# Circularity of packaging

Food packaging can have many negative impacts on the environment, especially when it is not recycled. These impacts are linked to several factors: extraction of non-renewable fossil or mineral raw materials, water consumption, persistence in the environment, decomposition into micro and nanoparticles, contamination of soils, fresh water and oceans, etc.

The packaging score aims to promote the circularity of packaging and, failing that, the use of renewable and biodegradable resources. The objective is to promote packaging which benefits from a second life, and which can be reused for the same uses (in "closed loop"). This limits the extraction of virgin raw material to manufacture new single-use packaging.

The Packaging score consists of 3 parts:

* an Upstream score evaluating the origin of the raw materials used
* a Downstream score evaluating the different end-of-life scenarios
* a ratio according to the relative weight of each element

![](/files/-MRPIW2HheHNKpv93vki)

## Upstream Score

For the upstream part, we consider:

* The possible use of recycled raw material
* The renewable nature or not of the raw materials
* Sustainable or unsustainable management of resources

{% content-ref url="/pages/-MDyPremmWtFwxOWDJsR" %}
[Upstream Score](/eng/methodology/produit/emballages/score-amont.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## Downstream Score

For the downstream part, we consider all possible end-of-life options: 

* Recyclable
* Biodegradable
* Incinerated
* Landfilled

{% content-ref url="/pages/-MDyQ3AOuDc\_OotJlFIt" %}
[Down stream Score - Belgium](/eng/methodology/produit/emballages/score-aval.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## Ratios by format

Packaging is generally made up of several components. For example, a ready meal is made up of 3 distinct elements: a tray, a lid and a case. In order to characterise them, a list of formats is available, with a ratio representing the relative weight of each format. 

These ratios are detailed on the following page:

{% content-ref url="/pages/-MDxrR-Q6-NUDnWR8iy-" %}
[Ratios by format - Belgium](/eng/methodology/produit/emballages/ratios-par-format.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

## Score calculation

The following formula is used to obtain the packaging score, taking into account the upstream and downstream scores of a number n of packaging elements:

$$
score =  100-\sum\_{i=1}^{n}(100-\overline{a\_i\*b\_i})\*r\_i
$$

> $$n$$ the number of elements in the package\
>  $$a\_i$$ the upstream score\
>  $$b\_i$$ the downstream score\
>  $$r\_i$$ the ratio associated with the format

{% hint style="info" %}
When the product is distributed in bulk (without packaging), the score is 100.
{% endhint %}

The packaging score is integrated into the overall product score in the form of a malus of up to 15 points. The packaging malus is calculated as follows:

$$
malus =  \frac{x}{10}-10
$$

> $$x$$ is the packaging score. \
>  $$malus$$ is between $$\mathopen{\[}0,-15\mathclose{]}$$ 

**Special case**

In order to ensure that the Eco-score is consistent with the objective of 100% recycled plastic by 2025 ([article L. 541-1 4°bis of the French Environment Code](https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000041598665/2020-02-12)), products packaged in non-recyclable plastic are not eligible for the Eco-score <img src="/files/-MTlBOR2ZoOWaNp--kg_" alt="" data-size="line"> (A) . These products can at best be rated <img src="/files/-MTlBfaIH2QgUVn8o4JO" alt="" data-size="line"> (B).

This concerns products with one or more packaging elements [whose ratio associated](#ratios-by-format) with the format is greater than or equal to 1, in non-recyclable plastic ([downstream score](#downstream-score) = 0).&#x20;

**Example:** a yoghurt sold in a polystyrene pot (a commonly used non-recyclable plastic) cannot be rated A, regardless of whether the milk comes from France or the product has an organic label. Such a product would therefore be given an Eco-score of B.

## Sources

**Specificities in Belgium**&#x20;

Annual report of the Belgian IVCIE interregional commission.                          <https://www.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/RapportdActivites2020.pdf>

Interregional cooperation agreement on the management of packaging waste.<https://www.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2008036325_F-1.pdf>

Fostplus approval for the period 2018-2023 for the selective collection, sorting and recycling of household packaging waste in Belgium.                         <https://www.ivcie.be/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Agrément-Fost-Plus-2018-FR.pdf>&#x20;

Mapping of materials according to the FostPlus classification of materials, based on the Green Dot tariff. <https://www.fostplus.be/fr/media/298/download>

CITEO. (2018). 2018 key figures for household packaging recycling. <https://bo.citeo.com/sites/default/files/2019-07/20190612-FicheA5_Chiffres_cles_2018_2_validee.pdf>

**French sources**

ADEME. (2017, mai). Bilan National du Recyclage 2005-2014. <https://www.ademe.fr/>. <https://www.ademe.fr/sites/default/files/assets/documents/bilan-national-recyclage-bnr_2005-2014_201705_rapport-final.pdf>

CITEO. (2018b, avril). Recyclabilité des emballages en plastique - Innovations et pistes de travail issues des projets de R\&D 2015-2018. <https://bo.citeo.com/sites/default/files/inline-files/20180329_Citeo_Projets_Recyclabilit%C3%A9_Plastique.PDF>

FEDEREC, ADEME. (2017, avril). Évaluation environnementale du recyclage en France selon la méthodologie de l’analyse de cycle de vie. <https://presse.ademe.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/FEDEREC_ACV-du-Recyclage-en-France-VF.pdf>

COTREP, ELIPSO, CITEO, VALORPLAST. (2017, décembre). Recyclabilité des emballages en plastique - Eco-concevoir pour mieux recycler. [https://bo.citeo.com/sites/default/files/inside\_wysiwyg\_files/Citeo\_Guide COTREP\_WEB.pdf](https://bo.citeo.com/sites/default/files/inside_wysiwyg_files/Citeo_Guide%20COTREP_WEB.pdf)

ELLEN MACARTHUR FOUNDATION. (2016, janvier). The New Plastics Economy : Rethinking the future of plastics - download the infographics. <https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/>. <https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/news/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics-infographics>

ECO CO2. (2013, février). Recyclage des capsules à vis en aluminium : bonnes performances pour l’Europe, mais la France en retard. <https://www.ecoco2.com/>. <https://www.ecoco2.com/blog/recyclage-des-capsules-a-vis-en-aluminium-bonnes-performances-pour-leurope-mais-la-france-est-en-retard/>

FRANCE NATURE ENVIRONNEMENT. (2018, décembre). Le recyclage et les débouchés des plastiques. <https://ged.fne.asso.fr/silverpeas/LinkFile/Key/22dedc1a-0940-41a9-b9e3-77a778972c59/FNE_fiche_rep_plastiques.pdf>

Matthieu Glachant, CERNA, Ecole des Mines de Paris. (2006, octobre). La prévention des déchets d’emballages en France. <https://www.cerna.minesparis.psl.eu/Donnees/data05/554-Rapport-UFC-final-v2-.pdf>

Projet Métal : recycler plus de petits emballages métalliques. (2020, 15 juin). CITEO. <https://www.citeo.com/le-mag/projet-metal-recycler-plus-de-petits-emballages-metalliques/>

SPHERE, KAKEKA. (2019, juillet). Les bioplastiques biodégradables et compostables - Rapport d’information. <https://www.emballagesmagazine.com/mediatheque/2/9/0/000035092.pdf>

TETRA PAK. (2019, novembre). Tetra Pak packaging made with fully traceable plant-based polymers. <https://www.tetrapak.com/>. <https://www.tetrapak.com/about/newsarchive/tetra-pak-first-company-fully-traceable-plant-based-polymers-packaging>

ECO EMBALLAGES, ADEME. (2007, décembre). Synthèse d’études environnementales sur des plastiques de différentes origines (renouvelables et fossiles). <http://www.ecoemballages.fr/sites/default/files/documents/synthese-etudes-environnementales-plastiques.pdf>

Tout ce que vous rêvez de savoir sur le recyclage. (2018, 5 septembre). CITEO. <https://www.citeo.com/le-mag/470/>

LOI n° 2020-105 du 10 février 2020 relative à la lutte contre le gaspillage et à l'économie circulaire. <https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000041553759?r=iGc9foqKm2>\
\
COTREP. (2020, octobre). Comportement des gourdes PE et PP au tri et au recyclage\
<https://www.cotrep.fr/content/uploads/sites/3/2020/11/cotrep-ag63-gourde-pepp.pdf>


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.score-environnemental.be/eng/methodology/produit/emballages.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.