News

A new year means new goals – why not implement a resolution that will pay off for your company in more ways than one? With a clean and safe warehouse, optimized work processes and efficient disposal, you not only save time and money, but also make an active contribution to climate protection.

How does it work?
Through the use of Orwak recyclable material presses and Heger EPS compactors you can reduce transport journeys by up to 90% and reclaim valuable storage space. Less transportation means fewer CO₂ emissions – a clear plus for your sustainability balance sheet. At the same time, you save up to 16 working hours per tonne of recyclables compared to conventional outdoor container disposal.

Your advantage:

• More space: Free storage space for your core processes
• More security: Order reduces risks
• More efficiency: Optimized processes save time and costs
• More sustainability: Less transportation, fewer emissions

Interzero is your ideal partner: With a wide range of recyclable material presses and compactors from the manufacturers ORWAK AB and Heger we offer everything from a single source – from delivery to maintenance and repair.

With more than 90 stores and around 1,000 employees, the medium-sized, owner-managed retail company CENTERSHOP has successfully established itself as a local supplier and seasonal goods specialist in Germany over the past 25 years and continues to pursue a consistent growth strategy. CENTERSHOP has also been present in Austria with its unique concept since 2025: the first store opened in Parndorf, followed by the second Austrian location in Liezen in November. The claim was clearly formulated – a partner who can handle all environmental and recycling issues reliably, legally and reliably.and uncomplicated. Interzero accompanies this entry as an exclusive all-in-one service provider.

1. waste management – full flexibility for the store launch

The situation was particularly challenging during the opening phase: high delivery volumes, ongoing conversions, taking over existing waste structures and an extremely wide range of products – from cardboard to film, organic waste and plants to electrical appliances. Thanks to its comprehensive service portfolio, Interzero was able to react flexibly and solve new requirements on a daily basis.
Martin Reischl, Managing Director Centershop Austria: “There is so much to do around a new opening – it was a great relief to be able to have any waste disposed of spontaneously by a partner in an uncomplicated way with just one phone call.”

2. orwak 3420 – efficient use of space, costs and recyclable materials

The integration of the Orwak 3420 presses brought immediately visible effects: significantly less volume, fewer transports, free storage space and additional revenue from pressed cardboard and film fractions. The machines are now an integral part of every new branch.
Santino Schreiner, Key Account Manager: “Space is always an issue in retail and wholesale. With the Orwak 3420, we help our customers to save space and staff time in their stores.”

3 EPR licensing – one process for 30,000 products

With over 30,000 items and a seasonally changing product range, EPR licensing is particularly challenging for CENTERSHOP. Interzero ensures legal compliance and minimal effort by using individual weighing solutions, packaging data management systems and a structured reporting process.
Martin Reischl, Managing Director of Centershop Austria: “I am glad that I also have a partner for the topic of the EPR obligation who supports me with legal certainty and provides me with advice and assistance.”

“Our vision is a world without waste – a liveable, sustainable world for current and future generations.“ With this guiding principle Dr. Axel SchweitzerChairman and shareholder, explains Interzero’s claim to reliably support companies on their path to the circular economy. This clear focus characterizes all business areas and forms the basis for solutions that will relieve companies in 2026 in the face of increasing regulatory requirements and growing efficiency pressure.

Building on this Thomas GlatzManaging Director of Interzero Austria, shows how this vision is reflected in customer-oriented services: “Our aim is to provide customers with tangible support along their entire value chain and to open up sustainable, economical routes into the cycle. ”

The broad European network and over 30 years of experience enable Interzero to provide companies with holistic to accompany

– from EPR licensing and digital platform solutions to efficient machines and innovative recycling and recovery methods. Licensing in particular remains a central component of compliance support and is supplemented by individual advice and data-based processes. Interzero offers one of the most comprehensive solutions on the market – with legal compliance, monitoring and individual advice for Packaging, batteries, electrical appliances and textiles.

The voices of the team of experts show how closely the individual services are interlinked:

Integrated zero-waste solution with Interzero

This makes it clear that Interzero not only provides individual services such as licensing or machine solutions. The added value comes from the One–Stop-store approachwhich combines all the building blocks – compliance, digitalization, disposal, machines and recycling – into an integrated zero-waste-solution. Precise, practical and tailored to the requirements of modern companies.

Study by Fraunhofer UMSICHT once again confirms the positive climate effects and resource savings of closed-loop solutions and recycling. By recycling 1.94 million tons of recyclable materials in 2024, Interzero saved around 1.04 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions and 8.09 million tons of primary resources. The biggest driver of savings at Interzero: the recycling of plastics.

Berlin. Securing the future through the circular economy: recycling is an effective lever for reducing the earth’s overload and achieving the European climate neutrality targets. Interzero’s study “resources SAVED by recycling 2024”, published today, illustrates the extent to which this actually protects the climate and conserves resources: According to calculations by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Europe’s leading recycling service provider will have recycled around 1.94 million tons of recyclable materials in 2024, saving 8.09 million tons of primary resources. This corresponds to the weight of over four million SUVs.* At the same time, Interzero’s recycling activities avoided a total of 1.04 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions. This corresponds to the CO2 emissions caused by around 3.2 million one-way car journeys between the Interzero sites in Warsaw and Valencia.**

“Every raw material counts – the circular economy combines resource conservation with responsibility for future generations,” says Jan Kroker, CEO of the Interzero Group. “Together with our customers, we are driving forward sustainable innovations that offer both ecological benefits and strengthen economic competitiveness.”

One example: with its internationally renowned competence center for recycled plastics, Interzero supports industry and trade in switching to recyclable plastic packaging and the use of recyclates. This enables companies to stand out on the market – and at the same time meet the legal requirements of the new European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which came into force in February 2025.

The results of the Fraunhofer UMSICHT study also underline the importance of consistent recycling, especially in the area of plastics and lightweight packaging: this fraction accounts for 49.9 percent of the total amount of recyclable materials recycled – and is also responsible for the “lion’s share” of the ecological impact: Interzero 2024 achieved 54 percent of the resource savings and even 62 percent of the total savings in greenhouse gas emissions by recycling petroleum-based materials.

“The figures confirm our commitment to modern plastics recycling and spur us on to continue improving the recycling of packaging waste from the Yellow Bag in particular,” says Jan Kroker.

From waste separation in households to high-tech sorting and processing: for the circular management of raw materials to succeed efficiently, many wheels must mesh together. With the “resources SAVED by recycling” study, Interzero has been providing important arguments for the circular transformation for over 15 years. The annual calculation by Fraunhofer UMSICHT not only proves the positive environmental impact of Interzero’s work, but also supports the circular economy service provider’s customers with transparent sustainability communication.

Fast and practical analysis of the recyclability of packaging

Berlin/Cologne. With “Fit for Recycling,” Interzero is launching a new service that enables companies across Europe to reliably, practically, and cost-effectively assess the recyclability of packaging. The process is based on the analysis of specifications, supplemented by laboratory tests at the Competence Center for Recycling Plastics, and delivers clear results in a recyclability report including PPWR grading.

The introduction comes at a crucial time: with the planned Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the European Union is significantly tightening the requirements for the recyclability of packaging . From 2030, only packaging that meets certain recyclability criteria will be allowed on the market. Germany has been a pioneer in this field for years – and Interzero actively contributes its many years of expertise to European committees and discussions. The established, laboratory-based methodology “Made for Recycling” offers scientifically sound testing that analyzes packaging under realistic conditions. Packaging that successfully passes this process is permitted to bear the “Made for Recycling” seal – a visible quality feature that provides clear guidance for both retailers and consumers. With “Fit for Recycling”, manufacturers and distributors now have a specific, practical assessment tool at their disposal. It clearly shows whether and to what extent their packaging meets future regulatory requirements – and at the same time identifies concrete optimization potential for the further development of packaging design.

This is how “Fit for Recycling” works:

1. Companies send their sample packaging, the associated specifications and a completed checklist with all relevant information to Interzero.
2. Experts check the packaging based on the specifications and information sheet, supplemented by laboratory analyses of the key packaging data.
3. The result is presented in a clear report – including classification according to the PPWR grading.

Practical support for PPWR compliance

“With Fit for Recycling, we offer companies a straightforward way to check their packaging for PPWR compliance in a timely manner,” explains Jonathan Scheck, packaging engineer at Interzero. “Our customers benefit from a well-founded analysis based on real-world packaging specifications and backed by laboratory data – fast, reliable, and practical.”

Waste responsibility with a system: Your advantage through external expertise

Companies are increasingly confronted with complex waste management regulations – from the Waste Management Act (AWG) to waste disposal records and documentation requirements. At the same time, the demands for environmentally sound and economically viable waste management are increasing.

Interzero assumes this responsibility for you – with an experienced external waste management officer who always contributes to compliance with legal requirements and analyses, optimises and actively supports your internal processes.

Who is this relevant for?

• A waste management officer is legally required for all companies with more than 100 employees (Section 11 of the Waste Management Act).
• In addition, ordering is also recommended for companies that…
• Want to optimise processes and costs in waste management
• Seek legal certainty when dealing with authorities and regulations
• want to approach the topic of circular economy strategically and in a structured manner

This is what you get with the “Waste Management Officer Basic” package:

Monitoring obligation : Checking compliance with all relevant waste legislation (e.g. AWG, EAG-VO) as well as existing official notices and internal processes.

Duty to provide information : Documentation of identified deficiencies and written information to management.
Coordination : Support in the implementation of legal requirements – particularly based on the waste management concept (AWK).
Duty to provide advice : Ongoing advice to company management on all waste management issues, including material flow analysis, waste classification and procurement.
Obligation to present : Annual update of the AWK and overview of costs and revenues from waste materials.
Optional : Creation of a new waste management concept if one does not yet exist or if fundamental changes are pending.

Book your free initial consultation now

Get in touch with us without obligation to find out whether and how an external waste management manager makes sense for your company. We will analyze your current situation and create a customized quote based on your requirements.

Today is Earth Overshoot Day 2025. For us at Interzero, this day represents what inspires us like no other. This year, thanks to our circular solutions, we are once again postponing the EOD. We’re not achieving this alone, but together with our customers and partners – because: “Climate protection is a team sport.” But for an even greater impact, more is needed: better framework conditions for the circular economy and the close cooperation of politics, business, and society – a true team for resource conservation.

July 24, 2025, marks Earth Overshoot Day , the day on which humanity worldwide has consumed all the natural resources the earth can regenerate within a year. This year, we’ll reach this date earlier again. In 2025, the EOD was pushed forward by eight days. However, calculations by the Global Footprint Network based on the resources SAVED study by Fraunhofer UMSICHT demonstrate that the levers of the circular economy are taking effect: Together with customers and partners, Interzero is postponing Earth Overshoot Day by 10 minutes and 28 seconds – worldwide.

Although humanity is living beyond its means ecologically as of the end of July, Interzero impressively demonstrates that a functioning circular economy can have a positive impact on resource conservation and climate protection. Every recycled packaging, every refurbished electronic device, and every properly disposed battery reduces the demand for primary resources and are important steps toward our vision of a world without waste.

Mathis Wackernagel: “In recent years, we have refined our estimates of the extent to which Interzero’s products and services reduce global ecological overshoot. Our latest calculations confirm that the company, together with its customers, was able to postpone Earth Overshoot Day by a few minutes. This means that Interzero is truly circular: the larger its activities, the lower the global overshoot.”

Plastics as a key resource

At Interzero, a particularly significant lever for postponing Earth Overshoot Day lies in the area of plastics. Over 50 percent of the primary raw materials saved come from the recycling of plastic packaging, especially from the lightweight packaging (LVP) segment. As part of the dual system, the return and recycling of LVP contributes significantly to resource conservation – not only in terms of quantity, but also through the particularly high savings potential.

Improved and uniform rules of the game

But the potential is far from exhausted. In addition to individual consumer decisions and better waste separation, what is needed, first and foremost, is structurally improved framework conditions and targeted innovation support to effectively leverage the circular economy. There are numerous starting points: the expansion of separate collection, the early introduction of new EPR systems, the consistent implementation of sustainable public procurement, and the prioritization of recyclable packaging. A deposit return system for rechargeable batteries and batteries can also contribute to increasing safety in the industry. A clear political framework is needed that promotes technological innovations and secures investments in the circular economy.

Sybilla Merian: “The ideas are there – powerful, effective, and forward-looking. It’s committed people, bold projects, and innovative technologies that are already making the circular economy a true game changer. But to permanently embed the change, more is needed: We must rewrite the rules of the game – boldly, together, and with an eye on a future worth living.”

Earth Overshoot Day makes it clear: We’re living far beyond our means. But we can counteract this – with a team committed to a functioning circular economy.

Let’s #MoveTheDate. With Interzero.

About the calculation:
For its calculations, the Global Footprint Network uses a resource accounting system: the “ecological footprint.” Using this indicator, the non-profit organization compares the current needs of the world’s population (or countries) with the Earth’s capacity to renew the natural resources it consumes. Valid baseline data for Interzero’s contribution to the reduction of carbon footprint is provided, among other sources, by the “resources SAVED by Recycling” study by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT. On behalf of Interzero, the scientists determine annually how many greenhouse gases and resources are saved by recycling recyclable materials.

Scattered information, multiple contacts, unnecessary transport, and a lack of overview: In many companies, waste management has evolved over time – but is inefficient. This is precisely where the Interzero Waste Management Platform comes in. It creates centralized transparency, reduces coordination effort, and makes savings potential visible and usable.

A concrete example shows what this looks like in practice:

For one of our major customers with six locations in Austria, we coordinate 332 pickups annually via our platform. In the past, this meant communicating with around 30 contacts, numerous emails, and a lot of coordination. Today, everything is handled centrally, efficiently, and transparently via our digital solution.

And that’s just the beginning: In addition to saving time, companies also save money with the Interzero Waste Management Platform – through more efficient route planning, better material flow analysis, and sound decision-making bases for disposal and recycling concepts.

Future included:

We are continuously working on additional modules – for example, for the integration of sustainability metrics (e.g., CO₂ savings), automated reporting, and AI-based recommendations. This makes the platform an indispensable management tool for modern environmental responsibility.

Learn more about the Interzero Waste Management Platform:

Sustainability is not a passing trend; it has long been a part of corporate reality. More and more companies are adopting circular business models – not just out of conviction, but because it pays off economically. Our new white paper offers in-depth insights into current developments and shows where Europe really stands in terms of the circular economy.

Numbers that encourage rethinking – and become inspiration

Our market study among decision-makers from six European countries shows:

• 60.4% of companies already have a strategy for sustainable development.
• 75% have defined environmental goals – many of which have already been achieved.
• 72.9% rely on more sustainable processes in design and production.

Only 7.8% of the companies surveyed are not currently planning to switch to circular models – a clear signal: the transformation is in full swing.

But how exactly can this transformation be achieved in everyday business operations? What measures can be implemented quickly? And how large are the budgets that companies allocate for sustainable development?