News

Austria has the potential to play a pioneering role throughout Europe in the transformation to a circular economy – provided the right measures are taken now. With this in mind, a high-profile delegation from business, science and NGOs presented Federal Minister Norbert Totschnig (BMLUK) with a comprehensive catalog of concrete implementation proposals.

The initiative was launched by Reinhard Backhausen, Vice President of the Austrian Trade Association (ÖGV). The aim is to provide companies with practical support in switching to circular processes, conserving resources, keeping raw materials in the cycle for longer – and thus strengthening Austria’s competitiveness as a business location.

Interzero on board

Interzero was also present with Managing Director Thomas Glatz represented. Together with representatives from companies such as Billa, Coca-Cola, Red Bull, IKEA and Siemens, a close alliance was sought with politicians. Minister Totschnig signaled his openness to close cooperation and emphasized that existing funding opportunities and initiatives should be made even more visible in the future.

Key requirements for the circular economy from the catalog of measures:

• Reduction of regulatory hurdles, particularly in waste legislation
• Stronger demand for circular products through public procurement
• Development of a cross-border secondary raw materials market
• New information and training opportunities – especially for SMEs
• Fiscal incentives for companies with circular business models

A strong signal for the future.

The delegation made it clear that Austria’s economy is ready to actively shape change. The task now is to take bold steps together with the administration and politicians.

Securing the future through a circular economy: Recycling is an effective lever for reducing earth pollution and achieving the European climate neutrality targets. Together with customers and partners, Interzero is therefore already developing successful business models for the circular economy of tomorrow. But how can we get even more companies to join in? How can we continue to drive forward the sustainable transformation together?  

Plastic recycling is particularly effective. Plastics and lightweight packaging account for almost half of the recycled materials – they make up 54% of the resource savings and 62% of the CO₂ reduction.

Would you like to know how much CO₂ and resources your company can save with a smart circular economy?

Read the complete analysis online now: Current Resources SAVED Study

Download the compact summary as PDF: PDF Resources SAVED Study

If you want to ensure security of supply, price stability and compliance, you need to make strategic preparations now. This is because the PPWR packaging regulation is changing the rules of the game: From 2030, binding minimum use quotas for PCR in Packaging will apply – between 10% and 35%, depending on the application. This sounds good, but in practice it puts companies under pressure. Because high-quality PCR – especially for food contact or technical packaging – is already in short supply. Demand is increasing, supply is lagging behind.

White paper shows: Massive supply gap for recycled plastics by 2030 – growing pressure for companies to act

Our latest white paper, which we commissioned from the consulting company BP, illustrates the scale of the challenge:
Even with optimistic market developments, the demand for PCR will significantly exceed the available supply. In the area of food-grade plastics alone, there will be a supply gap of over one million tons by 2030. This applies in particular to polypropylene and multilayer materials, for which recycling is technically challenging and cost-intensive.

For companies, this means that if they want to be compliant, competitive and stable on the market in 2030, they will have to act by 2025 at the latest – with a long-term strategy and concrete investments in recyclable packaging, stable partnerships in the supply chain and secure access to high-quality recyclate. The recyclability of your own packaging solutions will become a decisive competitive factor.

Interzero supports you in this – with sound advice, targeted analysis and in-depth expertise in material flow management.

With Cervic, Interzero is bringing a strong partner to Austria: the internationally experienced manufacturer produces high-quality collection systems for indoor and outdoor use, which are characterized by their elegant design, durable materials and modular application options. As an official sales partner, Interzero is now bringing these premium solutions directly to the Austrian market.

Your advantages of the high-quality waste system at a glance:

• High-quality design & durable materials – for a professional appearance in high-profile areas
• Wide range of products – from classic indoor containers to vandal-proof outdoor solutions
• Individual designs – for example with pedal opening, viewing window, floor anchoring or wall mounting
• Special solutions for sensitive areas – e.g. certified self-extinguishing models or safety variants
• International references – e.g. Nike Europe, Roland Garros, City of Brussels

Due to legal requirements for waste separation and increasing sustainability requirements, the need for functional separation systems is growing. With Cervic products, you can combine investment in environmental protection and design – and strengthen your position as a responsible organization.

Interzero as a one-stop store for holistic sustainability solutions

The best thing is that Interzero not only provides you with high-quality collection containers, but also a complete recycling management concept on request – including advice, licensing, take-back, logistics and disposal. This makes us a reliable premium partner for holistic sustainability solutions.

Delivery & Service
Delivery time: standard models approx. 3 weeks, special solutions from 6 weeks. Assembly on request possible through our proven service team.

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?