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EPS Packaging in Numbers
EPS embraces the future of the circular economy
through mechanical and chemical recycling
EPS is an extremely lightweight material
tiny EPS beads expand like popcorn
EPS packaging is recycled at high rates
in many European countries: Norway, Denmark, Greece and the Netherlands
EPS packaging waste is collected
to prevent landfilling
Objective for recycling activities by 2025
on EPS packaging waste
EPS contributes to achieve the European circular and sustainable targets
EUMEPS, with the Smart Packaging Europe initiative, advocates for the irreplaceable contribution of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) to critical areas of environmental regulation.
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EUMEPS Signs the Recommendations for a Resilient and Circular Plastic Value Chain in Europe
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- Written by: Ingrid
- Category: News
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- Links:
- Link title: Read the publication, Link URL: https://eumeps.eu/eumeps-newsroom/publications
EUMEPS has joined more than 30 European associations, national organisations and companies in signing the publication Strategic Recommendations for a Resilient and Circular Plastic Value Chain in Europe. This joint initiative reflects growing concern across the plastics value chain regarding Europe’s declining industrial competitiveness, rising energy costs, and increasing regulatory fragmentation.
The publication puts forward a shared set of policy recommendations aimed at restoring a level playing field, strengthening circularity, and securing long-term investment conditions for plastics manufacturing and recycling in Europe. By endorsing this document, EUMEPS contributes to a coordinated, value-chain-wide position addressed to EU policymakers and national authorities.
A common response to mounting industrial and regulatory pressure
Recent data underline the scale of the challenge faced by the European plastics sector. Production volumes have declined significantly in recent years, while growth in recycling capacity has slowed, and several facilities have closed across Member States. At the same time, European operators face rising energy prices and increasing competition from imports produced under less stringent environmental and regulatory conditions.
Against this backdrop, the signatories stress that Europe’s circular economy objectives cannot be achieved without a competitive industrial base. The recommendations, therefore, focus on reconnecting circularity, climate objectives and industrial policy, while ensuring that existing EU legislation is implemented and enforced consistently across the Single Market.
For EUMEPS, this approach is particularly relevant for EPS applications, which depend on predictable regulatory frameworks, efficient collection and recycling systems, and fair market conditions to continue contributing to resource efficiency and climate objectives.
Six strategic recommendations for a competitive and circular plastics market
The publication is structured around six core recommendations, reflecting priorities shared across the plastics value chain:
- Restore fair competition and promote circular plastics made in Europe
Ensuring equivalent requirements for imports, strengthening incentives for EU recycling, and reforming public procurement to support high-quality European recyclates.
- Cut energy costs and support circular plastics to compete globally
Improving access to affordable energy, tax relief and targeted State aid for recycling, converting and compounding activities.
- End loopholes in verification and enforcement
Strengthening market surveillance, customs controls, traceability tools and harmonised verification frameworks to ensure compliance by both EU producers and imports.
- Implement and enforce EU law consistently
Ensuring harmonised application of recycled content targets, clearer legal interpretation, streamlined permitting and reporting procedures, and effective penalties where rules are breached.
- Catalyse innovation and private investment
Supporting breakthrough technologies, scaling collection and sorting infrastructure, and creating regulatory conditions that reduce investment risk while supporting existing capacities.
- Enhance Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for a fair circular market
Harmonising EPR rules and definitions across the EU, introducing eco-modulated fees that reward recyclability and recycled content, and ensuring balanced governance structures.
Together, these recommendations aim to create a stable and coherent framework that enables circular solutions to scale while maintaining Europe’s industrial base.
EUMEPS’ commitment to a coordinated European approach
By signing this joint publication, EUMEPS reaffirms its commitment to a science-based, economically viable and policy-consistent transition towards a circular plastics economy. The association supports a framework that recognises the role of plastics applications, including EPS, in delivering insulation performance, resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact when managed responsibly.
The full publication is available for download. The number of co-signatories continues to grow, reflecting broad support across the plastics value chain for a coordinated European response to shared industrial and environmental challenges.
EUMEPS at the European ETICS Forum 2025: Circularity, Durability and Energy Renovation in Europe
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- Written by: Ingrid
- Category: News - Smart Insulation
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The 7th European ETICS Forum 2025, organised by the European Association for External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (EAE), took place on 12 November in Milan. The event gathered more than 200 specialists, including architects, façade engineers, designers, contractors, policymakers, public authorities, researchers and manufacturers, press agents. Viewed as the main European platform dedicated to ETICS, the Forum offers a comprehensive overview of market trends, technical developments and regulatory priorities shaping the renovation of Europe’s buildings.
EUMEPS participated as sponsor and contributor, represented by Jakub Stefaniak, Emanuela Gallo and Bianca Sereinig. The association’s involvement highlighted the central role of expanded polystyrene (EPS) in façade insulation systems and its contribution to circularity, durability and affordable energy renovation. Jakub delivered a dedicated presentation on the contribution of EPS to circular, sustainable and durable ETICS, drawing on studies, data and practical experience from across Europe.
EPS and its contribution to circular, sustainable and durable ETICS
Jakub began by presenting the EPS value chain represented within EUMEPS: raw material suppliers, converters, recyclers, machinery suppliers and 23 national associations across Europe. He explained how EPS contributes simultaneously to the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainability.
On the social aspects, he underlined the direct impact of insulation on living conditions. EPS used in ETICS helps maintain stable indoor temperatures, reducing heat loss during winter and excessive overheating during summer. This leads to lower energy bills — often reduced by 30% to 50% — which is particularly relevant for older buildings and households facing energy poverty. A consistent indoor climate also reduces humidity and mould, improving public health and lowering healthcare costs. Jakub noted: “EPS helps reduce energy bills by 30% to 50% depending on the building, and it contributes to healthier indoor environments by preventing moisture and mould growth.”
On the economic dimension, EPS supports the renovation wave by offering a strong cost-to-thermal-performance ratio. Renovating Europe’s building stock stimulates local employment along the construction value chain and reduces energy consumption, strengthening national energy security. Data from EAE and Cortexa illustrated current trends: Italy, Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic remain the largest ETICS markets, and in 2024, EPS represented 77% of all ETICS insulation.
Environmentally, EPS offers several advantages. It is fully recyclable and compatible with mechanical, physical and chemical recycling technologies. Jakub presented evidence showing that the energy used to produce EPS is offset within approximately two years through energy savings during the lifecycle of the building. Studies also show that recycling can significantly reduce the global warming potential of EPS. Initiatives such as EPSolutely demonstrate practical solutions for reintegrating construction offcuts into production loops. Durability studies presented at the Forum confirmed that EPS maintains its mechanical properties even after decades of use, with examples of systems installed in the 1960s and 1970s still performing well today.
Key messages from the Forum: perspectives from the EUMEPS team
The Forum offered a broad set of insights on regulatory developments, market dynamics and technical performance across Europe. The EUMEPS delegation highlighted several elements as particularly relevant.
For Emanuela Gallo, the attendance of more than 200 participants reinforced the high level of interest in ETICS as a strategic solution for energy renovation and decarbonisation. She emphasised the value of the data presented by EAE and Cortexa, which provided a clear picture of Europe’s building stock, market shares, national differences and renovation needs. She remarked on the intervention by EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, who outlined the EU’s approach to energy efficiency and renovation policies. As she explained: “The large number of participants shows how central ETICS is to renovation, decarbonisation and sustainability.”
Bianca Sereinig highlighted the practical strengths of the event design. The format offered sufficient time for discussions, exchanges with system suppliers and high-quality interactions with participants from several countries. She noted a strong alignment across the sector on common priorities: energy efficiency, decarbonisation, circularity and affordable housing. In her view, the Forum confirmed that industry actors share a similar understanding of how ETICS can support the transition. She noted: “There is a common understanding in the ETICS sector on energy efficiency, decarbonisation, circularity and affordable housing. It was encouraging to see high interest in these topics from all sides.”
For Jakub Stefaniak, one of the central elements was the diversity of stakeholders and the growing international interest in ETICS. Participants came from multiple sectors and several national administrations. He noted a particularly strong presence from Italy, reflecting the importance of ETICS in the country’s renovation programmes. He also observed that the EPBD remains a key topic for both industry and authorities: “More and more stakeholders are showing interest in insulation and renovation. The EPBD clearly remains a key topic for industry and authorities.”
Looking ahead: expectations for the next edition
The next edition of the European ETICS Forum will take place in two years, with the EAE Awards planned for 2026 to showcase ETICS projects from across Europe. The EUMEPS team expressed a common set of expectations linked to the evolution of EU policies and national renovation strategies.
All three representatives emphasised the importance of EPBD implementation, which is currently entering the phase of national transposition. The coming years will be decisive for defining funding mechanisms, technical requirements and support schemes to accelerate renovation. Jakub expects the next Forum to provide “more insight into EPBD implementation, with a focus on solutions for successful delivery on the ground.”
Bianca hopes to see concrete progress in applying energy-efficiency principles and the emergence of good practices across Member States, especially regarding circularity and end-of-life management of materials. She stressed the relevance of ETICS in making renovation more affordable and accessible: “In two years, I hope we can already present some good practices in EPBD implementation and show concrete progress on efficiency-first with ETICS.”
Emanuela highlighted the value of maintaining the Forum as a platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing. She expects the next edition to keep its focus on decarbonisation, circularity, affordability and renovation policy, while providing an opportunity to compare national approaches and encourage cooperation across the sector. As she stated: “The next Forum will be an opportunity to observe how EPBD implementation advances across countries and to continue exchanges that support collaboration.”
Conclusion
EUMEPS’s participation in the European ETICS Forum 2025 confirmed the strong relevance of EPS as a solution for circular, durable and efficient façade insulation. The event highlighted both the opportunities and challenges facing Europe’s renovation agenda, particularly in the context of EPBD implementation, decarbonisation objectives and housing affordability.
By engaging with policymakers, industry representatives and technical experts, EUMEPS contributed to a constructive exchange on how to accelerate renovation, strengthen circular practices and ensure long-term performance of ETICS systems. The next edition of the Forum will be an important moment to assess progress across Europe and continue building cooperation within the sector.
PPWR and Seafood Logistics: EUMEPS Contributes to Policy Discussion at Fish International 2026
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- Written by: Ingrid
- Category: News - Smart Packaging
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- Link title: Study on the recyclability of polystyrene bead foam, Link URL: https://eumeps.eu/eumeps-newsroom-packaging/publications/study-2025-recyclability-bayreuth
- Link title: EPS is recycled at "scale and in practice", Link URL: https://eumeps.eu/eumeps-newsroom-packaging/news/eps-is-recycled-at-scale-and-in-practice-worldwide
On 22 February 2026, during Fish International in Bremen, a dedicated session examined the impact of new EU legislation on the seafood sector. The discussion focused in particular on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and its practical implications for operators across the value chain.
Lea Salihovic, EU Policy Manager at EUMEPS, participated in the panel discussion, contributing the perspective of the EPS industry on recyclability requirements, reuse systems and implementation challenges.
Recyclability Under the PPWR: Current Performance and Ongoing Action
During the exchange, Lea Salihovic underlined that the EPS industry supports the objectives of the PPWR, particularly the ambition to improve recyclability and strengthen circular economy performance.
She highlighted that EPS transport packaging, including fish boxes, is already recycled at scale in several Member States. On average, around 40% of European post-consumer EPS packaging is recycled. In structured collection systems, recycling rates exceed 50%, and in Norway they approach 80%. EPS transport packaging has also been recognised by the United Nations Environment Programme as recycled “in practice and at scale”.
Lea explained that performance depends largely on the existence of structured collection systems. Where such systems are in place, EPS demonstrates efficient and resource-efficient circularity. The common challenge is to scale these systems consistently across all Member States.
She also outlined ongoing industry initiatives, including:
- Expansion of industrial recycling capacity
- Installation of compaction units in ports and fish markets to improve collection efficiency
- CEN standardisation work aligned with PPWR recyclability criteria
- Cooperation with recyclers to strengthen traceability and quality of secondary raw materials
The objective, she stressed, is to move from theoretical recyclability to verifiable and documented circular performance.
Reuse of Fresh Fish Boxes: A System-Level Consideration
A key part of the discussion addressed the feasibility of reuse systems for fresh fish transport packaging.
The feasibility of reuse is not an EPS-specific problem — it is a systemic challenge. Fresh fish supply chains are among the most demanding logistics systems in Europe. EPS manufacturers can technically produce stronger boxes. Structural reinforcement is not the limiting factor. The difficulty lies in food safety and hygiene compliance. EPS fish boxes are not simple transport packaging. Their primary function is insulation — maintaining freshness, temperature stability and compliance with strict hygiene rules for highly perishable goods.
Lea emphasised that EUMEPS supports reuse where it demonstrably delivers environmental benefits. However, in the case of fresh fish logistics, the feasibility question is not material-specific. It concerns the complexity of the entire system.
Fresh fish supply chains are among the most demanding logistics systems in Europe. EPS fish boxes provide insulation that ensures temperature stability, freshness and compliance with strict hygiene rules for highly perishable goods.
She recalled that under Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004, operators must guarantee validated cleaning procedures, full traceability, uniform hygiene standards and clear liability allocation.
In cross-border supply chains with multiple handling points, unpredictable return flows and exposure to organic contamination, ensuring absolute reliability after repeated reuse cycles can be particularly challenging.
EPS has become the standard solution for perishable fish packaging because it consistently meets functional, hygiene and energy-saving requirements.
Lea concluded this part of the discussion with a balanced message: where reuse systems can function safely and efficiently, they should be encouraged. Where structural constraints limit feasibility, high-performance recyclable systems must remain a proportionate and sustainable option. Food safety, food waste prevention and circularity should be pursued together.
Ensuring Proportionate and Effective Implementation
Throughout the discussion, Lea stressed the importance of clarity and proportionality in implementing the PPWR.
She noted that the sector is investing in recycling infrastructure, increased integration of recycled content, improved collection logistics and standardised documentation to demonstrate recyclability and circular performance.
To ensure effective implementation, she called for:
- Clear definitions
- Proportionate timelines
- Recognition of application-specific realities
- Performance-based assessment rather than assumptions based solely on material
Conclusion
The session at Fish International reflected the strong interest of the seafood sector in understanding and preparing for the PPWR.
EUMEPS’ contribution underlined a shared objective: reducing environmental impact while safeguarding food safety, economic resilience and efficient logistics.
As implementation of the PPWR progresses, continued dialogue between policymakers and industry will remain essential to ensure that circular economy objectives are achieved in a way that is sustainable, practical and aligned with the realities of perishable food supply chains.
EUMEPS General Assembly 2026
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- Written by: Ingrid
- Category: Events
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- Event subtitle: Berlin, June 2026
- Event Date: 2026-06-18 09:00
- Event Location: Berlin
- Event location type: On Site
Date: 18 June 2026
Time: 09:00–14:00
Format: In-person meeting (no remote participation)
EUMEPS will hold its 2026 General Assembly on 18 June 2026.
This annual meeting brings together members from across the European EPS value chain to review the association’s work, discuss current policy and market developments, and set strategic orientations for the year ahead.
The meeting will begin with an intervention from an external guest speaker, followed by the formal General Assembly and a closing lunch with participants. Full details, including the venue, the updated calendar invitation, and the pre-read materials, will be shared in due course.
Indicative Programme
- 09:00 – 10:00
External speaker (political or technical profile) followed by Q&A - 10:00 – 12:30
EUMEPS General Assembly - 12:30 – 14:00
Lunch
Participation is reserved for EUMEPS members. Further logistical information will be provided once the venue has been confirmed.
For questions, please contact the EUMEPS Secretariat.