Top marks for DSD

27 May 1996 00:00  [Source: ICB]

Germany's packaging waste collection company Duales System Deutschland (DSD) claims to have passed the 1995 targets for collection and recycling mandated by the federal packaging ordinance. DSD said it collected 5.1m tonne of used packaging materials - 79% of all such materials sold in retail outlets - and recycled 4.91m tonne or 77%.

Some 60% of plastics packaging - 504 000 tonne, compared with 461 000 tonne in 1994 - was processed, well above the 36.5% target. According to the collection company, recycling capacities for some plastics exceed demand.

DSD chairman Wolfram Brück said the figures were very satisfactory because 1995 collection and sorting quotas had placed higher demands on DSD services. 'The results show that the Germans are still world champions in the collection and sorting of post-consumer sales packaging,' he said.

Germany's revised packaging ordinance continues to be held up by criticism of its provisions, and the October implementation date looks increasingly doubtful. While the EU is still dissatisfied with the environment ministry's insistence on setting quotas for returnable packaging, the plastics industry is fighting fixed quotas for mechanical recycling.

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