At the 4evergreen alliance, more than 380 experts from across the fibre-based packaging value chain collaborate to develop expert knowledge and science-based guidelines and recommendations for fibre-based packaging that is compatible with a low-carbon, climate-neutral society.

Each technical workstream has already made significant contributions to improving the circularity of fibre-based packaging at each stage of its life cycle. Here, you will find the reports, protocols, and guidelines released. Each is the culmination of science-led research and expert discussions.

As a starting point, the alliance focused on ‘standard’ mill capabilities, addressing the largest chunk of fibre-based packaging. However, the latest developments have been incorporated to include recommendations for fibre-based packaging that require reprocessing in deinking and specialised recycling facilities. These living documents will be updated as industry knowledge progresses.


Recyclability Evaluation Protocol

The Recyclability Evaluation Protocol is a harmonised industry tool for assessing how efficiently fibre-based packaging materials can be recycled into usable raw material, taking into account the different recycling technologies in place across the EU. It aims to be accepted and used by the fibre-based packaging value chain as the go-to assessment tool for recyclability in Europe.

Recyclability Evaluation Protocol (2025)

According to the protocol, the technical recyclability evaluation of a paper and board packaging product in a recycling mill process follows these steps:

Step 1: The assessment starts with performing a laboratory recycling test according to a dedicated recycling process.

* Until this document is released, the Cepi recyclability laboratory test method applies.

 

To support the testing methods and evaluation of the results, annex documents are available.

Step 2: Evaluating the technical recyclability of the packaging in a recycling mill with a dedicated process.

Step 3: The data set can then be inserted into an Excel scorecard template for processing. The tool will return scores for each individual parameter and an overall recyclability score and assessment of the technical recyclability for a dedicated  recycling mill process. A positive score states that the packaging is technically recyclable in this type of process, the higher the score, the better the technical recyclability with a dedicated process.


Circularity by Design Guideline (2024)

The current Circularity by Design Guideline (October 2024) provides design recommendations for fibre-based packaging products likely to be recycled in standard mills (Part I), and for used beverage cartons (UBC) and other complex packaging of similar composition that require recycling in specialised mills (Part III). The latest update includes recommendations on the suitability of packaging materials in flotation-deinking and additional specialised recycling processes

The guideline includes a decision tree, showing users the relevant type of recycling mill in which the assessed packaging should be recycled.

Download the guideline

Guidance on the Improved Collection and Sorting

‘The Guidance on the Improved Collection and Sorting of Fibre-based Packaging for Recycling’ is based on a state-of-the-art review of the institutional frameworks and different collection and sorting systems in European countries.

It provides recommendations to guide the implementation of the future collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure to meet EU legal requirements and achieve 4evergreen’s ambitious targets, including a 90% recycling rate for fibre-based packaging.

Guidance on the Improved Collection and Sorting of Fibre-based Packaging for Recycling (2024)

First released in 2022, the current guidance (November 2024) has been subject to external consultation to incorporate the latest industry findings and reinforce the recommendations for effective collection and sorting practices across Europe.

The Guidance focuses on household collection, and recommends collection and sorting in two co-existing streams for paper & board (PB) and lightweight packaging (LWP).

It therefore empowers consumers to recycle effectively by using two separate streams:

-The ‘blue bin’ for paper, board, and fibre-based packaging for standard and deinking paper mills.

-The ‘yellow bin’ for specific packaging types, like used beverage cartons and fibre-based composite packaging, requiring specialised paper mills.

Download the Guidance

We published Version 3 of the Guidance on the Improved Collection and Sorting, which includes new chapters on: 

-Impact of Residual Organic Contamination on the Recycling of Fibre-Based Packaging.

-Deep Dive on Sorting Systems Used for Fibre-Based Packaging.

-HORECA and on-the-go recycling systems.