Companies in the glass industry manufacture a wide variety of different glass products. Container glass products are subject to particularly strict environmental sustainability and recyclability requirements. Recyclability also plays an important role in the flat glass industry.
BV Glas accompanies political processes relating to relevant laws and regulations (e.g. on packaging), lifecycle assessments, filling and retail sector initiatives.
Since 1994 the European Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste (PPWD) defines the framework for handling packaging and its waste. The aim is to prevent or reduce the impact of waste on the environment and to ensure a functioning internal market.
Article 6 of the Directive sets recycling targets for the different packaging materials, which must be met by the Member States. The recycling target for glass packaging is 75 per cent. Since 2020, a new calculation method has applied at European level, which no longer bases the calculation of the recycling rate on the input quantity (equivalent to the glass collection quantity) delivered to the processing plant for recycling, but on the quantity that is available for the production of new glass packaging after processing (shift from input to output of the processing plant). The output-based rate for glass packaging in Germany is 80.3 per cent for 2022 and is based on data from the German Environment Agency (UBA), which has adopted the European calculation method. The glass collection rate (input-based) is significantly higher at 85 per cent for 2022.
The German Packaging Ordinance (VerpackV) was introduced in 1991. Among other things, it implements the European Packaging Directive (Directive 94/62/EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and obliges German companies to take back packaging after use and be actively involved in its disposal (product responsibility).
The recycling requirements are particularly relevant for the glass industry. At least 75 percent of consumer glass packaging waste must be recycled according to Annex I of the regulation. According to the German Environmental Agency, Germany has surpassed these recycling quotas for many years now. In 2014, this was already 89.0 percent in Germany.
Your contact at BV Glas
Sheryl Webersberger
Head of Berlin Office, Head of Product Policy
Tel. +49 (0)30/259 305 85
E-Mail: webersberger@bvglas.de