"Do the caps have to remain on the bottle?

New legislation regarding caps on plastic beverage bottles up to 3 liters will come into effect on July 3, 2024, SFS 2022:1274 §7. The new legislation stipulates that plastic caps must remain attached to the beverage bottle throughout the intended period of use, i.e., during consumption.

The following points are crucial aspects when designing caps that remain attached, affecting recyclability:

1. Length of the fastening device: The farther the cap hangs from the bottle, the greater the risk of interference in the recycling machine.
2. Use the same plastic (HDPE or PP) in the fastening device as in the cap; additional polymer types complicate sorting and material recycling.
3. The fastening device and bottle material should be separable after the bottle and cap have been ground into flakes, so avoid permanently attaching the fastening device to the bottle.

In the case of changes to existing items, we request that you submit packaging samples for updating packaging weights/appearance/attached cap information.

For more information on regulations for single-use plastic packaging, visit the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency's website:

Questions and answers about regulations for single-use plastic.