A new European alliance to enhance small aluminium packaging recycling has been launched by industry bodies to address low recycling rates for certain formats such as coffee capsules and foil lids.
The initiative, led by the European Aluminium Foil Association (EAFA) in partnership with Flexible Packaging Europe (FPE), aims to improve collection, sorting and recycling at scale across Europe in response to evolving regulatory expectations.
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Industry response to recycling performance challenges
The alliance was established with the specific objective of boosting recycling of small aluminium packaging – a segment that, despite aluminium’s generally high recovery rate, has lagged behind larger aluminium formats in recycling performance.
Items targeted by the initiative include coffee capsules, chocolate and cheese foils, dairy lids and small containers used across food and consumer sectors.
This initiative is presented against the backdrop of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which sets out more stringent recycled-at-scale requirements for materials across member states.
According to industry sources, while modern sorting facilities are capable of separating diverse aluminium fractions, this capability is not yet deployed consistently across all European regions, resulting in a significant share of small aluminium packaging being incinerated or only partially recovered.
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By GlobalDataCollaborative action across the value chain
To tackle these challenges, the alliance brings together 16 companies representing producers of aluminium foil, flexible packaging, coffee capsules and semi-rigid containers, as well as other suppliers, brand owners and fillers.
Participants confirmed to be involved include Actega, Al Invest, Aluminium Féron, Alupak, Amcor, Bel Group, Constantia Flexibles, Datwyler, Delica, Formika, JDE Peet’s, Laminazione Sottile, Lindt, Nestlé Nespresso, Speira and Symetal.
The new European alliance focused on enhancing the recycling of small aluminium packaging was officially launched on January 1, 2026.
EAFA’s Executive Director Guido Aufdemkamp noted that the alliance would work to identify bottlenecks in national waste management systems that hinder improved recycling performance.
The partners plan to conduct studies and support implementation of practical measures, drawing on existing networks and national aluminium recycling organisations.
Implications for circular economy and recycling infrastructure
The alliance reflects a broader effort within the packaging recycling sector to strengthen circular economy outcomes for smaller aluminium formats.
With deposit-return schemes (DRS) expanding across Europe and removing beverage containers from household recycling streams, stakeholders see an opportunity to refocus sorting infrastructure on non-beverage aluminium packaging.
Industry observers have highlighted that greater harmonisation in collection and sorting, as well as focused investment in recycling technologies, will be key to meeting the increasingly ambitious targets set by EU regulators.
The alliance’s multi-stakeholder model underscores the role of collaboration between material producers, converters, brands and waste operators in driving tangible improvements in recycling rates for challenging packaging formats.
