New regulations on reusable plastic products and EPR compliance for food packaging

Newsletter No. 290 of April 25, 2026 from EconomiaCircolare.com. FEATURED: The Circularity Gap Report 2026 introduces a new metric measuring linear economy failures: for every 3 euros of value created, 1 is lost due to structural inefficiencies, waste, and unaccounted social costs. HIGHLIGHTS: Interview with Giovanni Bellomi, General Director of Corepla, discussing plastic recycling crisis, unfair competition from Asia, traceability, and deposit return schemes (DRS): 'Single-use bottle deposits? Useful, perhaps necessary, but under certain conditions.' New legislation on 'reusable' plastic products: The government, through a PNRR decree, attempts to fill a regulatory gap that has existed since the adoption of the SUP directive, which banned the commercialization of many single-use plastic products such as plates and cutlery. The directive did not specify minimum requirements defining what makes a product 'reusable,' leading to market confusion and non-compliant products.