German recycling rates boosted by recyclable-by-design packaging as authorities say “no more excuses”

24 Nov 2021 --- Germany’s recycling rates increased by 8.4% in 2020, according to the country’s Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR). 

Through recycling-friendly packaging design, Germany has made “considerable progress” toward a circular economy and away from single-use packaging. Consequently, ZSVR maintains producers can “no longer make excuses for making packaging environmentally unsustainable.”

“If a tricky-to-recycle material composite only looks ‘eco’ because it’s brown, it is a dead-end when it comes to the circular economy,” says ZSVR chairperson Gunda Rachut.

ZSVR tells PackagingInsights there are three criteria for enhancing recycling rates. Firstly, companies must consider recyclability in their packaging design. Secondly, final consumers should correctly dispose of empty packaging post-use. Thirdly, waste collection system operators must meet recycling quotas.

According to ZSVR, the recycling rates in Germany for 2020 are as follows*:

• Paper, paperboard, cardboard (90.6%)
• Glass (82.4%)
• Plastics total (104.0%) of which 60.6% mechanically recycled
• Aluminum (107.0%)
• Ferrous metals (93.0%)
• Beverage packaging (76.0%)
• Other composite packaging (62.6%)

German Packaging Act explained
ZSVR partners annually with the German Environment Agency to create a minimum standard for determining the recyclability of packaging.

This year’s amendment to the German “Verpackungsgesetz” (Packaging Act) has significantly enlarged producer responsibility and identified weaknesses. The legislation was initially enacted in 2019 to foster transparency practices and enhance packaging recycling.German recycling quotas (Credit: ZSVR).

The current amended version also includes producer responsibility outside Germany, requiring markets to share commitments in more detail. By July 2022, the Packaging Act plans to ensure all packaging is registered at the packaging register LUCID, and producer responsibility enhanced. 

Recycling volumes and product protection
The agency highlights “there is a wide range of fully recyclable packaging that does not compromise on product protection.” 

Avoiding this compromise is critical, as 45% of German consumers are not willing to compromise on product protection to reduce plastic packaging, according to Innova Market Insights. This figure is just above the global average (44%).

On the recyclable-by-design quest, monomaterial packaging offers “the highest recyclability rates,” the ZSVR confirms. 

Packaging Act’s progress
Rachut emphasizes how the amended release of the Packaging Act 2021 improved Germany’s circular economy. 

“The goal is to keep the material used for production in a closed substance cycle, so new material – ideally new packaging – can be created from a product or packaging after recovery or recycling,” says ZSVR.

Moreover, registration numbers have increased significantly in 2021, particularly from China. The extended obligations are mainly directed toward identifying weaknesses, which are “international producers, marketplaces and free riders,” says Rachut. 

Increased producer responsibility in 2022
Starting July 2022, new measures will enter into force. These measures include a complete registration for all types of packaging and responsibility for marketplaces and fulfillment service providers. 

“These changes make it clear no one is allowed to place packaged goods on the German market if they are not registered. Marketplaces have to ensure that for their sellers,” adds Rachut.German recycling rates by material in 2020* (Credit: ZSVR).

She explains the agency is now working toward the implementation of the amended act, “so producers can demonstrate they are taking their responsibility seriously with as little bureaucracy as possible.” 

The next task on the agenda is to support and extend the progress made under the packaging directive. This step entails the inclusion of new packaging developments into the “minimum standard assessment.” 

Finally, Rachut says the annual revision has shown to be effective in capturing innovation. “The direction is positive. The Packaging Act has incentivized the developments that were needed. There is no longer any excuse for not making [recyclable] packaging.”

*ZSVR explains: The recycling quotas for the different materials, defined in the Verpackungsgesetz (Packaging Act), refers to packaging subject to system participation requirements. The obligation of the producers is to report the amount of yearly packaging to the system operators and ZSVR. Furthermore, the obliged companies have to pay for it by system participation. But still, the systems collect, sort and recycle more packaging than is paid by system participation because some producers fail to fulfill their duty to pay for their packaging placed on the German market, leading to a calculated theoretical above the 100% quota.

By Natalie Schwertheim

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