FIPEC: Federation of Paints, Inks, Colours, Glues and Adhesives Industries, Wood Preservation

1. In a few words, can you tell us about your function and the activities of FIPEC?

 I am the General Representative of FIPEC, a federation which brings 5 associations together, representing 5 professions of varying economic size but all particularly present in the huge world of decorating and finishing touches. These are the professions of paint and coatings (represented by SIPEV), glues and mastics (AFICAM), inks (AFEI), colours for artists (AFCALE) and products for wood preservation (SPB). Hence, the fields of application are extremely wide (from industrial sectors to everyday consumer goods: paint for the automotive and aeronautical fields, for the building industry and private individuals, glues for packaging, inks for printing, etc.).

Clients are present in the whole economic activity, hence a lot of regulations to follow and anticipate, both at national and european level. The raw materials dimension is vital, adding standardisation and, of course, sustainable development in every sense (circular economy, waste management, etc.). My team (12 people, chemical engineers, and jurists, communication, and public business experts) is responsible for this preparation work monitoring and study and supporting adherents and representing them to the public authorities and some prescribers.

2. This year, FIPEC joined the CNE as an adherent of its 9^th college (other companies and other associations): could you explain why FIPEC is supporting the CNE and its works for the benefit of the Right Packaging?

Naturally, the products of our adherents are packed, for practical reasons of transportation and handling and for regulatory reasons (labelling…). Contrary to common preconception, many of them are not classified as dangerous, however companies are very aware of the critical issues of packaging recycling, both for economic and environmental reasons. The CNE’s work seemed relevant enough to join it.

3. In an evolving regulatory framework about packaging, what are the challenges for FIPEC, especially for materials related with packaging (inks, glues, etc.)?

The products of our sectors are part of the packaging: especially inks, enamels, and glues, and they allow the essential functions of packaging to be carried out (transmitting regulatory or safety information, protecting the packaging data or the packaging itself), but also its aesthetic or marketing functions.

Whatever the functions guaranteed, the products are developed according to the constraints related to the regulation of chemical products, also the demands of packaging producers. They will have variable constraints according to the material of the packaging, its conditions of use (for example, specific constraints for food contact or toys), but also desired functions.

The main current themes are:

– Restrictions on plastic packaging (are paper packagings/varnished cardboards plastic packagings?)

– ban on mineral oils on packaging

– more generally, the eco-design of surfaces aiming of not damaging the recycling of all packaging materials to which they are applied, while maintaining the technical qualities of the products. Sometimes, in the recycling process, it is necessary to be able to easily remove the label and the glue that fixes it to a packaging o recycle the packaging …the regulatory label of a transport packaging should remain well glued during the whole transport

Of course, the products of our areas are also packaged. Although they are in part sold to the public, they are not affected by all the issues of mass consumption products, for example, the obligation to sell in bulk. A major issue is to develop the recycling of packaging, and in fact its reuse (especially for plastic packaging), particularly in our dedicated REP area (REP DDS), which is the only REP sector about both the product placed on the market and its packaging

4. The CNE is attentive with its adherents, what are the topics that the CNE should research in its future working groups?

For us, the real challenge is the notion of the market entry of reused packaging. Although this obligation should not affect the DDS area, it would apply to all industrialists for EICs and will affect some products of our members meant for households (this is the case for creative hobbies glues or artist’s colours).