missionPET and Interzero: A success story for sustainability and innovation
Our partnership with missionPET is a prime example of how innovation and sustainability can go seamlessly together in recycling. missionPET is passionately committed to recycling PET bottles and has a clear vision: to promote the circular economy by consistently reusing PET material.
But there was also a challenge in realizing this vision: the recycled PET particles were delivered in bulky BigBags, whose subsequent storage resulted in wasted space and resources. But thanks to the innovative Orwak baler, this problem is now a thing of the past. With this solution, the BigBags are pressed into compact bales. This has not only made storage and transportation much more efficient, but also ensures that the entire recycling process is more sustainable.
Why is the sustainable recycling process so important?
PET recycling requires the highest standards of purity to ensure that no impurities affect the final product. Careful handling of BigBags is critical to ensure they are clean and free of foreign objects. The Orwak baler enables this precision, helping to keep the quality of the recycled PET material at the highest level.
Our partnership not only enables us to support missionPET in its mission to promote the circular economy, but also drives our own vision: a world without waste. We are convinced that sustainability and innovation can come together to strengthen the environment and the economy alike.
Interzero relies on strong partnerships
Together, we are sending a strong signal that innovation and sustainability are an unbeatable combination.
We look forward to a continued successful cooperation with missionPET and to many more steps towards a green and sustainable future.
Stay tuned to learn more about our sustainable initiatives and success stories!
Strong team for the protection of the planet
Strong team to protect the planet: Interzero and its customers postpone the Earth Overshoot by 7 minutes and 16 seconds
+++ Global Footprint Network calculates resource protection for Interzero
+++ Let's #MoveTheDate campaign: Helping the Earth with Circular Solutions
Vienna – Recycling instead of resource depletion: Current calculations by the Global Footprint Network (GFN) for Interzero show how strongly the recycling of recyclable materials counteracts the chronic overloading of the earth. Without the recycling activities of Europe’s leading recycling service provider and its customers, the imaginary “Earth Overshoot” limit would be crossed 7:16 minutes earlier worldwide. In purely mathematical terms, humanity will have used up all the natural resources that our planet can provide within one year by August 2, 2023.
“The clock is ticking – we are taking action,” says Sebastiaan Krol, CEO Interzero Circular Solutions. “Together with our customers and partners, we are working for a circular economy that protects the climate, secures raw materials and preserves the natural foundations of life for future generations. The annual calculations of the Global Footprint Network show us where we stand – and spur us on to keep improving our performance for greater sustainability.”
As early as 2022, Interzero, in cooperation with GFN, had focused on the conservation of natural resources and launched the campaign “One World. Zero Waste. Let’s #MoveTheDate” campaign. “This year, the individual material flows were looked at in even more detail, more data was included – and thus an even clearer impact was determined,” explains Steven Tebbe, CEO Global Footprint Network. “The fact is that recycling recyclables not only saves greenhouse gas emissions compared to the primary process, but also conserves the biocapacity of our planet. For example, when waste paper is recycled into new products, no additional forest land needs to be cleared to do so.” Every dollar of added value generated by Interzero’s zero waste solutions reduces the global overshoot by 32.3 square meters, according to current calculations. By comparison, the global average overshoot increases by 2.1 square meters for every dollar of economic output.
“The results show that we are on the right track,” says Dr. Axel Schweitzer, chairman and shareholder of Interzero. “We only have this one earth! In order to preserve the quality of life for future generations, we must rapidly make the transition to a holistic circular economy that protects the climate and conserves resources. Accepting one’s own responsibility and cooperation at all levels of politics, business and society are just as crucial to success. Only through sustainable team play will we succeed in pushing Earth Overshoot Day further and further back.”
With the Let’s #MoveTheDate campaign, Interzero therefore wants to encourage as many companies and private individuals as possible to consistently reduce their ecological footprint – so that the earth once again has the opportunity to regenerate as our natural living environment. “As an innovation driver for the Circular Economy, we develop individual solutions for our customers’ challenges – from disposal concepts to recycling of recyclables – with which we enable a truly functioning circular economy. The fact that we are thus succeeding in actually pushing back the Earth Overshoot is a great confirmation of our work,” says Martin Ulke, managing director of Interzero Circular Solutions Europe.
About Global Footprint Network:
Global Footprint Network is an international sustainability organization dedicated to creating a world where all people can thrive within the Earth’s capacity. This is central in view of climate change, the decline in biodiversity and the difficult living conditions of many people. Since 2003, we have worked with more than 60 countries, 40 cities, and 70 global partners to improve their resource security by providing scientific evidence relevant to policy and investment decisions. For more information, visit www.footprintnetwork.org.
About Interzero:
Interzero is one of the leading service providers around the closure of product, material and logistics loops as well as innovation leader in plastics recycling with the largest sorting capacity in Europe. Under the guiding principle of “zero waste solutions,” the company supports more than 50,000 customers across Europe in the responsible use of recyclable materials, helping them to improve their own sustainability performance and conserve primary resources. With around 2,000 employees, the company generates sales of over one billion euros (2021). According to Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Interzero’s recycling activities could save one million tons of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and over 12.5 million tons of primary raw materials in 2021 alone. For more information, visit www.interzero.at.
Contact
office@interzero.at
PACKAGING VS. CLIMATE PROTECTION?
June 23, Innsbruck. The Packaging with a Future platform organized an interactive pop-up booth in Innsbruck in cooperation with MPREIS on June 23, 2023. The goal of the pop-up booth is to have an open and fact-based dialogue with the public on the question of whether packaging is a problem or part of the solution, towards a functioning circular economy. To this end, everyday examples are presented on the topics of food waste, recycling and the value and benefits of packaging. Companies from the entire packaging value chain and the retail partner MPREIS have joined forces for this purpose.
Packaging is an indispensable part of everyday life, but in the public perception it is usually associated with polluting waste and perceived as a burden on the climate. Plastic packaging in particular has a bad reputation. The call to do away with packaging to protect our environment has long been part of the public debate. Despite increased educational efforts by the packaging industry and retailers, some myths persist. “We agree that all unnecessary packaging should be avoided, but we don’t want to ignore the important benefits of packaging,” says Sandra Pechac, executive director of the Packaging with a Future platform. The interactive pop-up stand is designed to help consumers find their way through the packaging jungle and raise awareness of sustainability in everyday life, as well as providing practical tips on food waste, recycling and the recyclability of packaging. “Each and every one of us bears responsibility for a more sustainable future and can make a contribution,” Sandra Pechac is convinced.
Taking responsibility together
Representing the 25 members of the platform were experts from the companies ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH, Interzero Circular Solutions Europe GmbH and ePac Innsbruck GmbH, as well as the managing director of MPREIS. At the pop-up stand, the value and benefits of packaging were illustrated in dialogue with consumers, the advantages and disadvantages of different materials were highlighted, and the importance of packaging design and correct disposal for a closed cycle was explained. “The use of the optimum packaging has predominantly positive effects on the ecological balance of a product if it is disposed of correctly,” is the core message.
As little as possible, as much as necessary
“In terms of resource conservation, it is important that a product is well protected, has a long shelf life and reaches consumers in top quality. Packaging of all kinds, from plastic and aluminum to cardboard and glass, has an important function here. Optimized packaging can reduce food waste by up to 75%. The environmental benefit from avoided waste is thus in most cases significantly higher than the environmental cost of the packaging itself,” says David Mölk, CEO of MPREIS, adding, “At MPREIS, we are constantly reviewing where we can avoid unnecessary packaging, save packaging material and improve our packaging. For example, our MPREIS Alpine butchery has converted the meat cups for minced and sliced meat to rPET. The new packaging uses firstly a mono-plastic and secondly a recyclate, so it is positive in two senses. Unfortunately, there is no reasonable alternative to plastic or plastic for meat. However, we were able to switch a total of 6,000 kg of plastic to recycled PET, which has significantly reduced the use of raw materials or resources.”
Plastic can also be smart
As the Packaging with a Future platform, we are convinced that all packaging materials have their raison d’être. It must always be judged on a case-by-case basis which packaging solution is the wisest and most sustainable. “Flexible packaging made of plastic, for example, has some environmental benefits, such as less food waste due to resealable packaging and less CO2 emissions during transport due to its light weight,” explains Norbert Zillner, Sales Executive Austria of packaging manufacturer ePac, which opened a plant in Zams in Tyrol at the end of April. “Our carbon-neutral HP presses ensure that the environmental impact of printing our bags and roll stock is much lower than conventional printing.” EPac produces flexible packaging regionally on demand, preventing overproduction and thus keeping unused plastic packaging out of landfills.
Innovative solutions for the circular economy
We are currently seeing two trends in Europe: digitalization and the circular economy. Both topics make a major contribution to reducing energy consumption in the plastics processing industry and protecting the climate. “Building a circular economy needs new ideas,” knows Christoph Lhota, head of the Packaging Division at ENGEL, one of the leading companies in plastics machinery manufacturing. The example he presents is tangible even for non-specialists. It’s about food packaging and PET, the material everyone knows from beverage bottles. The special feature of this material is that it can be recycled as often as required and, under EU law, is the only plastic to date that can also be reused as a recyclate for the production of food packaging. In recycled form, the material is called rPET. So far, mainly bottles have been produced from rPET. “Together with partner companies, we want to expand the area of application,” says Lhota. A very large market for this is, for example, trays for fresh products such as delicatessen salads. This packaging is produced using thin-wall technology, which means that it requires very little material, very little energy and weighs almost nothing, so that it does not consume energy unnecessarily, even in logistics and retail. ENGEL’s development partner here is the packaging and recycling specialist ALPLA Group, a founding member of the Packaging with a Future platform.
Packaging optimization as the key
Imminent legal changes and the resulting obligations are currently presenting retailers and industry with major challenges: From 2024, Austria will have a legal obligation to offer reusable packaging to food retailers. From 2030, only recyclable packaging is to be allowed to be produced throughout the EU. “In this context, a comprehensive circular economy is not only a possible solution, but an absolute necessity,” Wolfgang Rabl, Head of Sales at Interzero, is convinced. The company offers licensing solutions, disposal concepts for companies and supports packaging development. “What is needed now on the corporate side are innovative, effective and holistic reusable and plastics recycling solutions. Packaging today must be recyclable so that the raw materials can be used for as long as possible and then reintroduced into new, circular value chains. In keeping with the motto: waste is raw material in the wrong place,” he adds.
Entire value chain drive circular economy forward
“Achieving our goals at national and EU level requires the entire value chain. Every player has an important role to play in solving the challenges,” says Sandra Pechac. “Through the conscious use of packaging, we can jointly establish a functioning circular economy in which packaging is part of the solution and makes a positive contribution to climate protection. Events like this are incredibly important to make this mindset shift visible among the population as well,” she is convinced.
- © Plattform Verpackung mit Zukunft / Reprint for editorial purposes free of charge
- You can also find this story
here
on the website of the Packaging with a Future platform
About the Packaging with a Future platform:
As the “Platform Packaging with a Future”, 25 committed companies along the entire packaging value chain join forces. From raw material processors to recyclers, from packaging to consumer goods manufacturers. The members of the platform believe that resource-saving use of packaging is possible, sensible and necessary. Our goal is to establish a functioning circular economy in Austria in which no recyclable material is lost. Equally important is the reduction, reuse and recycling of packaging.
Interzero is one of the leading service providers around the closure of product, material and logistics loops as well as innovation leader in plastics recycling with the largest sorting capacity in Europe. Under the guiding principle of “zero waste solutions,” the company supports more than 50,000 customers across Europe in the responsible use of recyclable materials, helping them to improve their own sustainability performance and conserve primary resources. With around 2,000 employees, the company generates sales of over one billion euros (2021). According to Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Interzero’s recycling activities could save one million tons of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and over 12.5 million tons of primary raw materials in 2021 alone. For more information, visit www.interzero.at.
Contact
office@interzero.at
HDPE for bottle production made from 100% LVP for the first time - Interzero receives patent for more sustainable plastic recycling process
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Interzero develops mechanical recycling process with chemically controlled rheology modification to produce blow molded products from 100% lightweight packaging material from post-consumer streams, previously only suitable for extrusion processes
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European Patent Office recognizes novel recycling process based on chemically controlled modification without addition of newly produced plastic and re-sorting of used packaging
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A special combination of additives produces high-density polyethylene (HDPE), whose flowability during processing is comparable to that of virgin plastic
Vienna, June 15, 2023 – After many years of development work, Europe’s leading recycling service provider Interzero has patented a process that significantly improves the recycling of HDPE plastics. The effort required for re-sorting polyethylene lightweight packaging (LVP) waste, such as that from the yellow garbage can, is eliminated, as is the addition of primary plastic of the so-called PCC (post consumer commercial) or PIR (post industrial) classes.
Mechanical recycling with chemically controlled rheology modification
The patent relates to the production of a reprocessed plastic material from LVP containing at least 95% HDPE. It is a mechanical recycling process with a chemically controlled rheology modification for the further production of blow molded products from 100% LVP post-consumer material, which were previously qualitatively suitable only for extrusion processes.
The process was developed at Interzero’s own competence center for plastics recycling in Maribor, Slovenia. The Competence Center is the only research facility in the EU that is government-accredited based on the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 laboratory standard and specializes in the development and analysis of recycled plastics. “We look back here on many years of experience and expertise in plastics development and analytics,” says Markus Müller-Drexel, CEO Interseroh+, the recycling alliance of Interzero, Europe’s leading provider of closed-loop solutions.
The laboratory has developed steadily in recent years and is now entering the market with an expanded range of services. Five laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art technical equipment for evaluating material quality – from mechanical, thermal, chemical and rheological properties to migration, sensing and color – also feature material processing machinery and an NIR separator for simulating the behavior of packaging during sorting.
The new performance is also reflected in the HDPE patent. “With the process, we achieve significant savings in raw materials, energy,CO2 emissions and effort in sorting light packaging waste in the production of recycled plastics,“ summarizes Dr. Manica Ulcnik-Krump, managing director of Interzero Plastics Innovations. “The savings mean that the sustainability balance sheet is world-leading compared with conventional processes. We are thus once again a particularly large step closer to our vision of a world without waste.”
A special combination of additives modifies the flow properties of the polyethylene in such a way that the viscosity is increased and the melt flow rate is reduced. This enables the leap from the previous extrusion quality to the blow molding quality suitable for bottle production.
“The successful patenting of this new process shows once again that Interzero is the innovation driver for Circular Economy. With the process, we succeed in closing the LVP recycling loop, so we offer a solution for a truly functioning circular economy,” says Martin Ulke, Managing Director of Interzero Circular Solutions Europe.
New process ensures significant savings in production
For Interzero and its customers, this means significant savings in virgin material and thus petroleum and CO2 emissions. In addition, further CO2 emissions can be avoided through saved energy during sorting. Sorting plant capacity can be better utilized for the ever-increasing volume of used packaging. When blow molding new recycled products, manufacturers can keep their standard technologies.
The Slovenian company Rupar Plastika is one of the first to use the new process. It produces hollow plastic parts from bottles to caps for well-known manufacturers, such as BORA, and offers a range of different plastic processing technologies, including extrusion blow molding, injection stretch blow molding, injection blow molding and injection molding. Special cleaning cartridges (two-chamber system) have been developed and produced for the innovative BORA Flexback Oven X BO.
“With newly used plastics, changes often have to be made to the production lines. We save this by using the new Interzero process. For us, this is an immense time and cost advantage,” says Rok Miklavčič, Head of Production and Sales at Rupar Plastika.
Competence center for plastics recycling sets standards throughout Europe
The accreditation confirms that the facility meets the international requirements for mechanical and physical analysis of plastics. The competence center is thus setting standards throughout Europe in the implementation of uniform quality standards. Thus, it helps Interzero’s customers test packaging of different materials for recyclability and improve it. The experts examine not only the materials and design of the packaging, but also, for example, the practical sorting capability. Positive results are also confirmed by the “Made for Recycling” label that Interzero developed together with the bifa Umweltinstitut and that was confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV.
Interzero is one of the leading service providers around the closure of product, material and logistics loops as well as innovation leader in plastics recycling with the largest sorting capacity in Europe. Under the guiding principle of “zero waste solutions,” the company supports more than 50,000 customers across Europe in the responsible use of recyclable materials, helping them to improve their own sustainability performance and conserve primary resources. With around 2,000 employees, the company generates sales of over one billion euros (2021). According to Fraunhofer UMSICHT, Interzero’s recycling activities could save one million tons of greenhouse gases compared to primary production and over 12.5 million tons of primary raw materials in 2021 alone. For more information, visit www.interzero.at.
Press contact:
Tel.: +43 664 808 69 107
Contact
office@interzero.at
Yellow sack and yellow bin can now do more: New recycling collection system brings regional increase in collection of over 20%
Yellow sack and yellow bin can now do more: New recycling collection system brings regional increase in collection of over 20%
Since the beginning of 2023, the collection of lightweight packaging has been standardized. In addition, metal packaging began to be collected in the yellow bag or yellow garbage can as standard. Lower Austria, Carinthia, Salzburg and partly Upper Austria have practically completed the changeover. The remaining associations and federal states have until the end of 2024 to adapt. From 2025, joint collection of all lightweight and metal packaging will be mandatory.
This change means that everywhere, in addition to plastic bottles, cups, trays, film and other plastic packaging as well as metal packaging can and should be collected in the yellow bag and yellow garbage can. The aim is to help consumers to collect more plastic packaging in particular and thus to achieve the EU recycling quota for plastics in the future, which is an important milestone for climate and environmental protection.
Interzero is responsible for more than 10 regions in Austria, and thus also for the design of the collection in some conversion regions. Previous data from 2023 already show positive effects. In Carinthia and Lower Austria in particular, where previously only plastic bottles were collected in some cases with the LVP collection, there has been a significant increase. A pattern can be discerned here. In the regions that have already collected all lightweight and metal packaging separately, the change (all LVP and metals together) generally has only a slight positive effect. Very positive stands out such interzero regions Horn with an increase of about 20%. In collection regions where only plastic bottles were previously collected separately or also together with metals, a significant increase can generally be seen in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the first quarter of 2022. In the Interzero regions of Klagenfurt City, an increase of 16% was achieved, and in St. Pölten City, an increase of 53% in the amount collected was even achieved.
Wilhelm Kleer at Interzero, who is responsible for the collection, sorting and recycling of packaging, points out in this context that higher recycling rates cannot be achieved only by collecting plastic and metal packaging together. It is equally important to focus on well-recyclable packaging along the entire process – from production to collection and sorting to recycling of packaging and plastic packaging in particular.
In the future, the focus in optimizing the collection of lightweight and metal packaging will therefore be on further measures for simple and easy access to collection, as well as on measures that help to collect primarily well-recyclable packaging with the yellow garbage can or the yellow bag. Interzero is convinced that it will also be able to master this sensible and necessary task together with the very committed employees of the waste associations.
Contact
office@interzero.at
ALL IN Interzero sustainability magazine is online
Sometimes you have to put all your eggs in one basket. That’s exactly what we do at Interzero, because our vision is a world without waste.
Zero Waste is our vision – we go ALL IN for it!
We show exactly how this works in our new sustainability magazine and the latest sustainability report – both of which are available for download as of today.
In the magazine, we provide inspiration and concrete examples of how companies have taken major steps toward the circular economy and with which services we actively support such processes.
A pioneering example is the recycled Tandil 3-in-1 box from ALDI North and ALDI South, which saves 60 tons of new plastic per year. REWE has also successfully implemented the all-in-one solution with Sykell’s EINFACH MEHRWEG solution. This means that REWE customers can take drinks and food home in reusable containers and return them to the deposit machine – without any waste. You can find these exciting customer cases and much more in our sustainability magazine as a free download or on our Interzero sustainability page.
And what do we do at Interzero? Internally, too, sustainability is naturally a top priority for us. Anyone who would like to know exactly what measures we are taking to achieve this and how many resources were saved last year as a result of our work in 2022 can read about this in our latest sustainability report – including all the facts relating to social and economic issues.
We are going ALL IN – are you with us?
All in: We give our all to make true circular economy possible.
Sustainable value creation, climate and resource protection, social responsibility – you can read about the goals we are pursuing and what we have already achieved in our latest sustainability report.
Interzero Serbia: Approval of packaging licensing is a big step
Interzero expanded its operations to Serbia at the end of 2022
We are proud to have received the approval of packaging licensing in Serbia as well! This is an essential step for Interzero Ciruclar Solutions Europe to strengthen our international positioning and to further drive the expansion plans of our integrated environmental solutions.
At the same time, this strategic milestone provides a solid foundation for further local services in Serbia and enables the sustainable development of our competencies throughout the region. This will enable us to implement our growth strategy well: Expanding our expertise in fast-growing countries like Serbia. The goal is to exceed customer expectations by providing more and more international services with our highest quality standards.
Interzero Circular Solutions Europe has expanded its operations in Serbia as of the end of 2022. Now, we have recently received approval for packaging waste disposal and packaging licensing. This is an important step we can take together to achieve goals.
“We thank Country Manager Vojislav Stanković and the team for their excellent work and now look forward to introducing innovative sustainability solutions in Serbia in line with our international best practices,” said Martin Ulke, Head of Interzero Circular Solutions Europe.
The recycling destinations in Serbia and Europe
Serbia’s national targets prescribe the amount of packaging waste to be returned to the recycling system (59%) and/or reused (64%). In the next few years, European targets call for 70% of municipal waste and 80% of packaging waste to be recycled by 2023. However, a landfill ban on recyclable waste will be introduced from 2025. These goals and constraints can create challenges for companies.
How can we achieve the goals together?
It’s simple: we develop environmental solutions that help companies develop sustainable businesses. From environmental protection consulting to integrated waste management, we now offer you a comprehensive portfolio of services and technical solutions in Serbia as well, enabling us to achieve a world without waste together.
Acting in accordance with the law
Broad international partner network
Elimination of the risk of possible sanctions
Advantages of cooperation
Provision of recyclable materials
Throughout Europe, we supply all types of recyclable waste, primarily all types of plastics, but also cardboard, metal, wood and glass, as well as raw materials and regranulates produced in the recycling process.
Sustainable technical solutions
By using first-class technical equipment, your employees optimize their workplace, simplify and accelerate production processes, reduce the amount of waste, cut costs and help the company achieve certain sustainable as well as economic goals
International solutions
Based on more than 30 years of experience in European countries, Interzero offers consulting and solutions in the field of waste management.
The new online reporting portal - not just a new look
(Updated version: May 2024) In the second half of last year, all systems in Austria were informed that from 2023, in addition to the already known and necessary quantity reports of packaging, batteries or waste electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market, companies will be subject to additional reporting obligations. These new notifications, as we have already informed, concern single-use plastic products as well as single-use and reusable packaging.
These new features should be available for reporting for the first time by March 15, and we at Interzero have taken advantage of this to not only incorporate the enhanced reporting queries, but to present the online reporting portal in a new look AND with new features. The clear goal here was to simplify the submission of reports and improve the user interface.
Whether you are an Interzero Circular Solutions Europe or Interzero Circular Consulting (formerly profitara) customer – there is now a contact point where you can submit all reports digitally and efficiently.
Convince yourself!
From now on, you can enter at the usual web address with your usual access data and familiarize yourself with the new portal.
What has changed and what are the benefits?
With a new design and easier handling we offer you the possibility to report your quantities including the new reporting obligations.
- Simply save your product groups to be reported as favorites!
- Automatic quota correction or independent calculation – you decide!
- Your quantities are not different from the previous message? You can now easily copy quantities from the previous period and save valuable time
- Messages can now be submitted in tons or kilograms
- You will find your system participation confirmation directly in the registration overview for download. Not only for the current, but also past are now stored in one place.
- Download your quantity reports as a report, whether PDF or Excel!
- and much more!
If you have any further questions, please contact us at kundenberatung@interzero.at. We will try to answer your request as soon as possible.
Find below the most important info sheets and FAQs on this topic!
Information sheet on the new obligations for single-use plastic products and fishing gear
Information sheet for the new Reporting obligations for single-use and reusable packaging
Information sheet for the
Delimitation criteria for food packaging
More information
Packaging Ordinance 2014, version of 01.03.2023
§18. Manufacturers and importers of disposable tableware and cutlery must comply with the regulations on household packaging for the same.
§21a. reporting obligations for single-use plastic products
§9 Abs. Household Packaging
§13 para. Commercial packaging
How to: Interzero reporting portal
In the PDF you will find a step by step guide for the new reporting portal. If you have any questions, please contact kundenberatung@interzero.at
+++ ENGLISH VERSION +++
See for yourself!
What has changed and what are the advantages?
With a new design and easier handling we offer you the possibility to report your quantities including the new reporting obligations.
- Simply save your product groups to be reported as favorites!
- Automatic quota correction or independent calculation – you decide!
- Your quantities do not differ from the previous report? You can now easily copy quantities from the previous period and save valuable time.
- Reports can now be submitted in tons or kilograms
- You will find your system participation confirmation directly in the report overview for downloading
- Download your quantity reports as a report, whether PDF or Excel!
- and much more!
If you have any further questions, please contact us at kundenberatung@interzero.at. We will try to answer your request as soon as possible.
Please find below the most important information sheets and FAQs on this topic!
Information sheet for the new obligations for
single-use plastic products and fishing gear
Further information
please keep in mind that the legislation is only available in German.
Sustainability - a question of attitude
What distinguishes a disposable from a reusable glass bottle? The personal attitude towards innovation and ecological sustainability – this is proven by entrepreneurs* from Lower Austria, who have implemented an impressive project on waste prevention, which has been co-financed retroactively with Interzero’s funding.
It was a conversation about “dry” topics, even though the business purpose of Flaschenservice Erwin Haimerl GmbH in Langenlois, at the gateway to the Wachau, is anything but dry. There, they take on noble drops from the surrounding area to bottle, package and deliver to businesses far beyond the region: Wines, sparkling wines, must and self-produced grape juices.
This time it was about licensing the packaging placed on the market – in other words, compliance with legal requirements. Then an almost casual remark by the entrepreneur siblings Erwin Haimerl Junior and Annemarie Michael-Haimerl caught the special attention of the Interzero consultant. The entrepreneur had upgraded his bottle washing plant to the latest state of the art with the aim of making even disposable glass bottles reusable as often as possible after thorough cleaning.
It was immediately clear to the Interzero expert that a project like this could meet the funding guidelines of the BMK (Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology). Since Interzero had its own funding within the legal framework, it was finally able to support its partner’s initiative with it quickly and unbureaucratically.
Hundreds of thousands of disposable bottles in a very short time
The result is impressive: In the first four months alone after the project was implemented, hundreds of thousands of glass bottles were washed, allowing them to be reused up to 40 times before being fed into the recycling process. This saves waste and transport distances every day – and not least climate-damaging CO2 emissions through less import of new disposable bottles from other EU countries.
Interzero actively promotes the prevention of waste
In line with the company’s mission statement, Interzero is actively engaged in the implementation of environmental sustainability projects. While it has been possible to autonomously provide a contingent of subsidies for projects (including those already implemented) that meet the legal requirements, Interzero will continue to provide its partners with the best possible support for subsidy submissions in the future in order to make investments in the protection of our environment even more attractive.
This is because Interzero consultants already have an insight into the areas of activity of the partner companies. This enables them to identify and assess optimization potential in discussions. The experts’ legal experience and long-standing contacts with the relevant authorities then help them to apply for funding for waste prevention projects of any size.
Our vision: Zero waste
As specialists in resource optimization, our goal is to work together to bring ecologically sustainable initiatives to successful – and maximally funded – implementation. In this way, we work together with our partners every day to realize our vision of a waste-free future.
Bottle service Erwin Haimerl GmbH
https://www.haimerl.cc/
More information:
https://www.interzero.at/nachhaltigkeit/
https://www.interzero.at/nachhaltigkeit/mitarbeitende-initiativen/
Interzero x Bottle Service Erwin Haimerl GmbH
Change in the law: Who needs an authorized representative based in Austria from January 1, 2023.
With amendments to the Waste Management Act and the Packaging Ordinance, which came into force on 01. When the new legislation comes into force on January 1, 2023, an important change in the licensing and exemption of packaging must be taken into account: From next year, both mail-order companies without a registered office in Austria that sell their goods to private end consumers in this country and companies in EU member states that (still) want to take over the pre-declaration of packaging for their business customers in Austria will have to appoint authorized representatives. This concerns – unchanged – the placing on the market of packaging (disposable plastic products) or the sale of goods and commodities in packaging on the Austrian end consumer:inside market.
The authorized representative to be appointed shall assume all packaging law obligations in Austria on behalf of the commissioning company. He/she represents the foreign company vis-à-vis Austrian authorities and is responsible for “fulfilling its obligations under an ordinance pursuant to § 14 [Waste Management Act, note]”(§ 12b Waste Management Act, ris.bka.gv.at). This may also include regular packaging volume reports (as a basis for royalties) to the relevant authorities.
The specialists of Interzero will be happy to inform and advise you
As specialists with many years of experience in the field of packaging licensing, we will be happy to advise you on the extent to which your company is affected by the changes in the law. Of course, we will be happy to take over all packaging law tasks for you as your authorized representative via our subsidiary Profitara – so that you can continue to concentrate fully on your core business.
With our know-how, we not only offer you packaging licensing, but are also your contact for old electrical devices for private or commercial purposes, as well as for old batteries. Find out more in our webshop!
How to get your authorized representative contract (Update 01.01.2024)
On our Interzero contract webshop you can get more information about the authorized representative and conclude your contract from 2023.
Click here to go to our webshop! Please note that you are already registered as an existing Interzero customer . You no longer need to register, but can go straight to your customer portal to order an authorized contract. To do so, please click here!
Find the most important FAQs on this topic below!
More information
Federal Act on Sustainable Waste Management (Waste Management Act 2002 – AWG 2002)
Packaging Ordinance 2014(§ 16a, § 16b, § 16c, § 16d, § 16e)
FAQ - Frequently asked questions
The authorized representative assumes all obligations of the foreign supplier under packaging law.
Foreign mail order companies that do not have a registered office in Austria and hand over packaging or goods or goods in packaging in Austria to a private end consumer in the context of distance selling must appoint an authorized representative in Austria for packaging placed on the market as of January 1, 2023.
The same also applies to companies whose registered office is in another member state of the European Union and who wish to assume the advance obligation for packaging for their Austrian corporate customers. They may appoint a proxy. Pre-commitment is no longer possible without an authorized representative.
The regulations on the authorized representative (cf. §§ 16a to 16d of the Packaging Ordinance) stipulate that the authorized representative must be a natural person or legal entity with its registered office in Germany.
Branches established within Austria must be registered with the commercial register. Nevertheless, they do not have their own legal personality. Rather, the legal entity remains the natural person or legal entity that is also behind the main branch office.
Yes, for foreign companies/persons without a registered office in Austria, the appointment of an authorized representative is mandatory in order to continue to be able to license packaging in Austria in accordance with the law.
As of 01.01.2023, you will need an authorized representative, based in Austria. Once you have a contract and notarization, the power of attorney is valid until dissolved. Please check with your authorized representative regarding the validity of the contract.
The authorized representative is a deputy under packaging law who must assume the obligations for you from 01.01.2023. (See the next question for detailed information on commitments). Basically, any natural or legal person can be selected as an authorized representative if the following is present:
- Domicile in Austria (domestic delivery address)
- Notarized power of attorney
- Registration with BMK
Balloons, fishing gear, wet wipes, tobacco products
The authorization concerns the following area - definitions
A foreign producer is any person as defined in Article 12b(2) of the Waste Management Act 2002 (i) who distributes packaging in Austria to other than private final consumers or (ii) who distributes disposable plastic products commercially in Austria to other than private final consumers and (ii) has its registered office in another Member State of the European Union.
Foreign distance seller (single-use plastic products) is any person who commercially sells single-use plastic products, excluding packaging, in Austria directly to private end consumers by means of distance communication technology and is established in another Member State of the European Union or in a third country.
