Packaging industry developing in spite of increasingly strict regulation

2008 has brought major changes in regulations concerning the packaging industry and further changes are expected in 2009. The industry is developing steadily with paper and plastic accounting for three quarters of the total consumption of packaging materials. Legislation about the environmental charge payable after packaging materials has been found to be discriminatory by the EU Commission. Administrative tasks arising from this legislation have increased, as a result of the customs authority being assigned to collecting the environmental charge. One of the important changes coming in 2009 is that an environmental assessment of packaging shall become a legal precondition of marketing any products. A number of major development project have also been launched last year. Dunapack Zrt. began construction of its HOF 70 billion new corrugated cardboard plant in November. Production is expected to start in July 2009. Stora Enso Packaging Kft is constructing a production facility for micro-corrugated cardboard with offset printing in Komárom. Sealed-Air Magyarország Kft and Hungerit Zrt have embarked upon a joint project for vacuum packaging technology to be used for meat products. Wolf Plastics has launched a plastic bucket product line with special, very attractive labelling. Aluminium cans resembling bottles are destined to become very popular in the beverage sector.