With almost 400 stores, dm is one of the country’s largest drugstore retail chains. Sustainability is a top priority at dm. This is not only reflected in the increasingly “green” product range, but also applies to waste avoidance measures: Interzero, for example, helps to ensure that waste at dm is turned into valuable recyclable materials that remain in the cycle.

Cardboard, plastic, paper – large quantities of packaging material accumulate at dm throughout Austria every day. For years now, the company has relied on Interzero as a specialist for sustainable recycling management when it comes to waste logistics. Together, not only were the disposal logistics optimized and centralized – Interzero coordinates up to 80 disposal service providers as one of two contact partners. A tailor-made concept for the recycling of accumulating recyclables was also created for dm.

More efficiency through ORWAK balers

Interzero has already equipped a third of all its branches with balers from the Swedish manufacturer ORWAK. At the push of a button, the modern devices in three sizes compact the cardboard or plastic packaging material directly in the stores: with no effort at all and a significantly reduced risk of injury (compared to manual shredding), the large quantities of waste are turned into compact bales. This saves valuable storage space and precious working time.

Waste becomes recyclable material

Pressing waste into bales in this way has another advantage: it becomes a sought-after recyclable material for which companies receive rebates.

For the environment, the balers at dm mean fewer CO2 emissions: Due to the lower volume of recyclable material bales, pickups are made in the course of product deliveries. Separate trips are thus no longer necessary.

But the cooperation between Interzero and dm goes beyond recycling, as Michael Schuster from dm’s store logistics explains: “Interzero not only supports us in disposal, but also advises us on legal matters.”

From recovery to discharge: Interzero as a full-service provider

Like every company that puts packaging on the market, dm is also obligated to de-obligate it in accordance with the scope. As a collection and recycling system, Interzero assumes these legal obligations for dm and, as one of two specialized service providers, ensures compliant implementation of the Packaging Ordinance – for a further contribution to greater sustainability and efficient waste avoidance. Together with its customers, Interzero is moving towards “zero waste”, for a world without waste.