The ZSVR has prepared the draft of the minimum standard for the assessment of the recyclable design of packaging - edition 2023. The minimum standard is updated annually in consultation with the Federal Environment Agency and a group of experts (Expert Group III - Recyclable Design).

Feedback on the consultation version of the minimum standard can be submitted until 14 July 2023. The planned changes concern the following areas, among others:

• Existence of recycling infrastructure: alignment with planned PPWR requirements: If sorting and recycling capacities are available for less than 80% of a certain packaging type, an individual verification will be required.
• Clarification on fibre-based packaging and fibre-based composite packaging: Uniform wording and definition (previously paper packaging; now defined with a fibre content > 50%); Demarcation between "non-dry" (previously: "liquid and pasty") and "dry" filling goods (< 15% water content; these are exempt from the obligation to provide evidence of so-called fibrousness introduced in 2022).
• Supplementary regulation on light transmission for glass packaging: new limit value of the so-called transmittance at 10% (is not achieved e.g. with lacquers, porcelain and ceramics)
• Definition of high-quality recycling: clarification in connection with the definition in the Packaging Act (§21) and by naming examples.
• Additional recycling incompatibilities: so-called nitrocellulose (NC) printing inks, PVC-based printing inks, interfering labels (with a density > 1 g/cm³).

Further information can be found under the following links:

Minimum standard (verpackungsregister.org)

Mindeststandard_2023_Dokumentation_AEnderungen_EN.pdf (verpackungsregister.org)