Resource consumption is essential to our existence. Global population and economic growth are increasing the pressure on natural resources such as raw materials, land and biodiversity. The German Environment Agency pursues the key aim to reduce resource consumption and the associated environmental impact overall and along the entire value-adding chain. The avoidance of waste and the use of residual and waste materials as secondary raw materials and the energy recovery of waste can also make a meaningful contribution to resource conservation, as can resource-efficient production processes, products and utilisation concepts.
The German GreenTech sector is growing significantly faster than traditional industrial sectors, is strongly integrated into global trade, and is a driver of innovation in many areas.
Since 2024, manufacturers of certain single-use plastic products have been required to bear certain costs for waste disposal and the cleanup of public spaces. Such efforts were previously funded by the general public. The costs for manufacturers are calculated based on the quantity of their products placed on the market annually.
Der Trend ist positiv. Insgesamt wurden von den dualen Systemen 2023 im Vergleich zum Vorjahr mehr Verpackungen recycelt. Das gaben das Umweltbundesamt (UBA) und die Zentrale Stelle Verpackungsregister (ZSVR) am 21. Januar 2025 auf einer gemeinsamen Pressekonferenz bekannt. Die strikte Mülltrennung ist die zentrale Voraussetzung, um das Recycling weiter auszubauen.
Since 2024, manufacturers of single-use plastic products such as cigarette filters, drinks cups and film packaging have had to contribute to the costs of waste disposal in parks and streets. This involves companies paying an annual levy into a fund managed by the German Environment Agency.
Consumption of packaging in Germany fell by 675,000 tonnes to 19 million tonnes in 2022. This corresponds to a decrease of 3.4 per cent compared to the previous year.
The Single-Use Plastic Fund Act obliges manufacturers, from 2024, to bear the costs of single-use plastic products collected as waste in streets or parks. While the digital platform DIVID, set up by the UBA, was initially only available for the registration of manufacturers in Germany, eligible parties and foreign manufacturers have also been able to register there since 1 August 2024.
Leisure activities are important for our well-being and quality of life. We meet friends, pursue our hobbies or go travelling. These activities are linked to the use of natural resources. This project analyses the consumption of raw materials and greenhouse gases and develops a framework for action for a resource-efficient and climate-friendly leisure sector.
On May 14, 2024 at the IFAT trade fair in Munich, Bettina Hoffmann, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry, honoured several local authorities for their commitment to better organic waste collection.
The Single-Use Plastics Fund Act, passed on 15 May 2023, obliges manufacturers to bear the costs for the collection of their single-use plastic products when discarded as waste in streets or parks from 2024. The German Environment Agency is setting up the digital platform DIVID to manage and process the levies that companies must pay into the Single-Use Plastic Fund.
NonHazCity 3 is a European project under the framework of the EU Interreg Program for the Baltic Sea Region. The project aims to reduce hazardous substances in the construction sector and to support circular construction. A NonHazCity Building Award will be given to celebrate the most effective laws and policies for non-hazardous buildings – nominations are welcome! Deadline is the 15th June 2024.
Immer mehr Verpackungen sind hochgradig recyclingfähig, die gesetzlichen Recyclingziele werden von den dualen Systemen überwiegend erreicht. Im Jahr 2022 kam es aber auch zu gravierenden Verfehlungen der gesetzlichen Quotenvorgaben. Was es noch braucht, welche Herausforderungen bestehen und wie diese zu meistern sind, haben die ZSVR und das UBA auf einer Pressekonferenz in Berlin erläutert.
All products that have a plug, a battery or a cable are usually electrical appliances and must be disposed of separately at the end of their life so that they can be recycled in an environmentally sound and high-quality manner. And because this is not always clear, the motto of this year's “E-Waste Day” points this out.
