“We urgently need better solutions for plastic recycling.”
Katrin Eder
Engagement
Our engagement within the Recyclate Initiative extends beyond our technological accomplishments to our activity in the politcal arena. We would like to persuade politicians to support the use of recyclate and recyclable packaging and to impose penalties for climate-damaging packaging and greenwashing. To do so, we are engaged in industry-specific associations, working groups and committees, cooperative efforts, and directly in the political environment.
Global
Werner & Mertz joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in 2015. Since then the two organizations have been working together as advocates of plastic recycling. In 2018 we signed the New Plastic Economy Global Commitment and declared our voluntary goal that by the end of 2025, we would produce all packaging from 100 percent recyclate and thus make the packaging 100 percent recyclable too. No other signatory to the global commitment had set such ambitious goals for itself and no other company has gone as far as we have with the implementation. In addition, as part of the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty from the start, we share the goal of establishing binding global standards for handling plastic.
Since 2019 we also have been a member and supporter of the international waste alliance PREVENT, which promotes the circular economy in developing and emerging countries.
In Europe
At the European level, the Green Deal introduced by the EU Commission in 2019 plays an important role in our work. We actively support the establishment of a circular economy for plastic packaging in the EU and a stronger regulation for more climate protection and lower emissions. We support the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation or PPWR), the Green Claims Directive and the Consumer Empowerment Directive for greater transparency and consumer protection. In our work we explain the environmental impact of chemical recycling and mass balancing. Representatives of our company regularly take part in consultations in Brussels in oder to contribute the point of view of a medium-sized family-run business. They also make sure that the carbon footprint is considered in the assessment of new technologies so that fair competitive conditions are created for sustainable solutions.
In Germany
At a national level, Werner & Mertz initiated political networking activities in 2014, including our engagement in AVU (Allianz Verpackung und Umwelt), BDE (BDE Bundesverband der Deutschen Entsorgungs-, Wasser- und Kreislaufwirtschaft e.V.), and BNW (Federal Association for Sustainable Economy). We regularly take a stance on laws and the government’s environmental policy measures and seek out dialogues with politicians. In recent years many politicians, including environmental ministers at the state and federal levels, and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, have visited our headquarters in Mainz. We also work for the implementation of the plastic tax and of §21 of the Packaging Act in support of the use of recyclate. Finally, we take an active interest in the national circular economy strategy.