Legal basis
Packaging Ordinance (Töpfer, 1991)
- There are obligations on the distributors and producers to take back and ensure the recycling of packaging;
- An alternative solution to these obligations for household packaging is the creation of a private system of collection and recycling (DSD) in collaboration with the private and public recovery companies;
Amendment to the Ordinance (in effect from 1998)
- Fix the overall target figures at 65% recovery and 45% recycling;
- Obligate self-compliers to take back and recycle packaging;
- Obligate the compliance scheme, to achieve targets in relation to the tonnage of the packaging participating in the scheme, and no longer the total packaging consumption;
- For plastics, the recovery and recycling targets can be met through a mix of technologies such as mechanical recycling, feedstock recycling, and energy recovery;
- The same obligations apply to small businesses as they do to manufacturers and wholesalers.
In August 2000, May 2002, May 2005 and December 2005 further amendments came into effect. Currently the government discusses the 5th amendment to the Ordinance which is expected to come into effect in 2008.
