Recycling · ROLL Lab
EWC codes, packaging fees and labels: the rules for used cores
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EWC codes (European List of Waste)
| Code | Description | When |
|---|---|---|
| 15 01 01 | paper and cardboard packaging | clean paper cores |
| 15 01 02 | plastic packaging | clean plastic cores; separated leftover film |
| 15 01 04 | metallic packaging | separated metal plugs or end caps |
| 15 01 05 | composite packaging | cores with a coating that cannot be separated, to be assessed |
| 15 01 06 | mixed packaging | cores with unseparated leftover film |
The final classification is up to the waste producer, in agreement with its waste contractor.
An Italian example: CONAI treats tubes and rolls as packaging
In Italy, the CONAI circular of 27 June 2013 (in force since 2014) treats cores, tubes, spools and cones carrying wound flexible material as packaging. They are not packaging only if they are part of the machinery and do not present the product. Cores carrying a semi-finished product used only in processing, such as paper mill reels sent for rewinding, are exempt from the packaging fee. Those that reach the end user, such as stretch film, are subject to the fee, paid by the last core producer.
Who collects used cores
In Italy, tertiary packaging cannot go to the municipal service (Legislative Decree 152/2006, Art. 226): it goes to an authorised waste contractor, a platform affiliated to the packaging consortia or a take-back scheme agreed with the supplier. In the UK, a business must hand its waste to a registered waste carrier.
Environmental labelling
On packaging for businesses, such as cores, the material code under Decision 97/129/EC is enough: the PAP family for paper and board, PP 5, PVC 3, HDPE 2 for plastics. From 12 August 2028, or 24 months after the implementing act if later, the harmonised EU label of the PPWR arrives (Art. 12).
Information summary, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is the EWC code for used paper cores?
15 01 01, paper and cardboard packaging, if they are clean. Clean plastic cores are 15 01 02. With film still on them, the waste usually becomes 15 01 06, mixed packaging, which costs more to dispose of.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR), EUR-Lex
- Eurostat env_waspac (21 October 2026)
- CONAI circular on tubes and rolls (27 June 2013, Italy)
- Italian Legislative Decree 152/2006
- ROLL Lab calculation
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