Standards for PET bottles, cosmetics, and other items unveiled by Japan
In a bid to promote a more sustainable future, Japan and India have recently unveiled stringent criteria for plastic-containing products, such as beverage bottles, cleaning product containers, and cosmetics packaging. These guidelines aim to increase the use of recycled content, reduce material consumption, and streamline recyclability, bolstering both countries' transitions into a circular economy.
In Japan, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has published certification criteria for these products. Compliant businesses must undergo an assessment and provide data to achieve certification, enabling them to advertise their products under Japan's Green Purchasing Law and potentially receive financial support for recycling facilities.
For beverage bottles, the handle must be made of uncoloured PET, PE, or PP with a specific gravity of less than 1.0, and printing ink used on the label must not adhere to the bottle. Aseptic PET beverage bottles are not permitted to have labels made of PVC, and caps are not allowed to utilize PVC or Aluminium. Pressure-resistant PET beverage bottles require labels to be separable from the bottle during the recycling process, and caps must be made from PE or PP with a specific gravity of less than 1.0.
When it comes to cosmetics packaging, the body of the pack may not be printed, unless laser printing is utilized. PET packs for cosmetics must be uncoloured, but this standard does not apply to their caps, dispensers, spouts, etc. Cosmetics packaging for shampoo, hair rinse, body soap, and hand soap must be made exclusively of PET, PE, or PP in line with food and additive standards.
Household cleaning products may meet the criteria if the main container can be reused and refilled with cleaning agents. The ratio of the total weight of pre-consumer recycled plastic, post-consumer recycled plastic, or biomass plastic in the container of household cleaning products must reach between 10% and 25% of the weight of the whole container, depending on the application.
Refillable cosmetics packaging, minus their caps, dispensers, spouts, and other accessories, must be made exclusively of PET, PE, or PP. Specific limits are set on the amount of plastic used depending on the product's volume, with the required amount of pre- or post-consumer recycled material reaching 60% in some contexts.
Meanwhile, in India, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change now requires plastic packaging to provide on-pack information via an on-pack barcode, QR code, or unique number. Market operators must publicize their compliance or face sanctions. Disagreements about the impact on communities of colour led to a wider conversation on the impacts of environmental racism in New York, where a Senate Bill proposing the registration of sellers or distributors of packaging and the development of waste reduction and recycling plans did not pass.
These new criteria mark significant steps towards a more sustainable future, as both countries strive to reduce waste, promote recycling, and transition into a circular economy.
