Legislation on Identification and Standardisation

Clear material identification and consistent design standards make recycling easier, cheaper, and more effective. Governments and industry bodies can play a key role by introducing and enforcing systems that help waste pickers, recyclers, and manufacturers identify, sort and reuse plastics more efficiently.

Identification

Mandatory labelling and clear product information are essential first steps. Key actions include:

• Mandatory labelling – Require all products to carry clear, standardised labels showing material types and recyclability.
• Regional coordination – Align and expand labelling systems across the region to reduce confusion and improve cross-border recycling.
• Improved design features:
  • Use larger, easy-to-read symbols.
  • Include detailed material information on product packaging.
  • Standardise features in moulded plastics (e.g. ribs, textures, colours) to make manual sorting easier.
  • For woven products like sacks or bags, require durable built-in ID systems, such as colour-coded threads or strips (see Policy Brief).

Material standardisation

Creating and enforcing clear standards for materials and design helps improve overall product recyclability. This can include:

• Material restrictions:
  • Promote the use of single, easily recyclable materials.
  • Discourage or phase out multi-layer or composite plastics.
  • Require fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies to design with end-of-life recycling in mind.
• Design for reuse and separation:
  • Encourage packaging that is easy to disassemble (e.g. detachable labels, single-material components).
  • Promote refillable and durable designs as an alternative to single-use packaging.

Together, these steps help reduce contamination, improve product quality, and make plastic recycling more economically viable.

Taking it step by step

Tackling all plastic challenges at once is overwhelming. A more practical approach is to focus on one product category at a time. Policymakers can introduce annual focus areas – or “spearhead” initiatives – that target specific high-impact items like woven polypropylene bags (see Policy Brief), multilayer sachets, or takeaway containers.

This allows for more targeted action, clearer communication, and faster progress, while setting the stage for broader reforms.