Weber: Manufacturer of wheelie bins and mobile waste containers

In the coalition agreement of the new German federal government, consisting of the three parties “SPD, die Grünen and FDP”, the issue of the circular economy within the plastics industry is represented in a separate paragraph. The 3 large plastics associations “GKV Gesamtverband Kunststoffverarbeitende Industrie”, “Plastics Europe Germany” and “VDMA Fachverband Kunststoff- und Gummimaschinen”, come to the conclusion that the content of this important topic has been well covered overall. Despite certain points of criticism, its great importance for more sustainability and climate protection was recognised and appreciated. The central goals on this path are the reduction of primary raw material consumption and the promotion of closed material cycles (cf. Kunststoff-Magazin).

As a major producer of waste containers and bins, Weber GmbH & Co. KG would clearly like to achieve this goal. In many of our products we already process recycled content and plan to expand this even further.

Kunststoff-Magazin (2021): Der Koalitionsvertrag aus Sicht der Kunststoffverbände, URL: https://www.kunststoff-magazin.de/news/gkv--plastics-europe-und-vdma--der-koalitionsvertrag-aus-sicht-der-kunststoffverbaende.htm, 21.01.2022.

New to the Weber website is the 660 L bin with a “lid in lid” feature. Our goal is to offer all our customers the greatest possible convenience for their waste disposal. That is why we are expanding our 660 L bin range a “lid in lid” option.

Smaller refuse bags or loose waste can be disposed of quickly and easily via the front lid without having to lift the larger main lid. If desired, this integrated lid can be supplied in a number of colour options.

As well as the 660 L bin, the Weber 770 L container is also given an optional upgrade with a “lid in lid” version. Our bins are used in many different branches of industry, in offices, in public facilities, schools, etc. The small insert lid allows you to easily dispose of your waste in any situation.

The Intensive Care doctor David Frocester from the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in England published an image on the social media platform Twitter showing the large amount of daily medication for a Covid patient who has to be artificially ventilated in the Intensive Care Unit (cf. Frocester).

You can see that, among other things, 40 ampoules of alfentanil 5 mg/ml, eight bottles of propofol 1000 mg in 50 ml, ten 10 ml of midazolam 5 mg/ml, several vials of atracurium, paracetamol infusions, two pre-filled syringes of dalteparin sodium 5000 IU/0.2 ml, two ampoules of dexamethasone 3.3 mg/ml, two ampoules of norepinephrine 1 mg/ml, the reserve antibiotic piperacillin/tazobactam and glucose, saline, electrolyte and nutrient solutions are all needed to treat a Covid-19 patient comatose under artificial respiration (cf. Hüttemann).

The pandemic is showing its effects here in this example. The increased volume of general medical waste or infectious waste must be controllable. Weber can at least make a small contribution with our clinical waste and hospital waste containers.

Frocester, D. [@drfrocester] (2021, 5.11.): This all medicines required to keep ONE covid patient safe for ONE day one critical care….Or just ONE vaccine? #Getthejab, [Tweet], Twitter, URL: https://twitter.com/drfrocester/status/1456668662744633349, zuletzt geprüft am 21.01.2022.
Hüttemann, D. (2021): So viele Medikamente braucht ein Covid-Intensivpatient, in: Pharmazeutische Zeitung, URL: https://www.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de/so-viele-medikamente-braucht-ein-covid-intensivpatient-129310/, zuletzt geprüft am 21.01.2022.

Over 9.37 billion doses of Covid vaccine have already been administered worldwide. In Germany, we are already talking about over 160 million syringes (cf. Our World in Data). Vaccination takes place in vaccination centres, medical practices, etc. Used needles or syringes are classified as waste from pointed and sharp instruments/objects (cf. Giern).

At Weber, we offer a range of disposal containers for (bio)medical waste from clinics, hospitals and vaccination centres. Our yellow, red or orange disposal containers, which can also be used as hazardous material containers, are lockable, leak-proof and are available in sizes of 240, 360, 660, 770 and 1100 litres.

Our World in Data (2021): Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations
HomeCoronavirusVaccinations, URL: https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations?country=OWID_WRL, zuletzt geprüft am 21.01.2022.
Giern, S. (2020): Entsorgung von Abfällen aus Corona-Impfzentren, URL: https://www.bde.de/presse/entsorgung-abfaelle-corona-impfzentren/, zuletzt geprüft am 21.01.2022.

The heavy rain and the resulting flooding in Germany, especially in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, caused one of the worst storm catastrophes of the post-war period. The extent of the damage is so great that the federal government issued an emergency aid package of 400 million Euros which, in the long term, will grow to billions of Euros in costs for repairing destroyed transport infrastructure. The flood of water left behind destroyed lives and huge mountains of rubbish, etc. The clean-up work began shortly after the water had largely receded. Large waste containers and rubbish bins are needed to efficiently collect and dispose of more than 300,000 tons of waste (cf. mdr; EUWID).

As a result, the influence of climate change on the occurrence of such catastrophes is rightly discussed. Socially, preventive measures must be taken to protect the environment and the climate. Sustainable production of our refuse and waste containers is one of the central goals of our company Weber GmbH & Co. KG.

mdr (2021): Jahresrückblick. Das war der Juli 2021, URL: https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/jahresrueckblick/chronik-juli-zweitausendeinundzwanzig-ereignisse-nachrichten-100.html, zuletzt geprüft am 21.01.2022.
EUWID (2021): Flutkatastrophe sorgt für mehr als 300.000 Tonnen Abfall im Landkreis Ahrweiler, URL: https://www.euwid-recycling.de/news/politik/einzelansicht/Artikel/flutkatastrophe-sorgt-fuer-mehr-als-300000-tonnen-abfall-im-landkreis-ahrweiler.html, zuletzt geprüft am 07.02.2022.

The container ship “Ever Given” ran aground in the Suez Canal. As a result, the canal was completely blocked, which led to delays or failures in the global flow of goods. 18,300 containers were distributed over the 400 metre length of the ship. Hundreds of freighters were unable to pass through the canal for days (cf. tagesschau).

Weber uses ship freight to export our waste containers and bins worldwide. The situation was closely monitored internally and solutions were developed to deliver our waste containers to our customers around the world as quickly as possible.

tagesschau (2021): Die "Ever Given" fährt wieder, URL: https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/afrika/ever-given-suezkanal-111.html, zuletzt geprüft am 21.01.2022.

Most covid tests for private individuals are nasal antigen tests. That means they work via a nasal swab or spit test. A test kit usually contains a swab, a test cassette and a reaction tube or a bottle with the appropriate solution. What is the correct method of disposal?

During and after the disposal of covid self-tests, the focus is on protecting health and the environment. Therefore, proper waste separation should be ensured. After the test has been carried out, all components, regardless of the result, must be safely packed in a stable and sealable plastic bag and disposed of in the residual waste bin. Even if the components are mostly made of plastic, they don't belong in the respective bin for plastics recycling. Only plastic packaging goes in there. Package inserts/instructions for use can be disposed of separately in the waste paper bin. Covid tests should be incinerated safely with other residual waste and thus disposed of hygienically (cf. Marberg & Subklew).

Marberg, M., Subklew, A. (2022): Für Umwelt und Gesundheit: Corona-Selbsttests richtig und sicher im Restmüll entsorgen, URL: https://www.muelltrennung-wirkt.de/corona-selbsttests-entsorgen/, zuletzt geprüft am 07.02.2022.

In the course of the Corona Pandemic, various changes in waste disposal in German households has been observed. Notable trends are “neglected waste separation” and “an above-average increase in the amount and volume of waste”. The causes lie in the increased time at home caused by the pandemic (due to several lockdowns, home office, quarantine rules, etc.) as well as in the growing use of online shopping (cf. Glitza).

In addition to the separately-collected recyclable materials and packaging waste of glass, metal, wood, paper, etc., organic waste in particular is also increasing. In total, 19 kilograms more waste per capita was generated in the first year of the pandemic compared to the year before. Organic waste represents a significant proportion with an increase of around 4 kilograms per person (cf. Federal Statistical Office). Residual waste (34%) and separately-collected recyclables (32%) each account for around one third of household waste. With 27%, organic waste is in third place.

Glitza, K. H. (2022): Umfrage: Mülltrennung bleibt auf der Strecke, URL: https://e-mag.press/umfrage-muelltrennung-bleibt-auf-der-strecke/, zuletzt geprüft am 07.02.2022.
Statistisches Bundesamt (2022): Aufkommen an Haushaltsabfällen: Deutschland, Jahre, Abfallarten, URL: https://www-genesis.destatis.de/genesis/online?sequenz=tabelleErgebnis&selectionname=32121-0001&zeitscheiben=2#abreadcrumb, zuletzt geprüft am 07.02.2022.

According to the study results of the "Chinese Academy of Sciences", which were published in the scientific journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of the United States of America" (PNAS), the covid pandemic caused around 8.4 million tons of plastic waste worldwide in a total of 193 states so far. This corresponds to almost 3 percent of the total amount of plastic waste in the world, which comprises around 300 million tons.

87% of plastic waste is generated in hospitals. Masks and protective equipment account for 7.6%. Around 5% can be attributed to the growth of online shopping caused by the pandemic. Against the background of global environmental pollution, these are worrying numbers. 25,000 tons of this plastic waste have already ended up in the oceans (cf. EUWID). This illustrates the high, general importance of an appropriate, sustainable approach to the topic of (single-use) plastic.

EUWID (2022): 8,4 Mio Tonnen Plastikmüll durch Corona-Pandemie, URL: https://www.euwid-recycling.de/news/international/einzelansicht/Artikel/84-mio-tonnen-plastikmuell-durch-corona-pandemie.html, zuletzt geprüft am 08.02.2022.

Online shopping is becoming increasingly more important in consumer behaviour. However, this is accompanied by large amounts of packaging waste. Individual, high-quality and complex packaging, as well as new packaging for returns, have a negative impact on the environmental balance, and generate waste from paper, cardboard (PPK) and plastic (cf. Consumer Center).

For these cases, Weber offers qualitative product solutions in the form of large-volume waste bins. Nevertheless, it is important for us to emphasize that unnecessary waste should not be created in the first place. With regard to online shopping, (spontaneous) individual orders should be avoided if possible and, also if possible, the majority of items should be shipped in reusable containers (cf. Consumer Center).

Verbraucherzentrale (2021): Umweltfreundlich im Internet einkaufen - geht das?, URL: https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/wissen/umwelt-haushalt/nachhaltigkeit/umweltfreundlich-im-internet-einkaufen-geht-das-26661, zuletzt geprüft am 08.02.2021.

The German ban on selling fireworks on New Year's Eve as part of the Corona Pandemic was primarily intended to prevent crowds and relieve emergency rooms in hospitals. As a producer of various waste bins and containers, we also welcome the positive effect on our environment. The ban can drastically reduce the usual amount of waste at the turn of the year. Due to the restrictions, it is calculated at around 51.5 to 53 tons of New Year's waste. This corresponds to about a third of the amount that otherwise occurs in Germany.

In the five major cities of Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Düsseldorf and Frankfurt am Main alone, municipal waste disposal companies remove between 134 and 183 tonnes of specific “New Year's” waste on New Year's Day every year. However, this is only part of the New Year's Eve waste issue. Much larger quantities of waste are then removed in the following days by regular street cleaning (cf. Glitza 2021).

Glitza, K. H. (2021): Weniger Knallerei- Weniger Müllaufkommen in Deutschlands Städten und Gemeinden, URL: https://e-mag.press/brancheninfo-aktuell-32-12-2021/, zuletzt geprüft am 08.02.2021.

In order to better protect our environment and resources, there is potential for optimisation in almost every branch of industry. The textile industry, for example, is unfortunately often referred to as “production for waste”.

Every year around 100 billion new items of clothing are manufactured worldwide, favoured by the "fast fashion" trend. Garments are therefore being produced more and more cheaply and quickly, and, unfortunately, they are often thrown away after just one or two uses. The poor quality of the goods also prevents further use. This creates large amounts of waste that cannot be recycled. According to a study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, only just under 12% of the 100 billion items of clothing produced worldwide each year are returned to the economic cycle (cf. Glitza).

Glitza, K. H. (2021): Bundesstiftung Umwelt startet mit Ideen-Wettbewerb für textile Kreisläufe in das neue Jahr, URL: https://e-mag.press/kreatives-fuer-textile-kreislaeufe/, zuletzt geprüft am 08.02.2021

The “European Economic Service” reported on the results of a study by the consulting firms Prognos and CE Delft on behalf of the European Waste Disposal Association FEAD, the Plant Operator Association Cewep, the Dutch Waste Management Association and the RDF Industry Group. It was found that the recycling economy still has significant potential for CO2 savings.

The climate protection potential in the waste management industry has therefore not yet been fully exhausted. Ideally, with an improved recycling rate and increased thermal utilisation, CO2 emissions in the EU can be reduced by 283 million CO2 equivalents per year in 2035 compared to 2018. Since, according to the Federal Environment Agency, the 27 EU members together emitted around 3.76 billion tons of CO2 equivalents in 2018, this would mean a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 283 million tons and a decrease of almost 7.5% (cf . EUWID).

EUWID (2022): Studie: Mehr Klimaschutz durch Kreislaufwirtschaft möglich, URL: https://www.euwid-recycling.de/news/wirtschaft/einzelansicht/Artikel/studie-mehr-klimaschutz-durch-kreislaufwirtschaft-moeglich.html, zuletzt geprüft am 08.02.2022.

The recycling quotas for plastics, paper and glass required by the “Packaging Act” in Germany were all exceeded lately. In general, the recycling rate of the waste collected in yellow bins for plastics was 50.5%. The target of 50% was thus met. The expected recycling rates of 82.4% and 90.6% were also exceeded with regard to glass and paper packaging. Furthermore, the recycling rates for plastic packaging at 60.6%, for composites at 62.6% and for beverage cartons at 76% also exceeded the respective statutory quotas (cf. EUWID).

With the waste bins and containers available from Weber, we support sustainable waste separation and help ensure that quotas are met!

EUWID (2021): Duale Systeme haben mehr Verpackungen recycelt, URL: https://www.euwid-recycling.de/news/wirtschaft/einzelansicht/Artikel/duale-systeme-haben-mehr-verpackungen-recycelt.html, zuletzt geprüft am 08.02.2022.

In a study commissioned by the The Paper Industry Association and the Corrugated Board Industry Association, the Bifa Environmental Institute and the Paper Technology Foundation (PTS) came to the interesting conclusion that reusable plastic packaging has no general environmental advantage over disposable corrugated cardboard packaging when it comes to greenhouse-gas balance. Based on this knowledge, it must always be assessed on a case-by-case basis which outer packaging makes more sense with regard to environmental balance. For example, packaging made of corrugated cardboard can be better used for impact-sensitive products from the point of view of greenhouse-gas accounting, compared to robust and significantly heavier plastic boxes in the reusable system (cf. EUWID).

EUWID (2021): Mehrwegverpackungen aus Kunststoff nicht unbedingt ökologisch besser als Wellpappe, URL: https://www.euwid-recycling.de/news/wirtschaft/einzelansicht/Artikel/mehrwegverpackungen-aus-kunststoff-nicht-unbedingt-oekologisch-besser-als-wellpappe.html, zuletzt geprüft am 08.02.2022.

In the "Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management" the emeritus Viennese Professor, Paul Brunner, and Johann Fellner from the Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management at the TU Vienna described the thesis that recycling is not the most sustainable disposal method for all plastic waste. Combustion with CO2 capture should often be a better solution. The main goals of waste management are not to achieve the highest possible recycling rate, but to protect people and the environment and conserve resources for the future.

It is not uncommon for the greater environmental benefits to be found in thermal recycling with CO2 separation, since overall fewer CO2 emissions are separated into the atmosphere and fewer hazardous substances are released into the environment. Incineration also reduces the stock of old plastics in society and is more cost-efficient than the recycling of plastics (cf. Fellner & Brunner).

Fellner, J., Brunner, P. H. (2021): Plastic waste management: is circular economy really the best solution?, in: Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management (2021), URL: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10163-021-01340-2.pdf, zuletzt geprüft am 08.02.2022.

More and more German cities are planning to introduce a zero-waste city concept for better environmental protection and resource conservation. The Europe-wide certification of the cities is managed via the “Zero Waste Europe” (ZWE) network. While the city of Kiel in northern Germany is already an official candidate, Munich and Cologne are still developing the concept. Berlin has presented an action plan. Düsseldorf, Leipzig and Würzburg also show some interest in this regard. 445 cities and municipalities in Europe are currently certified (cf. EUWID).

Zero Waste is defined by the Zero Waste International Alliance as "The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health". Waste should therefore be avoided whenever possible, or should not arise at all. Principles such as recycling, composting and reuse are also the focus, which we at Weber want to promote with our products in the best possible way.

EUWID (2022): Immer mehr Städte und Gemeinden planen Zero-Waste-Konzepte, URL: https://www.euwid-recycling.de/news/politik/einzelansicht/Artikel/immer-mehr-staedte-und-gemeinden-planen-zero-waste-konzepte.html, zuletzt geprüft 08.02.2022.
Zero Waste International Alliance (2022): Zero Waste Definition, URL: https://zwia.org/zero-waste-definition/, zuletzt geprüft am 08.02.2022.

To find out when the bins (grey, blue, yellow and brown) on your street in any German city are emptied, you can quickly and easily find your city or municipality's waste calendar using any search engine such as Google, Bing, etc. We (Weber) have our headquarters in Haan, North Rhine-Westphalia, for example. A detailed annual plan can be viewed on the city administration's website by searching for "waste calendar + Haan". So, you are guaranteed to never miss the next emptying of your waste bins again!

In Germany, the compost bin is usually the green or brown waste container. Vegetable kitchen waste and garden waste are generally disposed of there. Depending on the municipality, there may also be different regulations. This depends on how the organic waste is then to be recycled. In some municipalities it can be, for example, edible fats, oils or animal foods which are also permitted, which otherwise generally do not belong in the organic waste stream. You should also refrain from disposing of thicker wood from the garden in the organic waste bin. Here, a municipal green waste facility is more appropriate.

Please DO NOT dispose of animal excrement, ash, treated wood (varnished, etc.), stones and plastics in organic waste. For more detailed information, we recommend visiting the website of the disposal company or contacting the municipal waste advice service (cf. Consumer Center).
You will find a large selection of 2-wheeled and 4-wheeled waste bins in various colours in our Weber online shop!

Verbraucherzentrale (2021): Biomüll: Was gehört in die Biotonne und was nicht?, URL: https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/wissen/umwelt-haushalt/abfall/biomuell-was-gehoert-in-die-biotonne-und-was-nicht-42521, zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.

As a simple principle it can be said that all packaging that is not made of paper or glass should be disposed of in the yellow bin or bag in Germany. One speaks of so-called “lightweight packaging”, which consists of plastic, metal and composites as well as natural materials. Examples include plastic bags, plastic sausage, cheese and ice cream packaging, plastic cups, plastic cosmetic packaging, aluminum foil and tin cans. Please do NOT dispose of any toys, electronic devices, leftover food, toothbrushes, glass, etc. in the yellow bin (cf. T-Online). However, there may also be regional differences. We therefore recommend contacting the appropriate disposal company if you have any questions.
You will find a large selection of 2-wheeled and 4-wheeled waste bins in various colours in our Weber online shop!

T-Online (2021): Das darf auf keinen Fall in die Gelbe Tonne, URL: https://www.t-online.de/heim-garten/haushaltstipps/id_80777698/gelbe-tonne-was-gehoert-wirklich-in-gelben-sack-und-was-nicht-.html, zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.

Only paper, cardboard and boxes belong in the blue waste bin (“paper bin”). With regard to paper recycling, it is important to ensure that the waste paper is disposed of carefully and according to type. Only in this way can a high value of the raw material for paper recycling, and ultimately a high-quality end product, be guaranteed. With a share of 75%, for example, waste paper is the most important raw material for the paper industry (cf. Der Grüne Punkt).
Please dispose of newspapers/magazines, brochures, paper bags, cardboard packaging and egg cartons in the blue bin. However, receipts usually do NOT belong in the paper bin, as they are often made from thermal paper containing bisphenol A (cf. Stern).
You will find a large selection of 2-wheeled and 4-wheeled waste bins in various colours in our Weber online shop!

Der Grüne Punkt (2022): Altpapier recyceln macht Sinn, URL: https://www.gruener-punkt.de/de/politik-gesellschaft/verbraucher/papierrecycling, zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.
Stern (2020): Mülltrennung: Was gehört in welche Tonne, welchen Sack, welchen Container?, URL: https://www.stern.de/wirtschaft/muell/muelltrennung--was-in-den-gelben-sack-oder-die-blaue-tonne-kommt---und-was-nicht--8918546.html, zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.

In Germany, the grey bin is used to collect residual waste. That basically means the leftovers which remain after correct waste separation into the other bins. This includes, for example, ashes, animal droppings and bedding, soiled papers, hygiene articles and diapers, vacuum cleaner bags, defective light bulbs, dried-out felt-tip pens, cigarette butts, old photos, broken porcelain or glass and - if you don't have a recycling bin yet - also broken plastic or household items (cf. Consumer Center).
However, construction and demolition waste, old electrical equipment, pollutants, bulky waste, leftover fruit and vegetables or packaging do NOT belong in the grey bin (cf. T-Online).
You will find a large selection of 2-wheeled and 4-wheeled waste bins in various colours in our Weber online shop!

Verbraucherzentrale (2021): Müll richtig trennen: gelber Sack, Restmüll, Papier oder wohin sonst?, URL: https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/wissen/umwelt-haushalt/abfall/muell-richtig-trennen-gelber-sack-restmuell-papier-oder-wohin-sonst-10580, zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.
T-Online (2021): Restmüll – was darf in die schwarze Tonne?, URL: https://www.t-online.de/heim-garten/haushaltstipps/id_54913240/restmuell-was-darf-in-die-schwarze-tonne-muell-richtig-trennen.html, zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.

In some cities in Germany, the so-called recycling bin is used instead of the yellow bin/yellow bag. These cities e.g. include Dortmund, Kamen and Unna. The difference is as follows. In contrast to the yellow bin, not only packaging made of plastic, metal or composite materials (e.g. beverage cartons) can be disposed of in the recycling bin, but also waste from the category "non-packaging of the same material". This includes, for example, damaged plastic mixing bowls, a used toothbrush or a disused saucepan. The aim is to no longer dispose of waste made of plastic, metal or composite material in the residual waste bin. Rather, it should be collected separately as a recyclable material.
In some cities, even waste wood and/or smaller electronic devices are to be collected in the recycling bin. In order to find out the exact regulations in your city, you can visit the website of your disposal company or contact the local waste advice service (cf. Consumer Center).
A large selection of 2-wheeled and 4-wheeled waste bins / recycling bins in various colours can be found in our Weber online shop!

Verbraucherzentrale (2021): Müll richtig trennen: gelber Sack, Restmüll, Papier oder wohin sonst?, URL: https://www.verbraucherzentrale.de/wissen/umwelt-haushalt/abfall/muell-richtig-trennen-gelber-sack-restmuell-papier-oder-wohin-sonst-10580, zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.

Until the end of the 1970’s in Germany, little was done to separate waste. Only through increasing concerns about the environment and health did society rethink. After the waste had previously been stored carelessly and unseparated, Hanover took on a pioneering role in the first approaches to waste separation by initially setting up glass containers in the city. The first waste paper containers also followed in 1984, allowing glass and paper to be processed and reused as valuable raw materials from then on. This trend subsequently spread across the country.
At the beginning of the 1990’s, the topic of plastic and lightweight packaging increasingly came into focus. The green dot was introduced together with the German packaging regulations in 1991. From then on, packaging marked in this way had to be disposed of in the yellow sack and companies had to undertake to take back packaging and to help with its disposal. This is how the dual system came about. Organic waste has also been treated separately for a number of years now (cf. Kühl).

Kühl, J. (2021): Als der Müll zum Wertstoff wurde, URL: https://www.ndr.de/geschichte/chronologie/Muelltrennung-Als-aus-Abfall-Wertstoffe-wurden,muelltrennung162.html, zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.

Together with international test organizations, Stiftung Warentest carried out a representative survey in 14 countries, each with 1,000 people. The participants were asked to assess how high the impact of the 5 subject areas “Travel and Mobility”, “Purchasing Behaviour”, “Water and Energy in the Household”, “Nutrition” and “Waste Disposal” is on the environment. The results were then compared to the assessments of 39 international sustainability experts. Here are some assessments from Germany at a glance (cf. Stiftung Warentest):

Travel & mobility: 45% of those surveyed consider the environmental impact to be medium to very unimportant. However, according to experts and the Federal Environment Agency, mobility behaviour is responsible for about 19% of the CO2 footprint of people in the country! In the days before the Corona Pandemic, tourism also caused around 8% of all greenhouse-gas emissions.

Diet: According to experts, diet is the most important factor. In Germany, food accounts for an average of 15% of each person's carbon footprint, as many animal products are consumed. This was greatly underestimated by the respondents.

Waste disposal: According to 71% of the participants, waste disposal is a rather important environmental factor. According to the experts, however, conscientious waste separation does not have that much of an impact on the environment. Above all, avoiding waste is even more crucial.

Stiftung Warentest (2022): Ergebnisse Umfrage Nachhaltigkeit. Umweltfolgen von Reisen werden unterschätzt, URL: https://www.test.de/Ergebnisse-Umfrage-Nachhaltigkeit-Umweltfolgen-von-Reisen-werden-unterschaetzt-5830274-0/, zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.

Recycling within the meaning of this Act is “any recovery process by which waste is processed into products, materials or substances, either for the original purpose or for other purposes; it includes the processing of organic materials, but not energy recovery and processing into materials, which are intended for use as fuel or for backfilling” (cf. §3 Paragraph 25 KrWG).
Recycling includes both material (dry/wet mechanical processing or solvent-based processes) and chemical or raw material (pyrolysis, gasification, liquefaction) processes (cf. Vogel et al., p. 7 ff.).
Plastics are usually recycled using mechanical processes as part of material recycling. Plastic waste is grouped according to the type of plastic, cleaned, melted down and, as an intermediate step, processed into recyclates. These in turn form the starting material for new goods, which now have a recycled content and do not consist entirely of new material (cf. NABU).

Vogel, J., Krüger, F., Fabian, M. (2020): Chemisches Recycling, in: Umweltbundesamt (Hrsg.), URL: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/1410/publikationen/2020-07-17_hgp_chemisches-recycling_online.pdf, zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.
NABU (2022): Chemisches Recycling von Kunststoffen. Potenziale, Risiken und viele offene Fragen, URL: https://www.nabu.de/umwelt-und-ressourcen/abfall-und-recycling/recycling/27543.html#:~:text=Aktuell%20erfolgt%20das%20Recycling%20von,zu%20so%20genannten%20Rezyklaten%20aufbereitet., zuletzt geprüft am 09.02.2022.

The use of biodegradable plastic bags for the collection of biowaste was rejected by the German “Bundesrat” committees involved in the parliamentary procedure for the “small amendment to the Biowaste Ordinance” (BioAbfV). The Federal Council committees see the justification in the experience gained with these bags made of biodegradable plastics.

The committee recommendations state that even simple regulations, such as “do not throw any plastic in the organic waste bin”, were often not sufficiently adhered to in the past, despite extensive public relations work. This is why there are great doubts about the feasibility of these bags and the need to monitor it in practice. In addition, biodegradable plastics from predominantly renewable raw materials have no positive value for biological treatment or for the product produced. Some of these bags continue to cause problems in some treatment plants (cf. EUWID).

EUWID (2022): Bundesratsausschüsse gegen bioabbaubare Kunststoffbeutel in der Bioabfallsammlung, URL: https://www.euwid-recycling.de/news/politik/einzelansicht/Artikel/bundesratsausschuesse-gegen-bioabbaubare-kunststoffbeutel-in-der-bioabfallsammlung.html, zuletzt geprüft am 10.02.2022.

The meta-study by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) on behalf of the environmental protection organization, World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), examined plastic pollution in the oceans. Overall, the results of 2,592 separate studies were included in the meta-study. The worrying conclusion is that plastic has already made its way into almost every aspect of marine life, and littering is set to increase even further.

Marine animals can become entangled in plastic waste or lose their habitat as a result. Floating layers of plastic can prevent sufficient oxygen or light prevailing. In particular, the smallest plastic particles are considered extremely dangerous. The macroplastic first decomposes into microplastic and then into nanoplastic, which is ingested by even the smallest creatures. Ecosystems and food chains are thus permanently damaged. This decomposition would already make it very difficult to clear the oceans of waste at this point (cf. Tekman et al.).

Tekman, M. B., Walther, B. A., Peter, C., Gutow, L. and Bergmann, M. (2022): Impacts of plastic pollution in the oceans on marine species, biodiversity and ecosystems, in: WWF Germany, URL: https://www.wwf.de/fileadmin/fm-wwf/Publikationen-PDF/Plastik/WWF-Auswirkungen_von_Plastikverschmutzung_im_Ozean_auf_marine_Arten__Biodiversit%C3%A4t_und_%C3%96kosysteme.pdf, zuletzt geprüft am 10.02.2022.

In Germany, more than 12 million tons and, maybe even 18 million tons (according to the environmental organization, WWF), of food are thrown away in waste containers every year, quite often including food that does not have to be thrown away because it is still edible. There are usually legal hurdles that prevent the consumption of these still edible foods. Private households contribute around 6 million tons to this waste. However, it is also the grocers, supermarkets, discounters, etc. who are largely responsible. The main cause lies in the question of liability with regard to foodstuffs whose best-before date has passed (cf. Thürmer & Schuster).

Thürmer, J., Schuster, M. (2022): Millionen Tonnen Lebensmittel landen nach wie vor im Müll, URL: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/wirtschaft/millionen-tonnen-lebensmittel-landen-nach-wie-vor-im-muell,SwHyciZ, zuletzt geprüft am 10.02.2022.