Dataset of the work "UBU-Polymers Research Group 27052026"

This study analyzes 163 multilayer films from commercial food packaging available on the European market to quantify structural diversity and assess implications for recyclability. Forty-two distinct multilayer configurations and twenty-seven polymer combinations were identified, with no systematic relationship to food category, film thickness, or functional requirements.

Functionally similar packages frequently relied on materially incompatible or over-engineered polymer combinations, revealing a fragmented and non-standardized packaging landscape. Although all analyzed structures comply with current European food-contact regulations (EC 1935/2004 and EU 10/2011), their diversity and incompatibility hinder mechanical and chemical recycling, challenging the objectives of the forthcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).