PPWR for Building Materials & Construction Products: What Manufacturers and Distributors Must Know from 12 August 2026

What the PPWR Means Concretely for the Building Materials Sector

Regulation (EU) 2025/40 covers all packaging placed on the EU market – regardless of whether it is consumer or industrial packaging. For the building materials sector, the following packaging types are of particular relevance:

• Pallet stretch films and shrink films for insulation boards, stacks of bricks or timber products
• Big bags (FIBCs) for bulk goods such as sand, gravel, cement or plaster
• Paint cans and containers for lacquers, paints, primers and coating agents
• Drylining cartridges for silicone, PU foam and assembly adhesive
• Plastic carriers and strapping bands for tiles, profiles and panel goods

Labelling Obligation from 12 August 2026

From the deadline, all packaging must bear a harmonised label indicating the material and recyclability. In practical terms: every stretch film, every cartridge, every big bag requires a machine-readable or visual marking in accordance with the format established by the Commission. Existing labels and imprints must be reviewed and adapted where necessary.

Practical tip: Inventory all packaging in your product range now by material type (plastic, metal, composite) and check which items already carry PPWR-compliant labelling. A simple spreadsheet listing packaging type, material, supplier and current labelling status is sufficient as a starting point.

Recyclability Requirements

The PPWR requires that packaging must be recyclable at defined quality levels from 2030 onwards – with increasing requirements through to 2035. Composite materials, such as those found in some drylining cartridges or coated big bags, are under particular pressure. Manufacturers should already clarify with their packaging suppliers whether existing designs will meet future requirements.

Practical tip: Request written evidence of recyclability from your packaging suppliers (e.g. declarations of conformity in accordance with harmonised standards). This documentation is not only useful internally, but must be presented to authorities in the event of an audit.

Minimum Recycled Content for Plastic Packaging

Binding minimum quotas for the use of recycled material in plastic packaging apply from 2030. Stretch films and shrink films, which are currently manufactured predominantly from virgin plastic, are affected. Anyone who qualifies as a person placing goods on the market – i.e. a manufacturer or EU importer – bears responsibility for compliance with these quotas.

Practical tip: Clarify with your film supplier at an early stage whether recycled-content variants are available and what additional costs will arise. Many manufacturers already offer stretch films with 30% post-consumer recycled content today.

Who Qualifies as a Person Placing Goods on the Market

This is particularly important for trading companies: anyone who places goods on the EU market under their own name or brand is considered a person placing goods on the market – regardless of whether they manufacture the packaging themselves. Own-brand products (e.g. own-brand silicone or adhesive tape) therefore fall entirely within the responsibility of the retailer.

Recommendation for Legally Compliant Implementation

The PPWR is a complex regulatory framework that raises sector-specific questions of interpretation. For a legally sound assessment – particularly in the case of cross-border trade or own-brand products – we recommend contacting your local Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Chambers of Commerce typically offer free initial consultations and sector-specific information events on the PPWR.