ISO/TR 18607

ISO/DTR 18607
ISO/TC 122/SC 4/WG 9
Secretariat: SIS
Date: 2024-07-122025-06-24
Packaging and the environment — Guidebook for — Information
on environmentally conscious design of packaging based on the
standards on packaging and the environmentdesign

DTR stage
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ISO/DTR 18607:2024
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ISO/DTR 18607:2024
Contents
Foreword . v
Introduction . vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Basic packaging specification and design, and relationship with standards on
packaging and the environment . 1
5 Assessment flow and procedure of the standards on packaging and the environment
...................................................................................................................................................................... 3
5.1 General requirements of the standards on packaging and the environment . 3
5.2 Optimization of packaging system . 6
5.3 Reuse . 9
5.4 Material recycling .12
5.5 Energy recovery .14
5.6 Organic recycling .17
5.7 Assessment report of ISO 18601.20
Annex A (informative) Practical explanation of packaging system optimization .21
Annex B (informative) Case study of packaging system optimization - Case liquid detergent
container .27
Annex C (informative) Actual case study of optimization using the ISO 18602 checklist .36
Annex D (informative) Self-assessment case study of environmentally conscious packaging
design .45
Annex E (informative) Examples of assessment standards .65
Annex F (informative) Packaging system description .67
Bibliography .72

iv © ISO 2024 – All rights reserved

ISO/DTR 18607:2024
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO
collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documentsdocument should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance
with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawnISO draws attention to the possibility that some of the elementsimplementation of this
document may beinvolve the subjectuse of (a) patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence,
validity or applicability of any claimed patent rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of
this document, ISO had not received notice of (a) patent(s) which may be required to implement this
document. However, implementers are cautioned that this may not represent the latest information,
which may be obtained from the patent database available at www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held
responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the
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received (see ).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
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For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
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www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 122, Packaging, Subcommittee SC 4,
Packaging and the environment
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
ISO/DTR 18607:2024
Introduction
In 2013, six standards (, ISO 18601 to 18606), and two Technical Reports (technical reports, ISO/TR
16218 and ISO/TR 17098), were issued as international standardsISO deliverables on packaging and the
environment (hereinafter collectively referred to as the standards on packaging and the environment).
Thereafter, national standards corresponding to the six standards ISO 18601 to ISO 18606, which are the
main and important part of the deliverables, hereinafter collectively referred to as the standards on
packaging and the environment, were issued in some countries, while, in Europe, European standards
(EN for European Norm) whichStandards (EN) served as the basis for establishing the packaging and
environment standards. Under these circumstances, the standards on packaging and the environment
are expected to work as international standards to be used globally.
The environmentally conscious packaging design principles laid in the standards on packaging and the
environment require environmental consideration while ensuring the inherent packaging functions be
maintained. For example, if the packaging reduction principle were sought excessively, it will not be
possible to maintain the basic packaging function of protecting the packaged product. This would rather
result in more serious burden to be inflicted on the environment.
The aim of this document is to support stakeholders in pursuing their efforts for environmentally
conscious packaging design and manufacture of packaging based on the standards on packaging and the
environment, and increased understanding and promotion of such design principles. Specifically, with
ISO 18602, it will explain these factors clearly, using real examples. You can see the layout of this
document in Figure 1Figure 1.

vi © ISO 2024 – All rights reserved

ISO/DTR 18607:2024
ISO/DTR 18607:2024
Figure 1 — Main structure of this document

viii © ISO 2024 – All rights reserved

ISO/DTR 18607:(en)
Packaging and the environment—Guidebook for environmentally
conscious design packaging based on the standards on packaging and
the environment
1 Scope
This document outlines steps for designing environmentally conscious packaging based on the standards on
packaging and the environment. Based on ISO 18602, it provides essential tips on how to improve packaging
through reduction processes and includes practical examples to illustrate these points.
This document is applicable to all suppliers responsible for placing packaging or packaged goods on the
market.
NOTE 1 The scope of the standards on packaging and the environment, which this document is based on, do not
include the processes for packaging basic design, including material selection, although it is necessary to review basic
design specifications during designing and verification. These processes are the main factors of determining the
environmental impact of the packaging. Therefore, information on these processes is described in 4clause 4 of this
document.
NOTE 2 Unless otherwise noted, the referenced clauses, figures, tables, and Annexes numbers refer to this document.
ix
ISO/DTR 18607:2024:(en)
Packaging and the environment — Information on environmentally
conscious packaging design
1 Scope
This document gives information on environmentally conscious packaging design based on the standards on
packaging and the environment. It provides essential tips on how to improve packaging through reduction
processes and includes practical examples to illustrate these points.
This document is applicable to all suppliers responsible for placing packaging or packaged goods on the
market.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 18601, Packaging and the environment– — General requirements for the use of ISO standards in the field of
packaging and the environment
ISO 18602, Packaging and the environment– — Optimization of the packaging system
ISO 18603, Packaging and the environment– — Reuse
ISO 18604, Packaging and the environment– — Material recycling
ISO 18605, Packaging and the environment– — Energy recovery
ISO 18606, Packaging and the environment– — Organic recycling
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 21067-1, ISO 18601, ISO18602, ISO
18603, ISO 18604, ISO 18605, and ISO 18606 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
4 Basic packaging specification and design, and relationship with the standards on
packaging and the environment
The basic packaging specifications and design are determined through various evaluations during the
development phase, and the accuracy is improved by going back and re-examining the steps, if necessary, as
shown in Figure 2Figure 2. This cyclic approach of Plan-Do-Check-Actplan-do-check-act brushes up the basic
package specification and design to contribute to reducing the environmental impact of the packaging.
Key specifications, which include type of packaging, packaging materials, structure, size and dimension,
closure type and functions are decided in this development phase, when companies compete for originality
and their technologies. After the development phase is completed, the standards on packaging and the
ISO/DTR 18607:2024:(en)
environment are applied to conduct assessments for environmentally conscious packaging design. These
processes are shown in Figure 2Figure 2.

ISO/DTR 18607:2024:(en)
Figure 2 — Cyclic approach to brush up basic package specification and design
5 Assessment flow and procedure of the standards on packaging and the
environment
5.1 General requirements of the standards on packaging and the environment (ISO 18601)
5.1.1 General
ISO 18601 specifies requirements and procedures for the standards on packaging and the environment,
namelyof ISO 18602, ISO 18603, ISO 18604, ISO 18605 and ISO 18606.
5.1.2 Assessment procedure of ISO 18601
The procedure of ISO 18601 is given in Figure 3Figure 3 with some explanations.
...