Going forward, certain manufacturers of disposable plastic products in Germany will have to contribute to the costs incurred in the disposal of waste at public spaces.

Issued on the basis of the Single-Use Plastics Fund Act (EWKFondsG), the levy depends on the type and quantity that is put on the market. The German federal government published the final levy rates per kg of product earlier in September.

Producer or the “distributor” – who has to register and pay into the fund?

“It depends on who first makes the single-use plastic product available on the market,” a spokesperson of Germany’s federal environmental authority Umweltbundesamt (UBA, Dessau; www.umweltbundesamt.de) explained when asked by Plasteurope.com. She clarified that, according to the EWKFondsG, this could be the producer, the filler, the seller or even the importer. In order to provide companies with clarity on this issue, the UBA provides additional information at www.ewkf.de.

Related: Germany sets up digital platform for SUP fees

What are the deadlines for registering and paying into the fund?

The UBA has set up a digital platform (called DIVID) on which manufacturers and distributors must register in the period from 1 January to 31 December 2024. Manufacturers must then report the kg of single-use plastic products made available or sold to the UBA electronically via DIVID by 15 May of each year – 15 May 2025 for the first round. After receipt of the notification, the UBA will determine the single-use plastic levy and issue a levy notice. Payment of the levy is due one month after receipt of the notice.

By law, the annual SUP levy must be paid into a central fund managed by the UBA. The affected products include containers for food for immediate consumption, such as take-away packaging, bags and film packaging with food for immediate consumption, beverage containers (including caps), beverage bottles with deposits, beverage cups (including caps), light plastic carrier bags, wet wipes and balloons, and tobacco products with filters made of cellulose acetate.

Starting in 2025, the money from the fund is to be paid out to the public sector as compensation for the incurred collection and disposal costs.