New German packaging law sets higher recycling targets

03 July 2017

In May 2017 the German Bundesrat approved the new Packaging Act (Verpackungsgesetz). This decision brings to a provisional end the long years of debates centered around how to organize a statutory framework for collecting, sorting and recovering sales packaging waste.
The act will come into force on 1 January 2019 and provides for significantly higher recycling and recovery rates. It includes the requirement to give preferred pricing in the dual systems to packaging which is easier to recycle. In addition, the act requires the establishment of a Central Agency tasked with ensuring fair competition between the dual systems (News Item Der Grüne Punkt, 12 May 2017).
Click here for the news item.
Click here for the Packaging Act (in German, 1.03 MB).
With NVC MERGE (Members-only Environmental Regulations Guide) you can keep up-to-date with the environmental requirements for your packaging. MERGE is exclusively for NVC members and there are no costs involved.
Click here for more information about the NVC Project PUMA: the end of packaging as an environmental issue. You are welcome to join us for the next project meeting on 4 April 2018.
Click here for more information about the NVC Inspiration meeting on the effectiveness of the Dutch policy on packaging and the environment (5 September 2017).

This news item is also included in our monthly overview, the NVC Members-only Update. If you have any questions, please contact us: info@nvc.nl, +31-(0)182-512411.