Recyclability of packaging - bifa and Interseroh welcome the new minimum standard of the Central Agency
Augsburg, September 2, 2020
- “Made for Recycling” analysis developed together enables reliable compliance
- Sustainable packaging design makes an important contribution to climate and resource protection
The environmental service provider Interseroh and bifa Umweltinstitut, one of the leading application-oriented research, development and consulting facilities in Germany, welcome the new legally binding minimum standard for the design of the recyclability of packaging according to paragraph 21 of the German Packaging Act (Verpackungsgesetz - VerpackG), which provides support for practical implementation of the requirements. The standard was published by the Central Agency Packaging Register Foundation (Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister - ZSVR) on Tuesday this week.
“The Central Agency’s minimum standard is very helpful in setting a uniform framework for all systems and placers on the market”, said Dr Siegfried Kreibe, deputy managing director of bifa Umweltinstitut GmbH. “We welcome the updating of this minimum standard, which takes into account new developments and knowledge. The methodology developed by us for Interseroh is also further developed continuously, taking into account the current minimum standards.”
“The objective of a circular economy, which handles the climate and resources carefully, can only be achieved together – the new minimum standard is an important orientation point for packaging manufacturers”, said Markus Müller-Drexel, managing director of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “And the setting up of a recycling fund under public-law in the Central Agency that is currently under discussion can provide useful incentives for increased use of recycled raw materials. With our “Made for Recycling” service we provide active support and advice for the necessary steps in the direction of a circular economy and at the same time we help our clients to comply with the legal requirements, now and in the future.”
According to paragraph 21 VerpackG, dual systems shall grant their customers advantages if they used recyclable packaging. Companies can easily find out how well packaging can be recycled using the scientific “Made for Recycling” assessment method jointly developed by Interseroh and bifa. In this way they not only meet the requirements of the VerpackG, but at the same time also score points with environmentally aware consumers.
About the “Made for Recycling” assessment method:
bifa and Interseroh have developed a three-step points system for assessing the recyclability of packaging. The first step determines whether the consumer can easily assign the packaging to the correct collection system. Then, in the second step, a check is made of how the packaging performs during sorting. Can the currently available sorting technologies sort the packaging into the correct material fraction – or do certain materials prevent clear allocation? The third step examines whether the packaging is suitable for material recovery or whether, for example, labels, closures or barriers make recycling difficult. Packaging barriers are usually used to protect the product from external influences and to ensure the product properties. They are used, for example, as UV or oxygen protection.
The more points the packaging achieves on a scale from 0 to 20, the easier and better it can be recycled. In addition, the “Made for Recycling” service fulfils the requirements of the relevant minimum standards for the design of packaging recyclability of the Central Agency Packaging Register Foundation (Stiftung Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister - ZSVR). The methodology was conclusively checked by the experts of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV.
About bifa Umweltinstitut:
With more than 1,500 completed projects, bifa is one of the leading application-oriented research, development and consulting facilities in Germany. bifa provides tailored, wide-ranging environmental research and sources covering every aspect of material flows, energy flows and processes.
For further information on bifa, visit www.bifa.de.
About Interseroh:
Alongside ALBA, Interseroh is one of the brands under the umbrella of the ALBA Group. The ALBA Group, with its two brands ALBA and Interseroh, is active in Germany and Europe as well as in Asia. In 2019, its business units produced a turnover of 2.0 billion euros and had around 8,800 employees in total. The ALBA Group is thus one of the leading recycling and environmental service providers, as well as raw material suppliers, worldwide. The recycling activities of the ALBA Group in 2018 alone saved 4.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and saved 31.9 million tonnes of primary raw materials.
For further information on Interseroh, visit www.interseroh.de
Media contact Interseroh
Susanne Jagenburg ( Presseprecherin ALBA Group)
Tel.: +49 30 35182 5080 oder +49 170 7977003
E-Mail: susanne.jagenburg@albagroup.de
