This domestic bill relates to the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which comes into effect next month.

While multi-use dishes have long been standard in restaurants and cafés in Estonia, cinemas and fast-food outlets still predominantly use disposable packaging for food and drinks consumed on the premises. This, critics say, generates large amounts of waste on a daily basis, and the bill aims to address this.

Under the terms of the bill, customers would still be able to choose disposable packaging for orders such as takeaway, but businesses would also have to offer a reusable option that must not exceed the cost of single-use packaging.

Dagny Repp, the ministry's head of packaging policy, said durable, washable containers and cups need not be made out of porcelain, for instance.

"In the longer term, this could also help businesses reduce costs, because the same containers are used repeatedly, reducing the need to constantly buy new disposable packaging," Repp said. Waste collection and producer responsibility costs would also fall, Repp said.

Repp said washing reusable dishes on site is generally the cheapest option, businesses would be free to choose their own reusable tableware and washing systems, and customers could receive a deposit refund when returning containers to the business.

Maria Tiidus, head of brand and customer experience at Alexela, which operates filling stations in Estonia, said the company has offered discounted hot drinks in reusable cups since 2020 and has introduced additional incentives and cup designs to encourage customers to use them.

Tiidus said 15 percent of customers currently use reusable cups, with Alexela aiming to raise that to 20 percent , adding that common rules would create a level playing field, encourage investment in reuse systems and prevent environmentally conscious companies from bearing those costs alone.

Tiidus said Alexela currently covers the cost of renting and washing reusable cups, but a financially sustainable model will be needed, adding that the commercial and environmental benefits depend on how often cups are reused and returned.

Tiidus said trials showed a single-company closed system is insufficient and customers need a simple return system.

Apollo Kino CEO Kadri Ärm said the company supports the regulation and is exploring reusable container options, though cost implications remain unclear.

The ministry consulted various food service businesses in drafting the bill.

Külli Kraner, CEO of the Estonian Hotel and Restaurant Association, said larger businesses and those with Green Key certification are largely ready for the change, as they have already moved away from disposable small packages. However, smaller businesses still face challenges, including "the capacity to wash and store reusable tableware," as well as "the logistics and hygiene requirements" and investment costs involved in reusable takeaway systems.

The draft law would also restrict Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or "forever chemicals," in food-contact packaging; these chemicals make packaging water-, grease- and dirt-resistant but break down slowly and have been linked to health risks.

Starting August 12, 2026, the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will ban per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food-contact packaging., though existing stocks may still be used.

The state says it is aiding businesses in switching to reusable packaging through the Environmental Investment Center (Keskkonnainvesteeringute keskus). Funding can be used to purchase packaging and oversee its return and other logistics.

The Ministry of Climate has submitted the bill for its consultation rounds, giving all stakeholders until Aug. 17 to provide feedback. The bill would need to pass a Riigikogu vote to enter into law.

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