Packaging recycling in Germany remained at a high level in 2017, but the recycling rate across all packaging materials fell slightly by 0.9% to 79.0%, according to German packaging market research firm Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung (GVM, Mainz; www.gvmonline.de). Compared to the previous year, the recycling rate of laminated cartons for liquids rose by almost 1%. Recycling declined slightly for all other materials – only tin cans remained constant at more than 90%.

Conversio's (Mainaschaff / Germany; www.conversio-gmbh.com) most recent data for 2017 also shows that the plastics sector still has a lot of catching up to do, with a recycling rate well below 50% – see Plasteurope.com of
26.10.2018. The amount of recycled materials used in German plastics processing remains small as well.

From 1 January 2019, the new national packaging law will come into effect, and it includes increases to recycling rate targets. With the population producing packaging waste totalling more than 18m t/y in Germany, per capita consumption is approximately 222 kg each year. The European average is 167.3 kg per year. Almost half of the packaging waste in Germany is generated from households.

The country's new packaging law sets a recycling rate target of 58.5% for plastic packaging in 2019 – the current rate is 36%. From 2022, this will be raised to 63%. That same year glass, iron, aluminium and paper packaging will all have recycling targets of 90%. The recycling rate for laminated beverage cartons is 75% starting in 2019, which will go up to 80% in 2022.

There is also a modulated fee structure that will affect manufacturers. It is intended for ecodesign criteria to be taken into account, and to encourage packaging manufacturers to use materials containing recyclate.