The 94/62/EC Packaging Waste Directive's heavy metals concentration limits set for reducing the environmental impact of packaging, as well as several national notifications aimed at banning the use of heavy metals, are one of the glass industry's primary concerns. In this paper the author explains the possible outcome of the full implementation of this Directive to the glass industry & the research efforts programmed to develop qualitative heavy metal-free enamels for packaging requiring severe storage conditions, for multi-trip bottles as well as for decorated tableware sold by the vendor as food containers & then used by consumers as tableware. At present, as metal-free enamels do not meet the technical standards asked for by the Directive, glass producers have requested that the Commission postpone the heavy metals requirement of the Directive by three years.
