Packaging Cockpit FAQ

2.   Calculations (recyclability and streamlined life cycle assessment)

Evaluations are currently available for 25 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Hungary, Czech Republic and United Kingdom.

These are constantly being expanded.

There is currently no generally accepted guideline for assessing recyclability at European level. We have therefore developed our methodology with the FH Campus Vienna on a scientific basis, which is very analogous to the German Minimum Standard. The infrastructure (collection, sorting, recycling) is recorded for each country. Scientific findings and common guidelines are considered for the recycling criteria (RecyClass for plastic, 4evergreen for paper). In addition, national guidelines and laws are taken into account, especially if there is a nationally valid standard (e.g. German Minimum Standard), this is taken into account.

The streamlined life cycle assessment is aimed at the EU recommended PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) criteria for creating a life cycle assessment. The streamlined life cycle assessment is compliant with ISO standards 14040 and 14044. The CFF (Circular Footprint formula) is used for the calculation.

The majority of our LCA relies on secondary data from the Ecoinvent database (latest version 3.10) and accounts for over 90% of our data sets. In addition, some values and information from literature sources were included, such as transport distances and recycling rates. The sole use of a database ensures very precise comparability of our data.

In the Packaging Cockpit it is possible to analyse up to 10 packages at the same time in a comparison view. This compares both the recyclability and the results of the streamlined life cycle assessment.

The results can be trusted because the methodology used was developed on a scientific basis by the FH Campus Vienna. It is based on national infrastructure and considers both national and international laws and guidelines (e.g. current version of the PPWR (EU) 2025/40 and German Minimum Standard). The recyclability methodology and streamlined life cycle assessment were also certified by the Fraunhofer Institute. Moreover, we keep the tool up to date concerning EU and country regulations as well as concerning the waste management infrastructure in the distribution countries.

Yes, the tool is tested and certified by the Fraunhofer Institute for recyclability (conform with the German Minimum Standard) and streamlined life cycle assessment.

"Expert judgement necessary" in the evaluation means that there is no clear scientific result based on the input. In such a case, we recommend an expert assessment and the packaging component or packaging unit is for now considered non-recyclable.

End of life (EoL) refers to the impact of packaging during disposal and consists of recycling, thermal recovery (with energy recovery) and landfilling. End of life is calculated country-specifically.

End of life (EoL) and transportation are country specific. For Distribution, the same proxy value is assumed for all countries, which is why it is considered non-specific. Materials and Manufacturing is country specific regarding the country of manufacture, but identical for different countries of distribution, since the country of manufacture has been previously determined.

Cradle-to-grave calculations are characterized by the fact that they map the entire life cycle of a product. This includes the material, production, transportation, the use phase* and waste treatment (end of life).

Cradle-to-gate calculations end at the factory gate of production, i.e. with the finished packaging/product (transportation to the filler is not considered in cradle-to-gate in PACO).

*In the case of PACO, the use phase is not taken into account, as only minor environmental impacts are expected here and, in the case of comparisons, these are assumed to be approximately the same for all products involved.

End-of-life allocation: In a life cycle assessment, the effects of waste treatment in the case of recycling and thermal recovery (waste incineration) must be divided between the recycling process and the resulting secondary raw material (recyclate). For this reason, PACO uses the circular footprint formula recommended by the PEF and the EU Commission1.This allocates end-of-life environmental impacts to both parties based on demand and supply on the market. For this purpose, default values are assigned to various materials in the PEF. The end-of-life allocation applies to both cradle-to-grave and cradle-to-gate calculations, provided recyclate is used in the latter.

[1] European Commission (2021). Official Journal of the European Union - Recommendations on the use of the environmental footprint methods to measure and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organisations

It is not yet possible to calculate reusable packaging that takes transport and washing processes into account.

Our methodology is a scientifically developed methodology that takes country-specific circumstances into account. Due the current version of the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40), there will be only one valid methodology at EU level in the future and our methodology is already based on all points that are known about this EU methodology. Our experts also sit in the CEN working groups that are developing the criteria for the EU methodology. As soon as these are finalised, they are immediately incorporated into the tool. We therefore see no added value in offering other assessment schemes in the tool. There is a risk of obtaining confusing or contradictory results.

We have determined average distances both from each country and to each country, which are used for the calculations.

The 16 impact categories in the streamlined LCA are recommended by the PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) Guideline, which is supported by the EU.

If relevant specifications or laws change, we integrate these adjustments into the tool promptly. The updated information then applies to all future calculations following a communicated update.

At present, the residual emptiability is not taken into account. We adhere to the common Design-for-Recycling guidelines in the respective countries. However, we are considering taking this into account in the future.

The system cannot currently provide automatic optimisation suggestions. If required, separate consulting services can be purchased. For this, please contact office@packaging-cockpit.com.

The effects of colours depend on the respective recycling stream and the respective colour. This can lead to reduced recyclate quality (e.g. dark-coloured components in most plastic streams) or to materials that cannot be sorted (e.g. plastics coloured with carbon black, coloured opaque glass packaging).

Currently, transport from the country of production of a component to the country of distribution is considered. In addition, transports that are included in the existing data records are taken into account (e.g. raw material transport, recycling transport).

3.   System and data input

The system is currently available in German and English. In the future, more languages will be available.

The option ‘Other’ refers to materials and processes that currently cannot be recorded by the system. 'Other' is calculated with 0 impact on the LCA and treated as a non-recyclable material that requires 'expert judgement'. For more accurate results, we recommend using other available materials or processes as an approximation.

Our available materials are common materials used for packaging. We have a very high level of coverage for materials that are easily recyclable. We are continuously working on expanding our available materials and are open to suggestions. Until available, our experts recommend suitable substitute materials.

All fields marked with an * are mandatory.

The "Countries of Distribution" fields are also mandatory (the analyses are calculated for the selected countries).

At least 2 of 3 dimensions must be maintained for "Dimensions"à relevant for sorting.

In addition, at least one "Material Layer" must be specified for each component.

In the country of manufacturing, components are created from the material compositions. For example, a PET bottle is made there from PET granulate.

In the country of assembly, various components are assembled into a packaging unit. For example, lid and label is put on the bottle. Often, the filling goods are also inserted in the packaging there.

In the country of distribution, the packaging unit is launched for consumers. In this country, the packaging also accumulates as waste.

Yes, you can maintain materials, components and units separately and put them together like building blocks. Packaging units can in turn be combined into systems and systems can then be reassembled into other systems. In this way, transport or group packaging can be easily assembled and evaluated together, regardless of its complexity. Recyclability and LCA can be calculated for both units and systems.

The bottom film is entered as the main body and the top film as the closure. In addition, the “separability of the component” must be affirmed in order to obtain a separate consideration/evaluation.

It is not yet possible to enter specific printing processes. However, they can be added via the comment field. This functionality is planned for a future release version.

Extra PDFs can be uploaded for each component, each packaging unit and each packaging system in order to add this information.

No, components can be maintained separately and then added to packaging units, just like building blocks. In addition, components and packaging units can be copied in order to make minimal changes without having to repeat the entire entry (e.g. different types / sizes).

We recommend assuming 1-2% of the component weight for printing inks and 2-3% for adhesives.

In general, standard specifications from suppliers contain all necessary data which are relevant for the Packaging Cockpit. In individual cases, it may be necessary to re-weigh/re-measure or enquire with suppliers.

PO films must be correctly specified with their PE and PP components (example 10g PO film with 50:50 distribution = 5g PE, 5g PP). The detection layer must be the layer that is recognised in this film when an NIR detects it. In the future, it will be possible to enter PO itself as a material.

The total grammage of a component is the sum of the grammages of all individual layers. These grammages are either given in a specification or can be calculated by multiplying the density (g/mm3) by the layer thickness (mm). By specifying the total grammage and the individual grammages of each layer, the weight of the individual layers can be calculated by specifying the total weight of the component (in the calculator of the tool). This is a proportionate final calculation.

Specification management refers to the mapping of all data relating to a packaging in a data record. Most of the data (material, weight, production, origin, etc.) are defined directly via the fields provided. Extra information can be added via the PDF upload function or in the comment field.

There is a co-operation with GS1 Austria. The first step was to jointly formulate which data fields are required. Those fields are available at GS1 as well as in the Packaging Cockpit. In a future release, we plan the possibility to upload an Excel suitable for GS1 as well as potentially a direct data exchange option between GS1 and the Packaging Cockpit.

Additives can be maintained in the Packaging Cockpit and are a separate material function. However, their weight is not recorded, only their inclusion (the weight would get in the way of the recyclability calculation).

For blends there is currently no specific field available, but they can be entered in the comments field.

The quantity input is irrelevant for the recyclability analysis. In the LCA, the quantity can be scaled and set directly during the analysis (by number of units, volume, weight). In an LCA comparison of several packaging units, the quantity is also irrelevant, but the quantity input in a portfolio analysis is relevant for both the LCA and the recyclability.

Yes, on request and after consultation we can add customer-specific data fields into the entry mask for packaging systems, units and components of the Packaging Cockpit. The price for the creation of 10 customized data fields would be EUR 1.000,-.

4.   Interfaces, data transmission and data security

In the tool there is an excel template available for download, which can then, if filled correctly, be uploaded again in the tool, creating the correlated data sets. Nevertheless, the Packaging Cockpit itself is open to interfaces. In the course of an IT project, any system can be connected to the Packaging Cockpit and data can flow in one or both directions. In the future, a GS1 Excel upload will also be available (as soon as GS1 is finalised).

Yes, every organization along the supply chain receives its own free account in the basic version, in which data can be securely entered and recyclability can be calculated. As soon as two or more companies want to exchange data, they are made visible to each other. Each account has the power of attorney over its own data. Only those data fields are transmitted and visible to others for whom this has been actively determined. Data export profiles can be created for this purpose. With the tracking function, the recipient of the data has the option of determining whether he is informed about changes in the respective data set on the sender side and wants to adopt them.

The export list can be used to view and manage released data records. All exports are listed on the overview page. These are sorted by data record type (packaging system, unit, component and material composition) and the company to which the respective data records were exported.

The overview list shows the data records with ID and version. Here you can see what the release status is (see explanation below), whether tracking of the data record is permitted (see Tracking), when the data record was exported and with which export profile.

Possible status:

• Shared – has been exported but not imported yet
• Imported – has been imported by the receiving organisation
• Recalled – export has been cancelled, data has not been imported by the receiving organisation
• Import disabled - data has been imported by the receiving organisation, further import is disabled

Split data records can be recalled by clicking on the rubbish bin symbol. If data records have already been imported, a further import can be deactivated by clicking on the rubbish bin symbol.

Under ‘Actions’, tracking can be activated/deactivated by clicking on the tracking icon.

• On – data can be tracked, changes in the original dataset can be imported
• Off – data cannot be tracked, changes in the original dataset cannot be viewed or imported

Yes, in the download section you can download the Excel import template. If filled correctly with packaging data, it can be imported under Data Management into the Packaging Cockpit again. Consequently, the data sets will be created in the tool as packaging units. Each column of the excel sheet represents one data field in the Packaging Cockpit. Each row represents one packaging unit. Multiple rows and therefore packaging units can be uploaded at once. Compulsory to be filled are the columns “PU_BrandName” or “PU_ProductName” as well as “PU_ArticleNumber”.

You can create one main body, two closures, two decorations, two inlays and two packaging aids, each with up to seven material layers.

Abbreviations: PU=Packaging Unit, CL=Closure, DE=Decoration, IN=Inlay, PA=Packaging Aid, ML=Material Layer

In the Packaging Cockpit, you can create and export any number of customised reports in PDF format. The tool offers export options from short documents including only the most important specifications to 100-page documents including all detailed calculation results.

Yes, there are options to connect the Packaging Cockpit to external sources.

The data is stored on an encrypted server in Austria with state-of-the-art security technology. We are happy to provide certificates on request.

A data set is a packaging data set that is saved as a separate storage unit and can be retrieved and edited again. Data sets can be saved in each of the four data levels material composition, packaging components, units, and systems. E.g. a packaging unit entailing multiple components and composite materials, which only occur in that unit, is considered as one data set. However, if each component and composite materials are created and saved separately, each counts as one data set. A data set can also be deleted.

5.   Offers, utilisation, references and pricing

The pricing of the Packaging Cockpit is based on the selected service packages. Our free basic version with one user contains 1,000 data sets and includes the calculation of recyclability for all available EU countries. However, there are also free basic packages from our partners that include more features. For more information, please contact our support team (support@packaging-cockpit.com). Additional features, such as the life cycle assessment or calculation of license fees, can always be purchased as an upgrade.

You can purchase additional functions quickly and easily at any time in our webshop. In the first step, you select your desired product. After entering your contact and billing details, an order confirmation is automatically sent. Once your order has been received, you will receive an invoice by e-mail and your purchased functions will be activated. In addition to products such as additional sales countries or data sets, the life cycle assessment calculation or recyclability certificates, you can also take advantage of our consulting services. You can find all currently available products and services in our webshop. The webshop can be accessed directly from the Packaging Cockpit.

The Packaging Cockpit offers a wide range of possible uses. On the one hand, it can be used as a calculator if the main objective is calculation. On the other hand, there is the option of connecting it to existing IT systems. This can be done either through an IT project that integrates the existing interface or through our Managed Service offer. In the latter case, you can continue to work on your existing interface, send the packaging data to the Packaging Cockpit and receive the results on your user interface. An SAP plug-in is also available to use the Packaging Cockpit directly in SAP.

We serve a large number of clients in both the food and non-food sectors. Due to non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), we cannot disclose all clients. However, we can name the following customers: MAM Baby, Ennstalmilch, Aluflex Pack, Bofrost, Sonnentor, Neopac, Gourmet, pirlo, and FH Campus Wien. You can find more on this topic here: packaging-cockpit.com/clients/

A user refers to a person who has access to an account in the Packaging Cockpit. This user has full rights to all packaging in this account, can create and edit packaging and perform calculations and analyses.

Certificates can be purchased online in our webshop. The webshop can be accessed directly from the Packaging Cockpit. To do so, enter the desired country or countries in the order process.

A prerequisite for the recyclability certificate is the entry of packaging specifications in the Packaging Cockpit and the provision of physical packaging samples.

Please send three samples of the packaging by post to Circular Analytics TK GmbH; Attn: Charlotte Neumair; Canovagasse 7/1/14, A-1010 Vienna, Austria

We charge €350 per country for a certificate and €100 for each additional country.

The certificate is issued by the Packaging Cockpit partner Circular Analytics. You will receive this by email in 4 weeks from the delivery of the samples.

For the streamlined life cycle assessment, a third-party audit is generally recommended.

The printing of calculation results (e.g. recyclability and life cycle assessment) on packaging is not currently regulated by law. The current Version of the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40) also contains requirements for labeling, for which the implementation proposals are yet to be determined (secondary legislation). Only by then can we act as a software producer and certifier. The results of the Packaging Cockpit alone are not equivalent to a certificate. However, a certificate can be issued by Circular Analytics GmbH (see point 5.6).

6.   Support

There are three different forms of support:

• Software support                               120 € per hour
• Scientific support                              225 € per hour
• Consultancy projects                       1.800 € daily rate

The background data of the calculations in the Packaging Cockpit are updated once a year by our own staff and international partners. If there are significant national changes, they will be integrated as soon as possible. In general, the Packaging Cockpit is updated about every three months in terms of functional enhancements.

Users will be notified of this with each new release. We recommend doing the calculations again after each release.