• Detailed guidance on design choices for optimal PET recyclate quality
• Clear thresholds and exclusions for common bottle components
• Provisions for food and non-food PET bottle applications

Access the full standard:View EN 18120-4:2026 on iTeh Standards

EN 18120-7:2026 – Design for Recycling Guidelines for PE and PP Flexible Packaging

Packaging – Design for recycling of plastic packaging – Part 7: Guideline for PE and PP flexible packaging

Scope: This standard provides comprehensive design guidelines for flexible packaging where polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) is the dominant material. It applies to consumer, commercial, and industrial flexible packs, including shrink films, pouches, and wraps, and establishes benchmarks for compatibility with modern recycling and sorting systems.

Key Requirements and Specifications:

• Differentiates design rules for natural, white, and colored flexible packaging based on dominant polymer
• Details compatibility thresholds for co-polymers, additives, barriers, pigments, and adhesives
• Sets clear boundaries for acceptable component percentage (by weight) in main and attached packaging parts
• Classifies design choices in green/yellow/red categories for recyclability compatibility
• Provides specific guidance on copolymer use, metallization, ink types, and labels

Who Needs to Comply:

• Producers of flexible packaging films, bags, and wrappers
• Retailers and brand owners using PE and PP flexible packaging
• Packaging engineers, R&D groups, and procurement specialists

Practical Implications:

• Enables design optimization for both sortability and high-value recycling
• Guides the reduction or proper specification of incompatible additives and colors
• Supports product compliance across diverse European and international supply chains

Notable Changes:

• Expands table of compatible and excluded materials and processing aids
• Clarified separation and evaluation rules for co-components and multi-material formats

Key highlights:

• Exhaustive tabular guidance for PE and PP flexible packaging design
• Clear designation of compatibility classes for materials, components, and colors
• Recognizes practical needs for labeling, printing, and functionality

Access the full standard:View EN 18120-7:2026 on iTeh Standards

Industry Impact & Compliance

Business Impacts and Risk Mitigation

The publication of these four standards significantly raises the bar for the Packaging and Distribution of Goods sector. Organizations implementing these requirements will benefit from:

• Increased recyclability rates and higher-value recovered plastics
• Access to global markets through standardized, harmonized packaging
• Reduced risk of non-compliance penalties and rejected shipments
• Improved brand reputation and public trust via visible sustainability action

Compliance Considerations

• Early adoption enables smoother transitions during product (re)design cycles
• Compliance audits and supplier assessments should be aligned with the updated standards
• Many regulations (e.g., EU EPR, eco-modulation) reference or align with these types of CEN standards—non-adoption may result in economic and legal penalties

Timelines

• Implementation should begin promptly as customer, brand owner, and regulatory expectations are increasing
• Integration into purchasing, product development, and supplier management workflows will aid compliance

Technical Insights

Common Technical Requirements

• Mono-material focus: All standards advocate minimizing use of multi-material combinations unless strictly necessary
• Sorting and recycling compatibility: Components such as labels, adhesives, and inks must not hinder detection or recyclate purity
• Threshold limits: Clearly defined limits for compatible and incompatible materials help engineering teams assess risk and compliance at the design stage
• Test protocols: Simulation of real-world recycling processes is critical to verify design choices

Implementation Best Practices

1. Incorporate recyclability assessment into early design and prototyping phases
2. Audit current SKU portfolios and prioritize redesign based on volume and non-compliance risks
3. Engage supply chain partners in discussions about approved materials and standard-compliant components
4. Leverage test protocols outlined in the standards to generate third-party validation data

Testing and Certification

• Utilize laboratory-scale recycling simulations and standardized test methods
• Document outcomes with respect to control/reference materials
• Seek official certification for critical SKUs

Conclusion / Next Steps

The April 2026 standards represent a decisive step forward for the Packaging and Distribution of Goods sector, providing practical, actionable guidance for packaging that not only meets market needs but also supports a resilient, circular economy.

Key takeaways:

• Reduce environmental impact by designing packaging for high-quality recycling
• Future-proof products for global compliance and consumer expectations
• Apply the new standards’ clear guidance on compatible/incompatible materials and test protocols

We recommend:

• Reviewing each standard in detail and integrating the specifications into internal design/development documentation
• Upgrading supplier and procurement requirements accordingly
• Staying engaged with iTeh Standards for ongoing updates and best practice insights

For full details, guidance, and the official texts, explore each standard directly via iTeh Standards and ensure your organization remains at the forefront of sustainable packaging innovation.