In December 2021, the European Commission had adopted new guidelines for state aid for climate, environmental and energy protection (CEEAG), in which "recovery of sorted materials" is no longer included as an eligible economic activity. The new CEEAG guidelines are intended to replace the existing guidelines on state aid for energy and the environment (EEAG). Member states will have to adapt these to the new rules from 2024. The bvse Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung (German Association for Secondary Raw Materials and Waste Disposal) sees companies in the recycling industry as being at a disadvantage as a result, because the new guidelines also changed the exemption from the renewable energy surcharge (EEG surcharge), which can be claimed in Germany by companies from certain industries with high electricity consumption. For the waste management association, the extraction of secondary raw materials from processed waste is an important part of increasing resource efficiency, securing the supply of raw materials and thus promoting a genuine circular economy: "It is therefore completely counterproductive and unacceptable if, for example, the production of packaging from virgin materials is eligible for aid, while the production of recyclates is disadvantaged," criticized bvse CEO Eric Rehbock. The last word has not yet been spoken, according to Rehbock, who now sees the German government as being responsible. It must examine how the disadvantage of the recycling companies can be compensated, he said.

Sources:

• Kunststoff Information (Jan. 24, 2022)
• Photo: @ bvse