Rethinking Sustainable Packaging: Advancing Recyclability and Circular Economy
Packaging presents UK businesses with a tough set of demands. Products need protection, shelf life and visual appeal. At the same time, waste targets, recycling rules and environmental scrutiny continue to tighten. For manufacturers and brands working with tubes for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food or oral care, the materials you choose now shape both compliance costs and supply chain resilience over the next decade.
EPL Limited, a global tube manufacturer, has published data on its shift from aluminium barrier laminate to recyclable polymer structures. The company's approach includes mono-material tubes, post-consumer recycled content and lightweighting. Its progress offers a practical view of what material changes look like at scale, and where the remaining obstacles sit.
This matters because packaging compliance is no longer optional. Extended producer responsibility schemes are expanding across the UK. Public procurement asks for carbon reporting. Retailers set packaging targets. Getting material choices wrong means higher costs, restricted market access and rework later.
Why aluminium laminates are being replaced
Traditional tube packaging often combines plastic layers with aluminium. These multilayer structures provide strong barriers against oxygen, moisture and light. However, mixed materials complicate recycling. Separating aluminium from plastic requires specialised processing that most local authorities do not fund.
EPL's polymer barrier laminate replaces aluminium with polymer-based barrier systems. The company designs these structures to enter HDPE recycling streams. According to EPL's sustainability reporting, recyclable packaging accounted for 43% of total packaging used in fiscal year 2023 to 2024. The company has committed to converting its full tube range to formats it describes as sustainable.
The Platina platform is EPL's primary recyclable laminate. It uses a mono-material construction designed for compatibility with HDPE recycling. EPL states that Platina has received recognition from the Association of Plastic Recyclers in the United States and RecyClass in Europe. The company supplied more than 300 million Platina tubes in fiscal year 2021 to 2022, with volumes expected to double the following year.
Platina reportedly uses less than 5% barrier resin while retaining the protection needed for packaged contents. This construction reduces reliance on aluminium while maintaining shelf life for products such as toothpaste, cosmetics and ointments.
Post-consumer recycled content in tube packaging
Recyclability addresses what happens after use. Recycled content addresses what goes into a package before it reaches consumers. EPL has developed tube ranges that combine both objectives.
The Etain range incorporates up to 50% post-consumer recycled HDPE while remaining recyclable. The r-Platina range is designed to contain higher recycled content, with reported levels of up to 50% in a 250-micron structure and up to 60% in a 300-micron structure. These products aim to reduce demand for virgin plastic while keeping recovered material in circulation.
Nevertheless, EPL's overall post-consumer recycled material stood at just 0.47% of total material by value in fiscal year 2023 to 2024. This was a small increase from 0.43% the previous year. The low percentage shows that recycled-content adoption across the full material portfolio remains at an early stage, even as individual product lines reach much higher levels.
Environmental benefit depends on several factors. Quality and source of recycled resin matter. Transport distances affect carbon footprint. Collection systems determine whether packaging actually enters recycling streams. EPL has indicated it is working with recyclers on pilot projects for collecting used tubes and returning them to production. Such initiatives are significant because technical recyclability does not guarantee that packaging will be collected, sorted and reprocessed at scale.
Material reduction and lightweighting targets
Circularity is not limited to recycling. Reducing the amount of material used in each package lowers resource consumption and transportation impacts before the product reaches the end of its life.
EPL's sustainability report includes a commitment to reduce polymer consumption by 25% across its product range. The company highlights technologies intended to reduce tube thickness while maintaining strength, barrier performance and print quality. One example is NEOSeam, a side-seam technology that EPL says can deliver the material properties of conventional tubes with reduced thickness.
These measures matter because even a recyclable package can have a substantial footprint if it uses excessive material or requires energy-intensive production. Consequently, lightweighting complements recyclability and recycled content rather than replacing them. For UK businesses, thinner tubes can also reduce packaging weight charges under extended producer responsibility schemes.
Bio-based materials and feedstock alternatives
EPL's portfolio includes packaging that uses renewable or biogenic feedstocks. Its Organic GML range reportedly incorporates up to 50% biogenic carbon content in the tube sleeve. However, bio-based content does not automatically mean a product is biodegradable or recyclable.
Environmental value depends on the feedstock, land-use implications, manufacturing process and end-of-life pathway. For that reason, material certification and lifecycle assessment remain important when comparing alternatives. EPL's broader innovation pipeline includes mono-material packaging, recycled-content structures, barrier coatings and other formats intended to meet changing regulatory and customer requirements.
Operational waste and resource management
Product design is only one part of EPL's sustainability program. The company also reports operational measures related to waste, water and resource management.
EPL states that hazardous waste generated at its plants is recycled. Its waste strategy prioritises reduction, reuse and recycling. Earlier sustainability reporting recorded that 57% of total waste generated in Indian operations was recycled in fiscal year 2021 to 2022. The company's sustainability materials also identify water recycling, energy efficiency and renewable energy adoption as components of its environmental program.
These operational improvements can reduce the manufacturing footprint of packaging. However, product-level environmental comparisons require consistent lifecycle data across materials, factories, transportation and end-of-life systems. For UK businesses evaluating suppliers, operational data matters alongside product specifications.
Reported progress against sustainability targets
EPL's fiscal year 2023 to 2024 sustainability reporting provides the following data:
- Recyclable packaging accounted for 43% of total packaging used, showing meaningful movement toward recyclable formats.
- Secondary packaging reuse stood at 6%, well below the company's stated 30% objective.
- Sustainably sourced inputs represented approximately 60% of total procurement during the year.
- Post-consumer recycled material reached 0.47% of total material by value, up from 0.43% the previous year.
- EPL has committed to a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 against a 2017 baseline.
- The company reports recycling 100% of hazardous waste at its plants.
- More than 300 million Platina tubes were supplied in fiscal year 2021 to 2022.
- The Etain range contains up to 50% post-consumer recycled content, while r-Platina contains up to 60% depending on structure thickness.
The figures show progress, but they also illustrate the scale of the remaining task. The 6% reuse rate for secondary packaging, for example, remains far below target. Similarly, the low overall post-consumer recycled percentage indicates that recycled-content adoption across the full material portfolio is still developing.
Certified recyclability versus actual recycling outcomes
The shift from aluminium barrier laminate to recyclable polymer barrier laminate could have several implications. Polymer-only structures may be easier to sort into existing plastic recycling systems than packages combining aluminium and plastic. Removing aluminium can also reduce the material and energy intensity associated with producing and processing metal layers.
At the same time, recyclability claims must be interpreted carefully. A package may be technically compatible with a recycling stream but still be excluded in places where collection, sorting or reprocessing infrastructure is limited. Packaging design, consumer behaviour, labelling, local rules and the availability of end markets all influence actual recycling outcomes.
Certification by organisations such as the Association of Plastic Recyclers and RecyClass provides an important technical reference. However, it is not the same as a guarantee that every package will be recycled. The strongest circularity claims therefore combine recyclable design with recycled content, collection partnerships, verified data and clear end-of-life instructions.
For UK businesses, this distinction matters. A tube certified as recyclable in the United States or Europe may not be accepted by all UK kerbside schemes. Checking compatibility with Recycle Now guidance and local authority collection lists remains essential.
What UK businesses should consider
Packaging decisions made now will affect compliance costs, supply chain access and brand positioning for years. Several factors deserve attention.
First, recyclability must align with UK infrastructure. A packaging format that works in Germany or the United States may not be collected or processed in the UK. Confirming compatibility with local recycling systems before committing to a material change saves rework and reputational risk.
Second, recycled content targets are rising. Public procurement increasingly requires minimum post-consumer recycled content. Some retailers have set their own thresholds. Tubes with 50% or 60% recycled content offer a route to meeting these requirements, but businesses should verify that quality and barrier performance remain suitable for their products.
Third, extended producer responsibility costs depend on packaging weight and recyclability. Lighter tubes and recyclable formats can reduce fees. Companies should model the financial impact of material changes under the UK packaging producer responsibility regulations before switching suppliers or formats.
Fourth, greenhouse gas reporting increasingly includes Scope 3 emissions. Packaging contributes to these figures. Switching to recycled-content tubes or lightweighted structures can reduce reported emissions, supporting carbon reporting compliance and net zero commitments.
Fifth, supply chain transparency matters. Businesses should ask suppliers for verified data on recycled content, recyclability testing, lifecycle assessments and third-party certifications. Claims without supporting evidence create audit risk and potential greenwashing liability.
Finally, packaging is part of a broader sustainability strategy. Tube choices interact with other decisions about ingredients, manufacturing energy, transport and product lifespan. Coordinating packaging changes with wider environmental initiatives through ESG compliance programs ensures consistency and avoids conflicting priorities.
Key findings on tube packaging sustainability
- EPL's recyclable packaging accounted for 43% of total packaging used in fiscal year 2023 to 2024, demonstrating progress toward recyclable formats.
- Polymer barrier laminate replaces aluminium with polymer-based barrier systems designed for HDPE recycling streams.
- Post-consumer recycled content in individual product lines reaches up to 60%, though overall recycled material use remains below 0.5% by value.
- Lightweighting targets aim for a 25% reduction in polymer consumption across the product range.
- Certification by the Association of Plastic Recyclers and RecyClass confirms technical recyclability, but actual recycling depends on local infrastructure.
- Secondary packaging reuse stood at 6% in fiscal year 2023 to 2024, well below the company's 30% objective.
- EPL has committed to a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 against a 2017 baseline.
Scale and verification remain the primary challenges
EPL's strategy reflects a broader shift in packaging. Sustainability is moving from a single focus on reducing plastic toward a more comprehensive assessment of material efficiency, recyclability, recycled content, carbon emissions and circularity.
The company has established credible elements of that transition. Certified recyclable tube platforms, reported progress in recyclable packaging share, post-consumer recycled product development and a quantified emissions reduction target all demonstrate measurable change. The Platina, Etain and r-Platina platforms show different routes to improvement: designing for recycling, incorporating recycled material and reducing dependence on virgin polymers.
However, the principal challenges are scale and verification. EPL must continue increasing the share of recyclable and recycled-content products, improve packaging reuse, expand collection and recycling partnerships, and publish sufficiently detailed lifecycle data to demonstrate the real environmental advantages of each format. Progress will also depend on external infrastructure and on brand owners choosing sustainable formats at commercial scale.
For UK businesses, the central lesson is that sustainable packaging is not achieved through a single material substitution. It requires coordinated changes in design, manufacturing, procurement, collection, recycling and measurement. EPL's developments indicate how tube packaging can contribute to that transition. Nevertheless, the ultimate environmental benefit will depend on whether recyclable designs are widely adopted and successfully managed after consumer use.
Businesses should evaluate tube suppliers against verified data, not marketing claims. Look for third-party certifications, lifecycle assessments and transparent reporting on recycled content, recyclability testing and operational emissions. Ask whether packaging formats are compatible with UK recycling infrastructure. Model the impact of material changes on extended producer responsibility costs and Scope 3 emissions. Coordinate packaging decisions with wider sustainability commitments to ensure consistency and avoid conflicting priorities.
Further information on packaging and recycling regulations
The UK government's guidance on packaging producer responsibilities explains extended producer responsibility obligations and compliance requirements. The Waste and Resources Action Programme provides resources on packaging design, recycling infrastructure and circular economy initiatives. Recycle Now offers consumer-facing guidance on what packaging formats are accepted in UK kerbside collections.
For businesses seeking support with carbon reporting, sustainable procurement or packaging compliance, SBS compliance services can help navigate regulatory requirements and align packaging decisions with wider environmental goals.