Reifenhäuser joins recycling initiative

Reifenhäuser strengthens its commitment to create a functioning circular economy for plastic packaging materials by joining an additional initiative, the #ForumRezyklat (German for Recyclate Forum). The active association was set up in 2018 by the drugstore chain company dm Drogerie Markt to promote recyclable packaging materials that preserve resources. Retailers, producers, disposal companies, packaging manufacturers, and political representatives work hand in hand in the association to achieve its aims.

The Reifenhäuser Group joins with immediate effect together with six other new members: Coca-Cola, Der Grüne Punkt, Greiner Packaging, Kao, Morssinkhof-Rymoplast, and Werner & Mertz. Collaboration takes place by sitting on various expert groups. Reifenhäuser will first start off as a member of the expert group “Master Data Management”.

Bernd Reifenhäuser, CEO of the Reifenhäuser Group, explains: “As a machine manufacturer of plastic extrusion lines, our attention is focused on two main issues: What technologies can we contribute to the production of recyclable and recycled packaging materials and how can industry sort waste to recover the high-quality recyclates required? This is the reason why we are delighted to contribute our expertise in the #ForumRezyklat – for example by bringing in the R-Cycle industry standard which supplies transparent recycling-relevant data along the entire value chain to improve sorting, obtain high-quality recyclates, and achieve a higher proportion of recyclates in packaging materials.”

In collaboration with the other new members, Reifenhäuser will take part in an online meeting of the #ForumRezyklat for the first time on November 24. “At dm, we are convinced that promoting a functioning circular economy is best achieved together with partners. We are therefore pleased that more companies are providing their individual expertise to the Forum and supporting the work in expert groups,” explains Sebastian Bayer, initiator of the #ForumRezyklat and responsible as dm CEO for the Marketing + Procurement division.

Background information about #ForumRezyklat

The #ForumRezyklat was launched by dm Drogerie Markt in 2018 as an active association. There are 47 members consisting of retailers, producers, disposal companies, packaging manufacturers, and political representatives, forming the entire spectrum along the circular economy chain. The #ForumRezyklat collaborates to work on strategies and measures to sensitize the general public to the circular economy, with the aim of sorting and separating recyclable materials by type. In the long term, this will increase the recycling quota and the recycling percentage in packaging materials. In addition, one of the primary aims of the Forum is to reduce the amount of packaging materials and ensure that new packaging is designed with inbuilt recyclability so that it remains as a resource within the circular economy.