German Packaging Ordinance Still Haunts Industry

March 3, 1998 -- German consumers used nearly 11% less packaging in 1995 than 1991, while disposable packaging use in the U.S. increased about 13% during the same period, according to an updated report "Getting Green Dotted: The German Recycling Law Explained in Plain English" published this month by Raymond Communications, Inc. Riverdale MD.

Critics say Germany, with its extreme "manufacturers' responsibility" system for package recycling, has not really succeeded in reducing use of packaging, even though it forces industry to pay about $2.3 billion in fees to ensure "take back" in a separate system, run by the Duales System Deutschland (DSD).

Publisher Michele Raymond does not totally agree with the critics.

"It is true Germany still has the most expensive and possibly inefficient package recycling system in the world, but to say that Germany has made no progress is not quite fair."

The figures, published in the updated Green Dot report, showed that packaging use continued to decline somewhat for most materials even after the German recession in 1992, so some of the decline could be attributed to incentives from the law. DSD charges about 91 cents a pound for plastics; 12 cents for paperboard sales packaging.

Raymond notes that in Germany, all types of packaging declined: tinplate lost 17%, paper lost 5.8%; aluminum lost 21% and plastic lost 4%. In the U.S., figures of potential packaging discards from Franklin Associates showed that all types of materials gained from 1991-1995 except steel. Packaging papers/board grew 15.7% and wood (mostly pallets) grew 34%.

The numbers do not necessarily mean all American packaging is heavier than Germany's -- it may just reflect the fact that Americans buy more packaged goods each year than Europeans, Raymond notes.

Also irritating to manufacturers is that the Germans are "advising" governments in Asia and Latin America on waste policy -- quietly promoting "producer responsibility." Coincidentally, Germany is one of the world's leaders in exports of environmental technologies, vying with the U.S. in an emerging $100 billion world market.

"Getting Green Dotted..." provides practical guidance for manufacturers and others concerned about "extended producer responsibility" policies, which are now on the books in about 28 countries worldwide.

The 53-page report covers:

• history
• labeling
• the refillables quota issue
• how fees are assessed
• transport packaging
• proposed amendments to the Ordinance
• the Kassel Tax
• effects on packaging consumption and packaging designs
• comparison of fees
• material flows
• DSD's influence globally
• answers to frequently-asked questions
• phone numbers of third party recycling organizations; Consulting resources
• Appendix has
• Full text of the German law -- 1998 Amended Version!!
• Directive on Packaging & Packaging Waste
• two papers presenting opposing views on the German system.

The report is available from Raymond Communications.  It is free when you subscribe to both Recycling Laws International and State Recycling Laws Update. For more information go to "Subscribe" button.