''Der Gelbe Sack'' is becoming increasingly important as a source of raw materials for sustainable packaging concepts in order to promote a closed recycling economy. However, the recycling rate of the packaging material collected via the dual system in Germany is still low. This is partly due to the complexity of sorting and recycling this material. "Packaging materials that are collected via ''Der Gelbe Sack'' are significantly more heterogeneous than returnable bottles and in some cases heavily contaminated," says Carsten Bertram, head of international packaging development in the dishwashing detergents division at Henkel. "For a long time, high-quality recyclate from ''Der Gelbe Sack'' was not available in sufficient quantities. Through cooperation with the packaging manufacturer and plastics recycler Alpla however, we are now a big step further.”
Henkel has been working with Alpla on innovative and sustainable packaging solutions for several years. The long-standing partner company has continuously expanded its sorting and recycling technologies. Already at the beginning of last year, Henkel was able to use packaging made with recyclate from ''Der Gelbe Sack'' for some of its products. Henkel has now switched all packaging for hand dishwashing detergents that are produced in Germany to high-quality PET recyclate from ''Der Gelbe Sack''. In the future, the proportion of recyclate from ''Der Gelbe Sack'' is to be increased further. In addition, the changeover is also to be made for other consumer goods products from Henkel.
“We are very pleased to support Henkel in the conversion of its packaging. Investments in modern recycling structures are only possible if there is sufficient demand for recyclate from ''Der Gelbe Sack'' on the part of industry. Henkel is sending an important signal here,” says Dietmar Marin, Managing Director of the Recycling division at Alpla.
