The German Packaging Act – taking advantage of the new opportunities
The German Packaging Act presents opportunities: innovation, collaboration and eco-design as keys to success
When it enters into force on 1 January 2019, the German Packaging Act will bring about fundamental changes. Ideally, the Act would revolutionise the use of packaging waste and create a closed-loop economy for plastics that unquestionably marries environmental protection and resource conservation with cost-effectiveness. This can only be achieved if all participants in the value chain move in the same direction. The Act will bring huge challenges for the recycling industry, but also opportunities: considerably higher mechanical recycling rates, particularly for plastics, so that both the sorting technologies and the recycling infrastructures will be expanded on a large scale and in some cases even rethought. This will require major investment, which in turn will create jobs, boost the economy and increase the competitiveness of Germany as a centre for industry.
Interseroh has been investing in technologies and methods for recycling plastics from the “yellow bin” for years. Managed by scientists, the laboratory in Slovenia focuses on high-quality recycled plastic, which increasing numbers of manufacturers are using as an equivalent replacement for oil-based new material.
In addition, closed-cylce management of materials is going a long way to reducing greenhouse gases and is thus helping to achieve global climate targets. However, only standardised, recyclable packaging can be recycled efficiently, cost-effectively and comprehensively. Eco-design is a driving factor in this regard. Thanks to its operational and technical expertise, the recycling industry is able to support packaging producers and the packaging industry in implementing the requirements of the German Packaging Act efficiently. In collaboration with scientists, Interseroh is developing a process for determining the recyclability of packaging materials for purposes of optimisation.
This means that closed-cycle management, waste prevention and cost-effectiveness are not contradictory but actually provide the foundations for a successful future.
- Company & industry
- Interzero
About Interzero:
Interzero is one of the leading service providers in the field of closing product, material and logistics loops as well as innovation leader in plastics recycling with the largest sorting capacity in Europe. Under the guiding principle of “zero waste solutions”, the company supports over 50,000 customers throughout Europe in the responsible handling of recyclable materials, thus helping them to improve their own sustainability performance and conserve primary resources.
With about 2,000 employees, the company achieves a turnover of over one billion euros (2021). According to Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Interzero’s recycling activities could save one million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and more than 8.7 million tonnes of primary raw materials in 2022 alone. As a pioneer in the circular economy, Interzero is winner of the German Sustainability Award as well as the related special award in the “Resources” transformation field for 2024.
Further information can be found at www.interzero.com.