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Our own consumer studies, briefing papers on new regulations, scientific derivations and talks from webinars and conferences. Each page sums up the key points; the full document follows as a download.
Seafood quality will be decided by more than freshness and origin. Microplastics and PFAS enter the chain at several points, from environment and feed through processing to packaging. This talk shows where they demonstrably arrive, what EmpCo and PPWR make of that, and why fibre-based packaging below five per cent plastic is the better choice commercially as well as environmentally.
EmpCo, PPWR, national plastic taxes and PFAS are usually treated separately. In this webinar Kathrin Schaumann and Malte Biss show that all four ask for the same chain of evidence: objective criteria, a public certification scheme, assessment by an independent third party and ongoing monitoring. Build that chain once and it serves all four.
Almost everyone in Germany knows the term microplastics, and concern runs high, somewhat higher for the environmental consequences than for the possible health consequences. Anyone who can substantiate freedom from microplastics has a selling point. Anyone who merely claims it has a liability risk from 27 September 2026.
A 2025 study by The Goodwins analysed environmental claims in print advertising. More than half of them would no longer be permissible under the EmpCo Directive. In retail and the beverage industry it is up to three quarters. The most common problem is always the same: missing evidence and missing independent verification.
The EmpCo Directive does not prohibit environmental claims. It prohibits four particular kinds: claims about the whole product that only apply to a part of it; vague assertions without measurable evidence; self-made labels without an independent certification scheme; and legal minimum requirements advertised as an outstanding achievement.
In France the authorities have only paid the EPR bonus against independent, accredited evidence since 1 January 2026. In Spain, recycled content has only been recognised for the plastic tax with a certificate from an accredited body since 1 January 2024. Without a certificate there is no credit in either country.
Paper and board contain polymer-based additives such as sizing agents and wet-strength agents, without which they would not have their properties. Six technical sources average 0.93 % of dry weight. Adding the scientifically recognised trace allowance of 0.1 % gives an overall threshold of 1.03 %. These additives are functionally necessary but do not form a plastic matrix of their own.