On Circular Economy Day in Berlin on June 5, the BDE was calling on politicians and businesses to push ahead with the circular economy.
 

This was announced in a statement by the BDE Federal Association of the German Waste Management, Water, and Recycling Industry before the start of the event. The association points out the importance of the industry, which employs around 300,000 people and generates around 105 billion euros annually. It would make a significant contribution to climate protection: according to the information provided, emissions from waste management have been reduced by almost 90 percent since 1990, from 38 to 4.3 million tons of carbon dioxide. In addition, the use of recycled raw materials saves energy and thus contributes further to climate protection.
 
The association expects politicians to take decisive action and set clear framework conditions. Among other things, the BDE considers it necessary to reduce bureaucracy, lower energy costs, and speed up approval and planning procedures. The Circular Economy Strategy (NKWS) would have to be implemented and the use of recycled raw materials supported in the context of infrastructure measures. Laws and regulations that have not been finalized by the coalition government must be passed quickly, such as the amendments to the Commercial Waste Ordinance and the Substitute Building Materials Ordinance. The BDE considers binding targets for industry and administration to be necessary in the long term. Manufacturers should be “obliged to use more recycled materials and, through tax incentives (e.g., reduced VAT rates), to use secondary raw materials.” The public sector should also give priority to purchasing recycled products. At the EU level, the BDE believes that Germany should advocate a general ban on the landfilling of untreated municipal waste by 2030.
 
“The circular economy offers decisive competitive and locational advantages for Germany. It strengthens Germany's independence from raw materials and increases the resilience of the economy. For this reason, the ramp-up of the circular economy must be accelerated both nationally and across Europe,” says Anja Siegesmund, Executive President of the BDE.
 
Sources:

• BDE press release (5.6.2025)
• Photo: © BDE / Marc Vorwerk