How Small Businesses Can Navigate 2030’s Sustainable Packaging Crisis

A forthcoming webinar will explore the challenges and solutions for sustainable packaging in the food industry, focusing on small business ideas for meeting upcoming regulations and addressing material shortages, particularly in recycled polypropylene (r-PP) and polystyrene (r-PS). By 2030, new EU regulations will mandate specific percentages of recycled content in both food and non-food packaging, but the limited supply of high-quality recycled materials, especially those safe for food contact, remains a major hurdle for businesses. Florian Aschermayer, a senior sustainable materials specialist at Greiner Packaging, will share insights into overcoming these obstacles for sustainability in business, while Birte Dorenkamp, Emmi’s Head of R&D for Sustainable Packaging, will highlight her company’s progress in developing recycled polystyrene (r-PS) cups as a case study in bridging the material gap. Despite these innovations, no known collaborations exist yet to tackle the broader issue of recycled material shortages for business sustainability. The event will provide a detailed look at the road ahead, helping businesses balance environmental targets with economic realities and prepare for stricter packaging rules, including material alternatives and implementation strategies to meet the 2030 deadlines. Without coordinated industry efforts, however, overcoming supply constraints may remain difficult for small business ideas in sustainability.