The Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR) has published the “Minimum standard for determining the recyclability of packaging subject to system participation”, edition 2024. This is now the sixth edition and contains some changes compared to the previous year. The new standard for assessing recyclability applies to packaging that is placed on the German market in 2025.

In a recent study, the German Federal Environment Agency came to the conclusion that the recycling capacities for plastic and aluminum components of liquid cartons have increased significantly. The previously mandatory individual verification for these materials is therefore only recommended in future.

In addition, sorting plants for lightweight packaging are increasingly able to sort small-format flexible PE films and make them available for recycling. The size criterion as a prerequisite for high-quality recycling of flexible plastic films has therefore been dropped.

You can read the full text of the new minimum standard and a documentation of the amendments compared to the previous year here.