The Packaging Act: Setting the Stage for Success
The foundation of Germany’s EPR programme is the Packaging Act (Verpackungsgesetz), introduced in 1991 and most recently updated in 2019. This legislation assigns responsibility for the entire lifecycle of packaging to producers, who must:
- Register with the Central Packaging Register: This ensures all packaging waste is accounted for and facilitates monitoring of compliance.
- Join a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO): PROs are licensed by the government to operate collection and recycling schemes for various packaging materials. Germany boasts a competitive market with several PROs, fostering innovation and efficiency.
- The Green Dot (“Grüner Punkt“) System: Producers who comply with the EPR policy and contribute financially to a PRO can display the Green Dot symbol on their packaging. This signifies their participation in the recycling system and helps consumers identify responsibly packaged products.