Petcore Europe has opened early registration for the Thermoforms Conference 2026 under the title "Beyond the theory, towards PPWR compliance: Real Recycling of PET trays?", which will take place on 18–19 June in Valencia, Spain. The event is addressed to experts and representatives of the PET thermoformed packaging sector who are interested in the practical implementation of the PPWR requirements in the areas of collection, sorting and recycling of trays.
The Petcore Europe Thermoforms working group was established in June 2015 and currently brings together more than 80 companies and organisations, including key market players and waste management actors. Since its creation, this platform has organised a number of events dedicated to PET tray packaging, including online workshops on recycling thermoformed PET products in 2019 and physical Thermoforms conferences in 2023 in Italy, 2024 in Spain and 2025 in France. The 2026 conference is intended to continue this line, with an emphasis on solutions that can be implemented on an industrial scale and on linking packaging design with the requirements of European Union legislation.
At present, Petcore Europe focuses on supporting the entire value chain in achieving PPWR targets for collection, sorting and recycling, so that it is possible to ensure at least 30 percent recycled content in thermoformed PET products. In this context, the organisation sees the conference as a platform for exchanging experience between packaging producers, recyclers, operators of collection and sorting systems and representatives of European institutions. Compliance with PPWR has not only a regulatory dimension but also a technical one, related to the assessment of recyclability of packaging designs, the adaptation of waste streams and the validation of recyclate quality for food contact applications.
First day programme: presentations and panel discussions
The first day of the conference will include presentations by experts working on thermoforming technologies, mechanical recycling and the management of packaging waste streams. According to the organisers, all key specialists in the field of thermoformed PET products are scheduled to speak, followed by panel discussions with industry representatives. This programme structure is intended to juxtapose the technological perspective with the experience of plant operators and companies active in the packaging market.
High-level speakers have also been invited to present the goals and expectations of the European Commission regarding PET trays in the context of PPWR implementation. The presentations are expected to cover, among other things, planned requirements for design for recycling, minimum levels of recycled content and principles for assessing packaging recyclability. The organisers indicate that particular emphasis will be placed on practical aspects, namely how the new regulations translate into material specifications, product design and the organisation of collection and sorting systems for packaging waste.
Second day: laboratory visit and circularity assessment
On the second day of the conference, Petcore Europe will organise a visit to laboratories certified in the application of tray recyclability assessment protocols. Participants will be able to see how the circularity of thermoformed packaging is assessed in practice and what procedures are used when evaluating the suitability of packaging made from recycled PET for food contact. The visit is intended to provide direct insight into test methods, assessment criteria and documentation required to confirm material compliance with the relevant regulations.
The organisers emphasise that observing real processes in laboratories is to complement the conference part, where these issues will be discussed at conceptual and regulatory level. Moving from theory to practice is expected to help participants better understand how the requirements related to recyclability are implemented at the level of testing, certification and ongoing quality control of materials originating from recycling.
Demonstration of material flows and Petcore Europe tools
The event is planned to have a clear practical focus on the collection and sorting of thermoformed PET products, which has been identified as the first key step towards circularity. The programme includes a demonstration exercise using a real material flow, covering the successive stages in the circularity chain. The aim is to show what requirements a collection and sorting system must meet so that PET trays can be efficiently directed to recycling and subsequently reused in packaging applications.
The conference will also present selected Petcore Europe initiatives related to thermoforming, including the Tray Circularity Evaluation Platform and standardisation activities on design for recycling and recyclability assessment in connection with PPWR. Within these activities, criteria and guidelines are being developed to help harmonise the approach to assessing thermoformed packaging at European level. The issue of recyclability scoring, which is provided for in PPWR and may in future affect the classification of packaging designs and their acceptability in recycling streams, will also be discussed.
An additional topic in the programme will be the application of EU Regulation 2022/1616 to functional barriers as a technology considered novel, together with the resulting implications for packaging design and certification. Potential consequences for the use of recycled PET in food contact will be addressed, including requirements for process validation, safety documentation and regulatory oversight of recycling technologies.
Sponsorship opportunities and organisational information
The Thermoforms Conference 2026 will be co-financed by industry organisations and individual companies. Petcore Europe invites interested entities to join the group of event sponsors. The organiser informs that, under the sponsorship package, the company name and logo will be included in all communication materials related to the conference, including invitations, programmes, press releases and the website, and will also be promoted during the event itself.
Companies interested in sponsorship details are requested to make contact by e-mail at maria.trofimova@petcore-europe.org. Registration for participants is already open and the organiser encourages the use of early registration. The conference in Valencia is intended to be a working platform for dialogue between all actors in the PET tray value chain, focusing on practical steps leading to real recycling and compliance with PPWR requirements.
