On August 31, 2023, the updated version of the minimum standard was published in consultation with the Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency) in its 2023 edition.

Minimum standard for determining the recyclability of packaging – edition 2023

On August 31, 2022, the updated version of the minimum standard was published in consultation with the Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency) in its 2022 edition. 

Minimum standard for determining the recyclability of packaging – edition 2022
 

On August 31, 2021, the minimum standard was published in consultation with the Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency) in its 2021 edition: 

Minimum standard for determining the recyclability of packaging – edition 2021
 

On September 1, 2020, the minimum standard was published in consultation with the Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency) in its 2020 edition: 

Minimum standard for determining the recyclability of packaging – edition 2020
 

The minimum standard, based on the Verpackungsgesetz and in agreement with the Umweltbundesamt, was published for the first time on 1 September 2019.

Minimum standard for determining the recyclability of packaging – edition 2019
 

The Verpackungsgesetz (Packaging Act) VerpackG provides for first-time publication of a minimum standard in collaboration with the Umweltbundesamt for 1 September 2019. Since the systems have to report on implementation of the provisions under section 21 VerpackG to ZSVR as of the reporting date of 1 June 2019 for the first time, ZSVR and the Umweltbundesamt have already decided in 2018 to make guidelines available in order to outline the framework / direction the development will take. These guidelines therefore constitute a starting point to establish incentives, which is then executed in the next step by the systems.

The final version of the guidelines for measuring the recyclability of packaging can be found here:

Guidelines for measuring the recyclability of packaging