On June 12, 1990, the German government enacted its first packaging waste management regulation—the Packaging-Packaging Waste Management Act—aimed at reducing packaging waste generation. The act mandates the reuse or recycling of unavoidable single-use packaging waste. It also mandates that manufacturers be responsible not only for their products but also for the recycling of their packaging, requiring transportation, agency, and sales companies, packaging companies, and wholesalers to recycle their used packaging materials. Alternatively, manufacturers can choose to delegate recycling responsibilities to specialized recycling companies.
Influenced by Germany's legislation mandating the recycling of packaging waste, the European Union adopted the EU Packaging Guidelines on December 20, 1994. Like German regulations, the Guidelines prioritize recycling. The order of priority for packaging waste treatment is: reduction, recycling, material recycling (non-recyclable materials must be replaced with biodegradable materials), incineration and energy reuse, and landfill and composting. The Guidelines require all member states to take measures to establish recycling systems for used packaging using recycling symbols. Packaging manufacturers and users must recycle used packaging, and those who entrust third-party recycling must pay a fee for the use of the environmental recycling symbol. The Guidelines require member states to set lower recycling rates for packaging waste than German regulations, aiming for a 50% recycling rate by 2001, with each type of packaging material requiring a recycling rate of at least 15%.
The adoption of the "Green Dot" recycling symbol has since spread to the EU and other countries, reaching 16 countries to date. They are: Austria (1993), Belgium (1994), Czech Republic (2000), France (1993), Hungary (2001), Greece (2002), Ireland (1998), Latvia (2000), Luxembourg (1995), Norway (2000), Poland (2002), Portugal (1997), Spain (1996), Sweden (2001), Canada (2001), and the United States (2001).
DSD Recycling's nationwide recycling system relies on contracts with over 500 private and waste management companies, a model unrestricted by regional economic limitations. Furthermore, as a privately owned organization serving the public interest, DSD operates on a fee-based model, coordinating the interests of local governments, waste management departments, and recycling companies, clarifying the responsibilities and rights of all parties, and ensuring the smooth operation of recycling work, all within the framework of national environmental policies.
DSD issues "Green Dot" permits to packaging companies and importers who entrust them with packaging waste recycling and charges a fee. The fee is calculated based on the different types of recycled packaging, according to weight, volume, and area.
Packaging companies, importers, and trading firms can use the "Green Dot" mark registered with DSD after filling out a form and paying a fee. By 2000, DSD had 17,900 companies using its "Green Dot" mark, and had recycled and processed 340 million tons of packaging waste.
The DSD two-way system for recycling and regenerating packaging waste operates as follows: Packaging product manufacturers → sell packaging to production companies for packaging or filling, and the production companies pay a Green Dot fee to the two-way system → the production companies' disposable packaging products can be printed with the Green Dot logo → delivered to stores for sale → consumers consume → after consumption, the waste packaging is recycled by Green Dot Company using waste collection bins it has invested in → Green Dot Company or its contracted recyclers collect the waste by sorting and transport it to the recycling plant → produce recycled raw materials (or make other products) → returned to the packaging product manufacturers to produce recycled products.
Reprinted from online resources
