Interesting development. July 2026
Four major Dutch municipalities are asking the cabinet to actively encourage the use of reusable shipping packaging. Not because cardboard is bad, but because the enormous growth of e-commerce is resulting in ever more packaging waste, higher collection costs, and increasing pressure on waste processing.
What appeals to me is that the discussion is slowly shifting from 'how do we recycle more?' to 'how do we prevent waste by reusing packaging more often?'
That is precisely the direction in which the European PPWR is also developing: not only recycling, but especially reuse is playing an increasingly important role.
Perhaps, therefore, we should think not only about better fibers, but also about other materials and packaging designed to be reused dozens of times.
Ultimately, the most sustainable packaging is not the one that can be recycled best, but the one you can continue to use for as long as possible.
