What do beverage cups and to-go food containers, bag and film packaging, lightweight carrier bags, wet wipes, balloons as well as tobacco filters and fireworks have in common? They contain plastic that is difficult to degrade, are intended or suitable for out-of-home use and are often disposed of in the waste bins in public spaces. In addition, they are prone to littering and therefore often have to be removed from the natural environment at great expense by the municipal waste management authorities. All this costs a lot of money.

In March 2023, the German government therefore pushed ahead with the implementation of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive by passing the Single-Use Plastics Fund Act in the Bundestag. It provides for a levy through which the producers concerned are now to bear certain costs for cleaning and disposing of waste in public spaces as well as costs for awareness-raising measures by us end consumers, which were previously financed from municipal budgets. Thus, according to the polluter pays principle, the producers of these plastic-containing disposable products and packaging will be held responsible. Finally, the Bundesrat (upper house of the German parliament) must now approve the law so that it can come into force as planned with effect from 01.01.2024.

The Green Dot online seminar on the Single-Use Plastics Fund Act

Learn everything about the law and its background in the online seminar from Green Dot and

• which disposable plastic products and packaging are specifically affected and

• which manufacturers will be affected by the levy and how high it should be

• how the fund with an expected volume of more than 400 million euros p.a. is to function

• whether an extension to further single-use plastic products/packaging is probable

• …

The online seminar will be held in German and is subject to a fee.

Click here to register.