Background In 2009, the EU produced 3 264 422 tonnes of plastic sacks and bags – including cones – made from polymers, as much as 85% using ethylene. In Spain, where this project is based, some 13.5 billion commercial plastic bags are made every year. Production of these bags has a high environmental impact – the main issues being use of non-renewable materials in manufacture, the emission of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the printing process, and waste management of the bags after use. The common production method is to use polymers derived from petroleum, especially high density polyethylene (HDPE). The subsequent printing process typically involves flexography or gravure technology, both of which require solvent-based inks and varnishes. The industry recognises that in order to meet the challenges of a series of European Directives – including on waste (2008/98/EC), the limitation of emissions of volatile organic compounds due to the use of organic solvents (1999/13/EC) and industrial emissions (2010/75/EU) - a better understanding is needed of everything involved in the lifecycle of the bags, from production of raw materials, transport and printing, to end-of-life. Objectives The 'ECOFLEXOBAG' project aims to reduce the negative environmental impact of commercial bags during their entire lifecycle. Its main objective is to develop and demonstrate an innovative methodology that will help manufacturers – particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs) – to design and produce environmentally sustainable bags. Best practices for design and production will be identified and established together with systems for monitoring these processes. These identified best practices will be adapted to an on-line tool which will allow bag manufacturers to implement them in the most effective way. The project has the following specific objectives: To prevent or reduce current adverse environmental impacts from the generation and management of plastic bag waste; To reduce the overall impact of resource use and to improve the efficiency of such use; To prevent or reduce the direct and indirect effects of VOCs being emitted into the environment during the manufacturing process; To increase the eco-innovation of SMEs in line with the principles of the Environmental Compliance Assistance Programme for SMEs (ECAP) whilst taking account of their competitiveness; and To help SMEs to comply with EU policy on sustainable consumption and production. Expected results The development of an innovative methodology for the design and production of sustainable commercial bags is expected to deliver Environmental improvement in some 1 000 companies, currently responsible for producing a total of 850 000 tonnes/yr of plastic bags; Replacement of at least 50% of non-biodegradable bags for single use to reusable and/or biodegradable bags; Reduction of VOC emissions during the printing process to within legal requirements; Improvement of some 10% against five key performance indicators (KPIs): substrates consumption; ink and varnish consumption; number of printing forms; energy consumption; and water consumption; and Dissemination of the project's results to 25% of the commercial bag manufacturers in Europe.