Global packaging manufacturer Amcor has achieved RecyClass Recycled Plastics Traceability Certification (EN15343) for selected specifications of its Bontite Sustane stretch film. The independent certification is designed to assist commercial partners in preparing for upcoming regulatory changes to the United Kingdom Plastics Packaging Tax (PPT), which are scheduled to take effect in April 2027.
The certified film specifications incorporate post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, providing verifiable data to help manufacturers, distributors, and retailers meet strict environmental reporting requirements and tax thresholds.
Plastics Packaging Tax Changes
The primary driver for the certification is the shifting regulatory landscape in the UK and continental Europe. From April 2027, the UK Government will implement updates to the PPT:
Post Consumer Focus: Pre-consumer recycled (PIR) content will no longer contribute toward the 30 per cent recycled content threshold required to avoid the tax.
Strict PCR Audits: Only verified post-consumer recycled (PCR) material will be accepted to meet the statutory limit.
Beyond the UK, verified traceability is increasingly critical across Europe due to rising Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees, national packaging levies, and the overarching requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The RecyClass certification provides third-party audited proof of origin and traceability throughout the manufacturing process, helping businesses mitigate compliance risks.
Technical Specifications and Sourcing
Manufactured at Amcor’s production facilities in Leominster, United Kingdom, and Zele, Belgium, the Bontite range consists of blown LLDPE stretch wrap films developed to stabilise and secure palletised goods during transport.
The films are engineered to support high-volume logistics and industrial packaging applications through several key performance attributes:
⚙️ Toughness and Clarity: Combines the puncture resistance of blown film with the optical clarity typically associated with cast film products.
⚙️ High Holding Force: Engineered to deliver significant stretch performance and holding force to maintain load stability during transit.
⚙️ Material Optimisation: When paired with technical application support, the film allows distribution networks to reduce the volume of wrap required per pallet, potentially lowering the total cost of ownership.
Gabriele Ditsch, Sales Director at Amcor, stated that the certification is intended to build customer confidence by aligning packaging choices with evolving European legislation. Ditsch noted that the certified films provide independent assurance of recycled content claims, enabling the scaling of verified PCR solutions across secondary and industrial packaging sectors.
European Manufacturing and Certification Footprint
The certification of the Bontite Sustane range is part of a broader compliance programme across Amcor's European production network.
RecyClass certification has also been completed for various flexible packaging solutions manufactured at several other UK and European sites:
United Kingdom: Ardeer, Bromborough, and Winsford facilities.
Continental Europe: Steinfeld, Germany; Hardenberg, Netherlands; Roeselare, Belgium; and Zdzieszowice, Poland.
This multi-site certification network allows Amcor to supply standardised, audited recycled-content packaging solutions to multinational consumer goods companies managing complex, cross-border supply chains.
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