PPWR consultancy in the Silesian Voivodeship: how can the industrial, automotive and B2B sectors be prepared for the new packaging requirements?

In the Silesian Voivodeship, packaging is rarely used solely for retail purposes. In many companies, it forms part of the industrial process: it secures components, organises transport between plants, protects metal, plastic or machinery products, enables just-in-time deliveries and meets the requirements of major customers. PPWR’s consultancy services in the Silesian Voivodeship should therefore focus not only on interpreting regulations, but above all on analysing packaging in production, industrial cooperation, warehousing, dispatch, BDO and environmental documentation.

The PPWR, or Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, is an EU regulation concerning packaging and packaging waste. EU Regulation 2025/40 came into force on 11 February 2025 and, in principle, is to apply from 12 August 2026.

For businesses in Katowice, Gliwice, Tychy, Bielsko-Biała, Częstochowa, Sosnowiec, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Zabrze, Chorzów, Rybnik, Żory or Jastrzębie-Zdrój, the key question is: does the company have control over the industrial, technical, transport and bulk packaging that passes through its processes every day?

Silesia and PPWR: here, packaging is part of the production process, not an add-on to the product

The Silesian Voivodeship is often associated with industry, but the region’s modern profile extends beyond traditional heavy industry. The province’s official website highlights, amongst other things, the engineering industry, the manufacture of industrial equipment, business services, logistics and research and development facilities in cities such as Katowice and Gliwice. For years, the region’s communications have also emphasised the importance of the modern automotive industry.

This is important for PPWR because industrial companies use packaging in a different way to a typical online shop or catering establishment.

At the production plant, packaging may be:

part of the component supply,
protecting metal parts,
a container for plastic components,
a pallet for the finished product,
a transport crate,
a returnable container,
a process spacer,
protective film,
with tape, a label or a batch mark,
packaging for industrial chemicals,
the material required by the contractor,
waste generated when raw materials are unpacked.

The PPWR requires companies to view packaging as part of their environmental compliance system.

It is not enough to know that „packaging is treated as waste”. You need to know which packaging enters the company, which is used in the process, which is returned to circulation, which goes to the customer, and which becomes waste in the warehouse or on the production line.

Challenges faced by businesses in relation to the PPWR in an industrial region

The PPWR replaces the existing directive on packaging and packaging waste. The European Commission states that the new regulation will apply to all packaging and packaging waste, although less stringent rules are provided for micro-enterprises.

In the Silesian Voivodeship, the biggest challenge is not only the volume of packaging, but also its industrial function. Many packaging materials do not look like traditional consumer packaging, yet they may still be relevant to environmental obligations.

Challenge 1: Reusable containers, crates and packaging

Automotive, metalworking, engineering and plastics companies often use returnable containers, crates, baskets, specialised pallets, dividers, containers and packaging that circulate between sites. Such solutions can be beneficial from an operational perspective, but they require effective control.

A company should know which packaging items are single-use, which are reusable, which are the customer’s property, which belong to the supplier, which are damaged, and which become waste.

The responsibility for returnable packaging does not cease simply because it re-enters the cycle.

The PPWR audit should examine how the company documents this process and whether the data is clear to the procurement, logistics and production departments, as well as to the person responsible for environmental protection.

Challenge 2: packaging for industrial materials

Production facilities receive raw materials, semi-finished products, parts, lubricants, industrial chemicals, plastics, metal components, electronic components and auxiliary materials. Each of these streams may generate packaging waste.

In practice, these might include:

bags of granules,
barrels and jerry cans,
cardboard boxes that components came in,
plastic film left over from deliveries,
multi-layer packaging,
empty chemical containers,
pallets,
buckets,
spacers,
anti-corrosion protection,
spare parts packaging.

These packages often do not reach the end customer. They remain at the plant as waste or as material for reuse.

PPWR must also be analysed from the supply side, not just from the sales side.

Challenge 3: the requirements of large consumers and end manufacturers

Companies from Silesia often act as subcontractors to larger firms. In the automotive, engineering, metalworking and technical sectors, the customer may specify the method of packaging, labelling, securing, palletising or delivery.

A client’s requirement does not solve an environmental problem. It creates a need to document data.

If a contractor imposes packaging requirements, the company should be aware of how such a requirement affects packaging records, waste management, BDO, documentation and responsibility for material data.

Challenge 4: just-in-time deliveries and rapid packaging turnover

In companies operating in the automotive industry or in mass production, packaging can move quickly through the system. Containers, crates, pallets and protective packaging are all part of the supply cycle. If environmental documentation fails to keep pace with the actual flow of materials, a company may end up with formal records that do not accurately reflect the process.

Just-in-time deliveries require just-in-time data.

This does not mean reporting every minor change on a daily basis, but it does mean that a procedure is needed: who reports a change to the packaging, who verifies the data, who updates the documentation, and who is responsible for liaising with the supplier or customer.

Challenge 5: confusing production waste with packaging waste

In industrial plants, waste is generated in many different places. Some of it results from the production process, some from maintenance, some from unpacking materials, and some from the dispatch of finished products.

If a company does not separate these streams, it may have problems keeping accurate records.

An environmental audit should check not only whether waste is being collected, but also whether the company properly understands its source and its link to packaging.

Why is it worth commissioning an external specialist to carry out a PPWR analysis?

The PPWR consultancy firm in the Silesian Voivodeship should be able to engage with the industrial process, rather than merely reading through the documentation. In manufacturing companies, key information is often found not in the office, but on the shop floor, in the warehouse, at the goods-in area, in packing instructions, in customer requirements and in the practice of internal logistics.

Eko-Pro describes the PPWR audit as a comprehensive assessment of a company’s readiness to meet the requirements of the regulation, including, amongst other things, an assessment of packaging in terms of its design, composition, recyclability and compliance with environmental and legal requirements.

An external audit highlights the areas where the process „misses” documentation

In an industrial company, packaging changes for a number of reasons: a customer requires different protective packaging, a supplier changes the format, the warehouse uses a substitute, production changes the way batches are packed, and the logistics department adapts the palletisation for transport.

Each of these changes may be justified on operational grounds. The problem arises when nobody updates the environmental data.

The PPWR audit should check:

packaging instructions,
customer requirements,
data from suppliers,
the returnable packaging cycle,
waste from deliveries,
packaging used in production,
shipping packaging,
BDO and KPO,
the responsibilities of the departments,
the data update procedure.

Good PPWR advice is not about adding yet another ring binder. It is about integrating processes that already exist.

The specialist coordinates the relationship between procurement, production and the environment

In a manufacturing company, packaging data is scattered across various locations:

Purchases have supplier specifications,
the warehouse knows the actual consumption,
The production department knows what waste is generated when materials are unpacked,
Quality ensures that the customer’s requirements are met,
Logistics organises transport,
the administration keeps records,
The management board is responsible for business risk.

The PPWR requires this information to be linked.

If the company fails to assign responsibility, the issue will resurface every time there is a change of supplier, a client audit, an inspection, a new product range or a major contract.

Consultancy helps answer clients’ questions

Large customers are increasingly asking about environmental compliance, packaging composition, recyclability, material weights and record-keeping procedures. In B2B sectors, such a query may arise sooner than an administrative inspection.

A company that keeps its packaging data organised enhances its credibility within the supply chain.

This is particularly important for automotive subcontractors, metalworking firms, plastics component manufacturers, machining companies, chemical firms, industrial service providers and businesses working with EU clients.

PPWR consultancy in the Silesian Voivodeship and the specific characteristics of local businesses

Silesia requires a separate approach, as the local economy combines industry, logistics, B2B services, technology centres, component manufacturing, materials processing, construction and technical trade. PPWR’s advisory services for the Silesian Voivodeship should therefore analyse packaging as part of the industrial cycle.

Katowice: management of environmental services, documentation and decisions

In Katowice, many companies manage processes for larger organisations: manufacturing companies, B2B service providers, administrative centres, technical trade firms or corporate groups. An environmental audit in Katowice should verify whether administrative and documentation decisions correspond to the actual flow of packaging within plants, warehouses and branches.

If the office manages the documentation but the packaging is produced elsewhere, the data flow must be established.

Gliwice and Tychy: automotive, components and customer packaging

In companies linked to the automotive sector, returnable containers, dividers, crates, pallets, labels, component protection and packaging required by the customer are of particular importance. Some of the packaging may belong to the customer, some to the supplier, some to the company, and some may circulate in the supply chain.

The PPWR audit should identify which packaging items are only temporarily held by the company, which ones generate waste, and who holds data on their weight and material composition.

Bielsko-Biała, Żywiec and Czechowice-Dziedzice: manufacturing, processing and B2B supplies

In the southern part of the region, manufacturing, service and technical facilities play a significant role. Packaging may be found alongside components, auxiliary materials, finished products, pallets and deliveries to industrial customers.

The risk here is that packaging is sometimes treated as a logistics issue rather than an environmental compliance issue.

Częstochowa, Zawiercie and Myszków: metal, construction, technical materials

Companies working with metal, building materials, technical components or industrial manufacturing may require heavier, non-standard and protective packaging. Crates, dividers, straps, industrial films, pallets and transport protection measures should be included in the analysis.

Dąbrowa Górnicza, Sosnowiec, Ruda Śląska, Zabrze and Chorzów: factories, warehouses and waste left over from deliveries

In industrial companies, it is important to check what happens to packaging on the supply side. It is there that waste is often generated which is not visible to the sales department, but is significant for BDO and record-keeping purposes.

If the audit does not cover the receiving warehouse, it may overlook a significant aspect of the situation.

Seven situations in which a Silesian company should check its PPWR

1. The customer specifies the packaging standard

If the recipient requires a specific crate, container, divider, label or pallet, the company should assess how this standard affects environmental performance.

2. The company uses returnable containers

Reusable containers require monitoring of their circulation, damage, ownership, accounting and the point at which they become waste.

3. The warehouse uses alternative packaging

Replacing cardboard, film or protective material may alter the weight and material of the packaging. Unless the data is updated, the documentation will begin to diverge from actual practice.

4. The plant imports components or raw materials

Imported packaging may generate waste within the company. It is necessary to check whether it is recorded in the register and whether the data provided by suppliers is complete.

5. The company operates on a just-in-time basis

The rapid turnover of packaging requires simple reporting procedures. Otherwise, environmental data will lag behind production.

6. A new product range is launched

A new product may involve different packaging, a different box, a different pallet or different customer requirements. The PPWR should be checked before mass production begins.

7. The client asks about recyclability

If a customer asks about the contents of the packaging, the company should already have the information to hand, rather than having to start looking for it.

Eko-Pro: based in the Lubuskie Voivodeship, carrying out audits at companies in Silesia and across Poland

Eko-Pro is an experienced environmental consultancy firm. The company states that since 2015 it has been supporting businesses in meeting their environmental obligations on the Polish and EU markets, covering both registration and reporting services and strategic consultancy on products and packaging placed on the market.

Eko-Pro is based in the Lubuskie Voivodeship, but the company provides services throughout Poland. For businesses in Silesia, this means they can benefit from the support of specialists without being limited to the local market of contractors.

Distance is no obstacle to the provision of services.

The Eko-Pro team visits clients, carries out audits at company premises and analyses processes at the very locations where environmental obligations actually arise. This is particularly important for industrial companies, as some risks can only be identified on the production floor, in the warehouse, at the packing station or during goods receipt.

Eko-Pro’s nationwide experience offers added value to local businesses. A consultant who works with various sectors and organisational models is better placed to spot gaps in the BDO, errors in waste records, unclear circulation of returnable packaging, missing data from suppliers or the omission of transport packaging.

Companies in Silesia can make use of services such as PPWR audit, environmental audit, comprehensive environmental consultancy and environmental outsourcing.

Environmental audit in Katowice: from the production hall, through the warehouse, to BDO

An environmental audit in Katowice should be a practical tool for companies wishing to check whether their environmental documentation keeps pace with production and logistics. In an industrial region, an audit cannot be limited to analysing files; it should examine the actual flow of materials.

What should a pre-PPWR audit cover?

In an industrial or B2B company, it is worth checking:

unit, bulk and transport packaging,
returnable containers and reusable packaging,
packaging for raw materials, components and industrial chemicals,
film, dividers, crates, pallets and protective packaging,
packaging instructions required by customers,
data on weights and materials,
data sources from suppliers,
BDO, KPO and waste records,
waste from deliveries and production,
procedures for changing packaging,
responsibility for purchasing, warehousing, quality, logistics and administration.

An environmental audit should answer the question of whether the company has a system in place, rather than just documents.

The audit should focus on the places where waste is generated

In an industrial company, a great deal of information is located outside the office. You need to check the goods-in warehouse, the raw materials unpacking stations, the finished goods packing area, the pallet storage area, the waste area, the KPO documents and the way in which staff report changes to packaging.

If the audit fails to identify a process, it may fail to detect the most significant risks.

The outcome should be tools for implementation

Following the audit, the company should receive practical recommendations, such as:

register of industrial packaging,
a list of missing data from suppliers,
a map of returnable packaging,
the procedure for changing the packaging,
the division of responsibilities between departments,
the BDO risk register,
guidance on procurement and logistics,
a decision on whether permanent outsourcing of environmental protection is required.

Environmental outsourcing in the Silesian Voivodeship: when does industry need ongoing support?

Outsourcing environmental management in the Silesian Voivodeship is particularly useful for companies that have repetitive responsibilities, multiple waste streams, several operational departments and frequent changes to their processes. In a production facility, environmental documentation cannot be updated just once a year if packaging and suppliers change more frequently.

When does outsourcing make the most sense?

It is worth considering a long-term service contract if the company:

is led by BDO,
generates industrial and packaging waste,
uses transport packaging,
uses returnable containers,
works with large B2B clients,
imports raw materials or components,
operates in the automotive, metallurgy, plastics, chemical or machinery manufacturing sectors,
changes suppliers frequently,
has packaging requirements imposed by the customer,
there is no in-house environmental specialist,
wants to prepare for the PPWR without overburdening the quality or administration departments.

Environmental outsourcing is not just about keeping records. With PPWR, it can serve as a permanent mechanism for monitoring changes to processes.

A permanent adviser is helping to merge PPWR with BDO

In an industrial company such as PPWR, BDO or KPO, waste records and supplier documentation should be analysed together. If any of these areas is managed separately, inconsistencies can easily arise.

Regular support can help with:

updating packaging data,
verification of suppliers’ specifications,
inspection of waste records,
preparing reports,
assessing changes to the packaging instructions,
in replies to questions from business partners,
preparing the company for a client audit,
identifying environmental risks prior to the implementation of a new process.

Silesian PPWR checklist for industrial companies

Are returnable containers labelled?

Find out which containers, crates, pallets and skips are reused, who owns them and when they become waste.

Are the delivery packaging materials at BDO?

Check the sacks, plastic film, cardboard boxes, barrels, jerry cans and containers that held raw materials and components.

Do the packaging instructions include environmental information?

The customer’s quality requirements should be linked to information on the weight, material and method of recording the packaging.

Does the warehouse report changes to packaging?

If staff use substitutes, alternative protective measures or different boxes, the documentation should reflect this.

Can contractors receive the data without delay?

The company should have information on packaging readily available, rather than having to compile it only after a customer has asked.

Frequently asked questions

Does the PPWR apply to industrial companies in the Silesian Voivodeship?

Yes, if a company markets products in packaging, uses transport packaging, utilises returnable containers, imports components, dispatches goods to customers or generates packaging waste. The PPWR may apply to both large facilities and B2B sub-suppliers.

Can an environmental audit in Katowice cover a site outside Katowice?

Yes. An audit may cover an office, a production facility, a warehouse, a logistics centre or several of the company’s sites. In the context of the PPWR, the most important factor is the location where packaging and waste actually arise.

Does Eko-Pro provide services to companies in Silesia, despite being based in the Lubusz Voivodeship?

Yes. Eko-Pro is based in the Lubuskie Voivodeship, but operates throughout Poland. The team travels to clients, carries out audits at company premises and supports businesses regardless of their location.

Does the PPWR apply to reusable packaging?

Yes, reusable packaging should also be analysed. It is necessary to determine its function, circulation, ownership, method of documentation, the point at which it becomes damaged, and the circumstances under which it becomes waste.

When is it worth opting for environmental outsourcing?

Outsourcing is worth considering if a company carries out BDO, generates waste, uses many different types of packaging, works with large customers, frequently changes suppliers, or does not have its own environmental specialist.

Does the PPWR consultancy firm in the Silesian Voivodeship have to have an office in Katowice?

No. What matters more is experience, the ability to carry out audits at the client’s premises, knowledge of environmental obligations, and the ability to translate the PPWR into a practical industrial process. Eko-Pro operates nationwide, which is why it can serve companies in Silesia despite being based in Zielona Góra.

Please contact Eko-Pro

If you run a business in the Silesian Voivodeship and wish to check whether your industrial, transport and returnable packaging, BDO packaging and environmental documentation are ready for the PPWR, please contact Eko-Pro. Our team can carry out an audit at your company’s premises, check the flow of packaging on the production floor and in the warehouse, and recommend practical measures to be implemented.

Eko-Pro serves clients throughout Poland. Distance is no obstacle — our advisers visit companies, analyse processes on site and support business owners with PPWR audits, environmental protection, BDO and environmental outsourcing.

Visit the website Contact Eko-Pro and check whether your company has control over packaging before PPWR becomes a production, logistics or contractual issue.