New packaging law 2019 and what to look out for

What is behind the new Packaging Act 2019 and how does it contribute to environmental protection? 3 steps that retailers need to consider.

What does the new Packaging Act (VerpackG) and what do retailers and consumers need to consider? Parcel shipping, convenience, to-go products: The flood of packaging is reaching new record levels every year. With the aim of increasing the recycling of these volumes of waste on January 1, 2019, the new Packaging Act came into force in Germany. It obliges retailers like me to contribute to the costs of disposing of and recycling the packaging we put into circulation. If we fail to do so, we could face fines of up to 200,000 euros and sales bans. Of course, the first priority should be to put as little waste as possible into circulation in the form of packaging. However, this cannot usually be completely avoided. I will explain in three steps how we retailers can meet our obligations quickly and easily.

Digression: Are you wondering whether you are also affected? Anyone who fills so-called sales packaging, which ultimately reaches the private end consumer and is disposed of by them, with goods for the first time on a commercial basis and places it on the market must participate in a dual system by paying a "license fee". In turn, the dual systems take over the collection, sorting and professional recycling of packaging waste. The term "sales packaging" includes both product and outer packaging as well as shipping and service packaging. It is irrelevant whether you are a manufacturer or operate in stationary or online (retail) trade: the obligation to participate applies to every distributor of sales packaging from the first packaging and regardless of the packaging material used.

Packaging Act Step 1: Registration with a dual system

You contribute your packaging to a dual system via the so-called "license fee", the amount of which is primarily based on the quantity of packaging placed on the market and the packaging material used. With Licenserothe online store of the dual system Interseroh, you can license your packaging from 49 euros per year, for example.

Using the integrated calculation tool, you can calculate how much total volume in kilograms of packaging you are putting into circulation (because you need this weight information for the subsequent steps). I also found the information provided on the amount of primary raw materials you can save with your individual packaging quantity very interesting.

Packaging Act Step 2: Registration with the Central Packaging Register Office

Step 2 involves registration with LUCID, the database of the newly created Central Packaging Register (ZSVR).. There you enter your relevant company data, the name of your dual system and specify your individual packaging quantity.

In return, you will receive a registration number from the ZSVR. You then submit this to the dual system with which you license your packaging. Both registration and data reporting, as well as system participation, constitute an obligation within the meaning of the VerpackG and are therefore mandatory.

Note: Incidentally, the ZSVR register with all registered retailers and manufacturers is publicly accessible online for everyone. This transparency can lead to warnings from competitors if the obligations of the Packaging Act are not complied with. 

All those who have not yet licensed their packaging should do so as soon as possible in order to avoid possible warnings.

Packaging Act Step 3: Checking the original quantities

You can take your time with step 3 until the beginning of the following year: As it is difficult to estimate the packaging quantities used over the course of the year, check the quantities you have entered again at the beginning of the following year against the actual quantities. If there are any discrepancies, the information must now be corrected and the calculated final value confirmed with the ZSVR and the dual system.

I think that the new Packaging Act of 2019 will make the Zero Waste Lifestyle This will make it much easier in the long term, as retailers are now jointly responsible for the disposal of packaging put into circulation.

Feel free to get in touch with any questions!

Good luck with the licensing,

PS: This article about the Packaging Act 2019 was written in collaboration with Licensero originated.

PPS: If you want to find out more about the plastic-free lifestyle, read the article Plastic free living in very good hands. Have fun with the implementation!