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Overview

A component is a single packaging material and carries the data that matters for Art. 5. It is reusable: the same component can be part of several packaging units. You manage components under sidebar → Components (/packaging/components); create a new one via New component — in the catalogue, from a unit’s bill of materials, or via import.

The component form with master data and sustainability data

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”Master data” section

The labels above are the choices in the form. For the import you put the code in parentheses into the file instead (e.g. paper_board); the full value list for every coded column is on the import page.

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”Sustainability data” section

This section provides the evidence the technical documentation per Annex VII needs. It is split into Required for 2026 (Art. 5) and Optional / supplementary.

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Required for 2026 (Art. 5)

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Heavy metals

  • Heavy metals (mg/kg) — the sum of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium. Art. 5 limits it to 100 mg/kg for all packaging. The field gives instant feedback:
    • ✓ Within limit (≤ 100 mg/kg)
    • ⚠ Exceeds limit (> 100 mg/kg)
  • Basis of claim — how the value is evidenced: test report or supplier declaration (also valid from suppliers outside the EU). With “test report”, the report must be uploaded as a file on the supplier collection flow.
  • Measurement standard/method (heavy metals) — the applied standard/method (e.g. CEN/CR 13695-1), appears in Annex VII point (d).
The limit binds the packaging unit as a whole — including the associated inks, varnishes, glues and adhesives placed on the market by the manufacturer (Commission FAQ III.17 on the Art. 5 substance restrictions). So capture those parts too where they belong to the unit.
Recycled-glass derogation — talk to us. Commission Decision 2001/171/EC continues to apply: exceeding 100 ppm is lawful where the exceedance is due to the addition of recycled glass; intentional introduction of lead, cadmium, mercury or hexavalent chromium remains prohibited (FAQ III.14). Polygon One today flags every value above 100 mg/kg as an exceedance and allows no derogation — capturing a derogation attestation is in preparation. Until then, please get in touch with us.

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Product contact and PFAS

Two switches control the PFAS block:
  • Contact-sensitive
  • Food-contact — unlocks the PFAS fields (food contact implies “contact-sensitive”). Disabling the switch discards the PFAS entries again.
With Food-contact enabled, the following appear:

The PFAS fields unlocked when food contact is enabled

How to read the PFAS values:
  • The limits apply equally to intentionally added and unintentionally present PFAS — Art. 5(5) does not distinguish between them (Commission FAQ III.16).
  • A CAS list of the PFAS concerned will not be published; the limits apply to all substances falling under the PPWR definition (FAQ III.18).
  • A harmonised testing methodology is still being developed — the Commission is working with the market surveillance authorities and the EURL for food contact materials on a harmonised testing protocol (FAQ III.19).

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Optional / supplementary

These fields are not required for 2026; they support the risk analysis and later obligations and never block completeness.
  • Mass (g) — the basis for the material breakdown per Annex VII and for packaging minimisation (Art. 10, from 2030).
  • Recycled content (%) — post-consumer recyclate for plastic parts. A value above 0% requires a source (post-consumer/PCR or post-industrial/PIR) and a method (physical or mass balance). For plastic, the field shows an informational target comparison.
  • Notes and, optionally, a technical drawing (Annex VII point (b)).

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Which target applies

There is no single quota. The minimum under Art. 7(1) follows from two steps — first contact sensitivity, then polymer (Commission FAQ V.5): Plus the boundary conditions:
  • Scope: the targets apply to the plastic parts of sales, grouped and transport packaging (FAQ V.5).
  • Single-use beverage bottles: the 10% target under point (b) does not cover single-use plastic beverage bottles — point (c) applies to them (FAQ V.5).
  • De-minimis: plastic parts representing less than 5% of the total weight of the packaging unit are exempt (Art. 7(5)(b); FAQ V.7). The exemption applies to plastic parts only — a metallic closure is out of scope anyway.
  • Not deemed plastic: adhesives, paints and inks — regardless of their share of the weight (FAQ V.3).
  • Calculation: as an average per manufacturing plant and year, for each packaging type and format (FAQ V.2).
  • Deadline: 1 January 2030 or three years after entry into force of the implementing act under Art. 7(8) — whichever is later (FAQ V.6).
The recycled-content hint is purely informational. The minimum quotas under Art. 7 bind from 2030 at the earliest (see the deadline above); Polygon One captures the data and shows the target comparison but makes no verdict.

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Data completeness

A component’s Data completeness badge is Complete exactly when the heavy-metal value is present and — for food contact — a PFAS attestation (a confirmation or a total-fluorine measurement). Partly filled → In progress, nothing filled → Incomplete. Recycled content and mass deliberately do not count.
When an Art. 5 substance is claimed (a value entered), both the basis of claim and the measurement standard/method become required. The form blocks saving until a substantiated basis is provided.

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Reuse across units

On a component’s detail page, the Packaging units tab shows all units the component is part of — each with the linked quantity. Because the data lives centrally on the component, a change takes effect for all linked units.

Back to the data model

How components, units and articles relate.