German minister awards Blue Angel eco-label to reusable cup system in light of PPWD

02 Feb 2023 --- German Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has awarded the Blue Angel eco-label to the “FairCup” reusable system, which offers reusable containers for food-to-go and complies with the European Commission’s (EC) Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD).

“The EC’s PPWD contains measures to prevent the production of packaging waste and promote the reuse, recycling and other forms of recovering of packaging waste, instead of its final disposal. Thus, the Blue Angel label, which defines high standards, is a strong instrument to enhance the achievement of the directive’s objectives,” a spokesperson at the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV) tells PackagingInsights. 

The Blue Angel eco-label was established in 1978 and aims to reduce the number of single-use containers and strengthen environmentally friendly reusable systems. 

The criteria include requirements for containers and their providers. Manufacturers cannot use materials for their cups or lids that are harmful to the environment or human health such as melamine resins or polycarbonate plastics. 

To avoid increasing the amount of waste, the cups must be able to be recycled mechanically. This means that plastic cups may only be made from “single-variety plastic” without being coated with other materials. Reusable cups with the Blue Angel must also be able to be washed at least 500 times without being damaged. 

The Blue Angel eco-label has been awarded to the “FairCup” reusable system. Environmental advantages 
Furthermore, a deposit must be charged on cups and lids for the Blue Angel. At the end of life, the cups and lids must be taken back and recycled. In addition, the reusable cup system providers must prove that their logistics concept contributes to the ecological optimization of transport routes and transport vehicles.

Environmental advantages of resource-saving reusable systems to go for F&B are avoiding waste and saving resources.

The ministry’s press release asserts that environmentally sustainable alternatives should not only be offered for coffee, tea or food. When shopping in general, reusable packaging should be used wherever possible. 

However, it is not only reusability that plays a role in certification with the eco-label. Thanks to the indication of the regional filling location, consumers can also see the length of the transport routes transparently. The advantages for the environment of ecological reusable bottles and glasses are the indication of the regional filling location and reusability. 

A European “pioneer”
In another development, the BMUV also announced that since the beginning of this year, restaurants, bistros and cafés that sell takeaway food and drinks are obliged to offer their products in reusable packaging. 

Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke says: “We need a real trend reversal in the use of packaging. The consumption of packaging has been rising steadily for years. The new obligation to offer reusable packaging can make a decisive contribution here.” 

Lemke continues by highlighting that through the new obligation, consumers can always choose reusable packaging to take away “so that we are strengthening the avoidance of waste in a consumer area with a particularly large amount of packaging waste. Germany is a pioneer in this in the EU.” 

The new reusable offer obligation from the Packaging Act must be observed by all “ultimate distributors” who place food packaging made of plastic and disposable beverage cups on the market, regardless of their material. 

The Blue Angel eco-label was established in 1978 and aims to reduce the number of single-use containers.Recent initiatives
To further comply with PPWD, the BMUV recently launched several initiatives. Besides reusable packaging options, there has also been a ban on products made of single-use plastic in 2021 and a ban on plastic bags in 2022.

However, the BMUV spokesperson asserts that since there are still no ecologically sensible alternatives for certain single-use plastic products, the labeling of products made from single-use plastic became mandatory in 2021. 

Since last year, a deposit on all disposable plastic beverage bottles is mandatory. A deposit on all beverage cans has been charged since. The amendment ended the previous exemptions for certain beverages in plastic bottles and cans. 

Furthermore, the German dual system’s recycling quotes increased last year. Since then, the packaging industry and trade must ensure that 90% of the packaging made of ferrous metals, aluminum, glass and paper, cardboard and cartons are recycled. The new minimum quota of 80% applies to beverage cartons and 63% to plastic.

“This means that considerably more recyclable materials must be recovered from the respective packaging, paper must be turned into new paper, and plastics must be turned into new plastic products,” notes the spokesperson.

“We also want to further develop the Packaging Act – as addressed in the coalition agreement – in such a way that even more effective and noticeable financial incentives are provided to manufacturers to develop recycling-friendly packaging.”

“EU law does not permit national bans on single-use packaging alone. At the European level, we will advocate concrete requirements for sustainable packaging design and a significant reduction in packaging consumption in the revision of the Packaging Directive,” they conclude. 

By Natalie Schwertheim