EPBP launches consultation on ‘Design for Circularity’ guidelines for PET bottles
The European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) is initiating a crucial, industry-wide consultation to collect stakeholder feedback on its newly developed Design for Circularity (DfC) guidelines for PET bottles.
This move is the next strategic step following the publication of the Circularity Protocol and the Quick Test–AIT.Circularity. It reaffirms EPBP’s commitment to supporting the PET value chain in its transition toward true circularity.
The consultation will be open for two months, running, for example, until February 15th, 2026.
The new DfC framework represents a significant evolution beyond today’s Design for Recyclability (DfR) Guidelines. While DfR ensures high-quality recyclate after a single use, DfC establishes a more ambitious benchmark: maintaining material quality and functionality across multiple recycling loops. This ambitious goal is consistent with EU policy expectations and industry requirements for closed-loop PET systems.
The transition from DfR Guidelines towards DfC Guidelines will be officially presented at the PETCORE EUROPE Annual Conference on February 4th and 5th. Launching and utilising DfC will empower the industry to focus on innovative solutions that drive multi-loop recycling.
The consultation is a direct invitation for key stakeholders — including PET producers, converters, brand owners, recyclers, and technology providers — to review and contribute to the DfC framework before its finalisation. Feedback from these groups will be essential to ensure the guidelines are practical, scientifically robust, and aligned with operational realities across the value chain.
As a liaison organisation to the CEN Technical Committee, EPBP remains committed to providing full support to the ongoing CEN standardisation project. The platform will share progress on the DfC guidelines with CEN to further drive European standardisation efforts and reinforce regulatory and market coherence.
Industry stakeholders are invited to provide their feedback via the consultation portal: https://www.epbp.org/design-guidelines/products
