Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive

The Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive 94/62/EC covers all packaging placed on the market in the European Union and all packaging waste, whether it is used or released at industrial, commercial, office, shop, service, household or any other level regardless of the material used.

The Member States must introduce systems for the return and/or collection of used packaging in order to attain, amongst other aspects, a minimum recycling target of 50% for metals contained in packaging waste.

Aerosol containers are generally made from steel or aluminium; recyclable materials with established market demand. Recycling is FEA’s preferred route for recovering the value of used up (i.e. empty) aerosols and recommends that aerosols are included in recycling schemes.

The current recycling trend shows that empty aerosols can be included in the normal household waste packaging stream effectively without causing concern. Large numbers of used up aerosols are already being recycled successfully around the world.