— By Plasteurope.com staff — 

Project Alliance Strapping is the name of a newly founded association through which 13 European manufacturers want to campaign for political decision-makers in Brussels to exempt strapping from the EU packaging regulation (PPWR) and the reusable quota it provides for.

“In principle, we support and welcome the PPWR,” said Martin Bussmann, deputy chairman of the new association and head of the Material Innovation department at industry actor Mosca (Waldbrunn, Germany; www.mosca.com).

Nevertheless, there is an “urgent need for action” with regard to Article 29, which defines the requirements and quotas for the reuse of transport safety devices such as stretch film, pallet covers, and strapping.

Related: Construction of recycling plant for strapping in Germany

Bussmann argues that, if the article remains unchanged, it could have a significant impact on transport safety from August 2026. This is because the reuse of strapping bands involves considerable risks in terms of material fatigue – and also for the stability of transport packaging.

The industry initiative intends to submit a position paper to the EU by the middle of this year. This paper will also aim to emphasise the sustainability balance of strapping – primarily made of polypropylene and PET – which, according to the association, is better than alternatives such as metal boxes or foldable transport crates.

Scientifically underpinned – including by the Fraunhofer Institute – the paper is supposed to contribute to achieving the desired PPWR exemption.

In addition to Mosca, the industry initiative includes companies such as Teufelberger, Fromm Plastics, Messersi, Sekisui Jushi, Embalcer, cpdesign, and Green Tech.

— Translated by Elspeth Lenhard