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Die EU Verpackungs- und Verpackungsabfallverordnungg PPWR in der Industriestrategie

Mit der EU Verpackungs- und Verpackungsabfallverordnung PPWR, veröffentlicht im Jänner 2025, gilt erstmals ein europaweit einheitlicher Rechtsrahmen für Verpackungen. Die Verordnung ist unmittelbar in allen EU Mitgliedstaaten anzuwenden und definiert verbindliche Ziele zur Reduktion von Verpackungsabfällen. Vorgesehen sind mindestens 5 Prozent bis 2030, 10 Prozent bis 2035 und 15 Prozent bis 2040. Damit betrifft die PPWR die gesamte Verpackungswertschöpfungskette.

Vor diesem Hintergrund gewinnt Kreislaufwirtschaft auch strategisch an Bedeutung. Die aktuelle Industriestrategie unterstreicht, dass Ressourcensicherheit, Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und langfristige Planungssicherheit für Unternehmen zunehmend zusammen gedacht werden müssen. Regulatorische Anforderungen werden damit zu einem integralen Bestandteil unternehmerischer Entscheidungen.

Interzero Whitepaper “Verpackung und Nachhaltigkeit”

Das Whitepaper Verpackung und Nachhaltigkeit ordnet diese neuen Anforderungen strukturiert ein. Es zeigt, welche Unternehmen in welcher Rolle betroffen sind und welche Maßnahmen in den kommenden Jahren relevant werden. Ergänzt wird dies durch Praxisdaten und Einblicke, wie Unternehmen bereits heute reagieren, etwa durch den Einsatz von Recyclingmaterialien, die Reduktion nicht nachhaltiger Komponenten oder ein recyclinggerechtes Verpackungsdesign.

Ein zentrales Fazit: Nachhaltige Verpackungen sind nicht mehr nur eine regulatorische Pflicht, sondern ein strategisches Handlungsfeld. Viele Unternehmen setzen bereits mehrere Maßnahmen parallel um. Gleichzeitig besteht weiterhin Bedarf an Orientierung, um Anforderungen sinnvoll zu priorisieren und in eine klare Strategie zu überführen.

Das Whitepaper richtet sich an Unternehmen, die ihre Rolle im Kontext der PPWR besser verstehen und fundierte Entscheidungen für die kommenden Jahre treffen möchten. Interzero Austria unterstützt Unternehmen dabei mit einem strukturierten Ansatz, regulatorische Anforderungen einzuordnen und frühzeitig Handlungsfelder sichtbar zu machen als Grundlage für langfristig wettbewerbsfähige und regelkonforme Verpackungslösungen.

Effects of the new collection on recycling: the potential of the Yellow Bag

Since January 1, 2025, plastic and metal packaging in Austria has been collected uniformly in the Yellow Bag or Yellow Bin. The aim of the changeover was to simplify handling for households and improve the conditions for high-quality sorting. Today, modern sorting technologies make it possible to precisely separate the different material streams and make them usable for recycling. Feedback from the public shows that The joint collection is widely accepted and perceived as practicable.

In parallel to the new joint collection, the one-way deposit for plastic drinks bottles and cans was also introduced at the start of 2025. Since then, this packaging has been collected via a separate take-back system and is no longer collected via the Yellow Bag.

Deposit system shifts collection of Packaging

This simultaneous changeover will have a visible impact on collection volumes: For the transition year 2025, Interzero Austria expects a decline of around 7% in packaging collected in the Yellow Bag or Yellow Bin. While 231,000 tons were still collected in 2024, the current projection for 2025 is 214,000 tons. The decline is a direct result of the shift of certain packaging to the deposit system, not a reduction in collection behavior.

This development is relevant for companies for two reasons: Firstly, clean, comprehensive collection improves the quality of the recyclates available. Secondly, it becomes clear that the circular economy does not end with collection. The decisive factor is what happens afterwards – in other words, how the recovered materials can be fed back into suitable applications. This is precisely where Interzero comes in: with a holistic approach from collection and sorting to specific applications in new products.

An international case study from the cosmetics industry shows just how efficient and versatile recycled plasticsfrom the Yellow Bag can be today. Together with Interzero, La Biosthétique has developed packaging made from post-consumer recyclate that meets the highest quality and safety requirements. The example illustrates the potential of the correct use of collected materials and how the circular economy can work in practice.

On January 21, 2026, Interzero Austria was once again recognized as a leading company as part of the Leading Companies Austria annual launch event at Vienna Airport. The recertification confirms companies that combine sustainable corporate success with responsibility towards society and the environment.

The award is presented by Leitbetriebe Austria and recognizes companies that combine economic stability, innovative strength and sustainable action in the long term. The official presentation of the certificate was made by Monika Rintersbacher, Managing Director of Leitbetriebe Austria.

For Interzero, recertification is both a recognition and an obligation. As a leading, owner-managed environmental service provider with over 30 years of experience, Interzero supports companies throughout Europe on the path to a circular economy: with integrated solutions ranging from packaging licensing and take-back systems to recycling and closed-loop logistics along the entire material cycle. The aim is to combine ecological responsibility and economic efficiency and to translate regulatory requirements into practicable solutions.

With the renewed award as a leading company, Interzero Austria is pleased to start the year 2026 with a clear commitment to sustainable management and to continue to actively contribute its own experience to the exchange with other companies that act responsibly.

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.