99.9% of Fedrigoni Special Fine portfolio certified as recyclable

An early milestone toward Fedrigoni Special Papers’ ESG 2030 goal of 100% recyclability.

Over the past year, Fedrigoni Special Papers carried out a comprehensive assessment of the recyclability of its entire specialty papers portfolio using the Aticelca method. The company adopted this independent, third-party certification scheme to provide a robust and transparent evaluation. This initiative is part of Rethink Eco Design and Circular Approach, the second pillar of Fedrigoni Special Papers’ ESG strategy, which focuses on transforming industrial practices through innovation in eco design and circular economy principles.

The assessment resulted in a certified recyclability rate of 99.9% across the tested portfolio as of 2026. Recyclability constitutes one of the measurable targets embedded within Fedrigoni Special Papers’ ESG 2030 framework, in which full portfolio circularity is defined as the long-term objective. Reaching a 99.9% certified recyclability rate marks a significant milestone on this journey, demonstrating both the effectiveness of the approach and the robustness of the independent certification methodology.

The method: no shortcuts

To establish a verification framework based on independent certification rather than self-declared claims, Fedrigoni Special Papers adopted the Aticelca 501 method, developed by Aticelca, the association that brings together technicians and experts working in the paper industry. Aticelca’s approach was selected as the most conservative and stringent methodology available, providing a rigorous basis for certification. Aticelca 501 is aligned with, and equivalent to, the CEPI methodology developed by the Confederation of European Paper Industries, an alignment expected to position Fedrigoni Special Papers favourably in the context of any future harmonisation of recyclability standards across the European Union.

The method is based on standardised laboratory testing that simulates the industrial paper recycling process, it assesses whether a paper product can be effectively recycled under real mill conditions, providing customers with an independent and recognised verification of recyclability.

The testing approach applied to Fedrigoni Special Papers’ portfolio was defined together with Assocarta and Aticelca through a collaborative process aimed at defining an approach that could be both rigorous and scalable, capable of covering a broad range of products without requiring years of sequential testing. The testing protocol was designed around a worst-case scenario approach, with the most technically challenging paper categories assessed first.

A dedicated focus was placed on Fedrigoni Special Papers’ plastic-to-paper solutions, engineered to replace plastic substrates in packaging applications – one of the portfolio’s most technically demanding categories, as a paper alternative must provide the same properties and barrier performance as the plastic solution it replaces. Their successful certification under the Aticelca method demonstrates that verified recyclability can be achieved even for these highly complex paper solutions.

Rethink Eco Design and Circular Approach

Paper is among the most widely recycled materials globally, and is considered one of the easiest to recycle, given that collection and recycling systems for paper are well established across most markets. Europe leads the way, with a recycling rate of approximately 75% followed by North America at about 68%.

Recyclability is nonetheless subject to material limitations. With each processing cycle, cellulose fibers undergo progressive shortening and loss of tensile strength, ultimately becoming unsuitable for further paper production. Virgin fiber sourced from responsibly managed forests therefore remains a structural requirement for sustaining the recycling loop. Given that each fiber has a limited number of processing cycles, ensuring optimal end-of-life recovery is central to how Fedrigoni Special Papers approaches circular design. Supplying the market with papers whose recyclability is demonstrated is Fedrigoni Special Papers’ most direct contribution to the circular economy.

Recyclability as a priority

On this basis, Fedrigoni Special Papers chose to prioritise recyclability over alternative end-of-life pathways, such as compostability and biodegradability, within its ESG 2030 framework. While these pathways are preferable to landfill, they do not allow the fiber to be recovered and reused. Recycling is the pathway capable of retaining this raw material within the production cycle and was accordingly selected as the primary metric for measurement and verification.

Biodegradability may nonetheless offer value in specific applications – food packaging being a notable example – where end-of-life requirements differ from those of the broader portfolio.

Anticipating what the market will require

These developments are consistent with anticipated regulatory requirements at the European level. Under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), all packaging placed on the EU market will need to be designed for recycling, with recyclability performance grades applying from 2030.

This initiative is a further step within Fedrigoni Special Papers’ #MakingProgress approach and directly supports Fedrigoni Special Papers’ ESG 2030 goal of designing 100% of products for optimal end-of-life recycling and recovery.