Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd receive producer organisation status – “The whole value chain for packaging is included”

Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd (FPP) is the first multi-material producer organisation according to the revised Waste Act. The aim of the company is to develop packaging recycling to become more cost efficient whilst listening to the needs and hopes of companies with producer responsibility.

The competent authority Pirkanmaa ELY centre has approved Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd into the producer register and the company has started operation as a producer organisation covering all packaging materials. Previously plastic, metal, fibre, glass and wood each had their own producer organisation.

“The project was finalised as planned. Finnish Packaging Producers is Finland’s first multi-material producer organisation under the revised Waste Act” says the happy CEO Pekka Tommola.

The benefit of the company with producer responsibility is in the centre

Producer responsibility for packaging is a statutory obligation for businesses. Companies that pack products in Finland or import packed products as well as foreign companies distance selling their products to Finland are subject to producer responsibility. The producer organisation is tasked to take care of the producer responsibility obligations for companies having joined it.

“The benefit of the company with producer responsibility is in the centre of everything. We want to listen to our customers and participate actively in developing innovative, more efficient solutions for packaging recycling”, describes Tommola the cornerstones of FPP’s activities.

One tool in achieving this are FPP’s material sections. Each packaging material has its own section, where the specialist members represent a broad expertise of the whole recycling value chain and packaging solution knowledge of the material in question.

Finnish Packaging Recycling RINKI Ltd operates as a partner to FPP taking care of the eco take-back network, glass recycling, packaging material reporting, customer service, invoicing, communication and contacts with businesses having producer responsibility.

“Our strategic partnership with RINKI clarifies and intensifies our cooperation even further. Together with RINKI and our other partners we ensure that the recycling targets per packaging material are met in a cost efficient and responsible manner”, states Tommola.

Decades of experience

One of FPP’s strengths is its staff with decades of experience on producer responsibility matters, recycling and waste management. The old hands from the material-specific PRO’s Jukka Ala-Viikari, Satu Estakari, Eija Jokela and Juha-Pekka Salmi have transferred to SPT. The Material Manager responsible for plastic recycling is Sanna Peltola and Anne Lojamo continues as Project Manager.

Organising the collection and recycling of plastic packaging has been one of the new tasks of FPP. A lot has been done during the autumn to have the network ready by the deadline. Extending the eco take-back network together with RINKI is progressing as planned and the recycling solutions are in place. FPP cooperates actively with partners and other operators in the field to construct an efficient recycling system.

The producer organisations Mepak-Kierrätys Oy (Mepak), Puupakkausten Kierrätys PPK Oy (PPK) and Suomen Kuitukierrätys Oy (SUK) have merged into Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd on 30.9.2022. In addition, the functions of Suomen Keräyslasiyhdistys (glass) will be continued by FPP. The background for this change is the revised Waste Act from July 2021 according to which the producer organisation for packaging must cover all packaging materials.

Read more: Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd webpage www.suomenpakkaustuottajat.fi

Further information:

Pekka Tommola, CEO
Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd
pekka.tommola@suomenpakkaustuottajat.fi
+358 400 315 841

Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd is a non-profit company founded in 2021 that takes care of the statutory producer responsibility obligations for packers and importers of packed products that have joined it. The company develops and organises packaging recycling efficiently and in a responsible manner.

Header photo: Mikko Hirvonen