While Europe is getting down to business with legislation that tightens the noose on plastics, the Government is processing the draft Catalan waste law, which is to replace the law from 1993. In fact, its drafting has been years in the making – it began to be drafted in 2018 – and, along the way, some of the flagship measures that had been planned have disappeared or have gone from being obligations to voluntary or promotional measures, such as the obligation to provide fiscal bonuses to citizens who carry out good selective collection. On the other hand, ambitious points for 2030 are incorporated, such as the obligation for municipalities to implement efficient collection systems or the prohibition of single-use cups at festive, cultural or sporting events. According to sources from the Department of Territory, the changes are due to the European and state context: they argue that it has changed "significantly" and that many measures from the 2022 text are now mandatory, such as the deposit, return and refund system (SDDR).

A new era is beginning regarding packaging and its waste. As of this Wednesday, European Union member states must apply the new packaging and packaging waste regulation, in effect since last year. The text regulates the sustainability and labeling of packaging throughout its life cycle and introduces restrictions on the production, use, and waste management with a view to 2050. However, some of the measures will not be enforceable until 2028, 2030, or even later.

A consumer takes four seconds to decide which product to buy. During this decision-making process, various factors are considered, and one of the most significant is its packaging. Cideyeg Packaging, a family business with over 60 years of experience and leadership, specializes in the printing and production of packs They manufacture cardboard packaging for premium and mass-market brands with a certified environmental commitment. With the aim of leading the graphic arts industry and providing compact cardboard solutions for sectors such as high-end cosmetics, perfumery, pharmaceuticals and parapharmaceuticals, and gourmet food, they have recently invested in state-of-the-art machinery, becoming the first company on the Iberian Peninsula to have a complete printing facility in partnership with Heidel. Furthermore, they have also focused on small-format packaging in response to new market demands, demonstrating their loyalty to their clients and their ambition and strategic vision. packaging Mini, besides following market trends, complies with European 2030 regulations to minimize raw material waste (cardboard).

Twenty years ago, reusable cups began to gain popularity to reduce the accumulation of plastic waste during local festivals. In Catalonia, the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) pioneered the returnable cup system with deposit, and the model spread to municipalities such as Molins de Rei, Rubí, and Girona. More and more administrations have taken the step of eliminating disposable cups, and now major social and cultural events and music festivals are doing so, as required by law. However, the Rezero Foundation notes that behind compliance with the law lies "a business model" based on greenwashing (greenwashing, in English).

Packaging and packaging, which we know as packaging, surround us every day. We find them both in the products we fill our shopping carts with and in the packages we receive when we place e-commerce orders. But, despite their everyday presence, they are relatively unknown as an economic sector, laments Martina Font, corporate director of Font Packaging Group and CEO of Kartox, who will run for re-election as president of the Packaging Cluster at the entity's assembly on June 19. This organization brings together a significant portion of the sector, with a total of more than 150 members and the goal of closing 2025 with at least 160, including companies, knowledge centers, and entities representing the entire packaging value chain.