The Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag (TAB) is an independent scientific institution that advises the German Bundestag and its committees on issues of scientific and technological change. As Euwid points out, it is currently also looking at strategies and instruments for improving the use of recycled materials. Currently, only 16 per cent of the raw materials needed for the German economy were covered by secondary raw materials. In some waste streams, however, there was still a lot of potential for material recycling, such as plastic packaging or waste electrical and electronic equipment. Against this background, TAB has commissioned three expert reports for a first project phase in October 2021 to obtain a systematic overview of the state of the art and technological development trends in the recycling sector for the material flows of plastic packaging, construction waste and electronic waste. In addition, fields of innovation along the recycling process are to be determined and obstacles of various kinds for an increased use of recyclates are to be identified. In the subsequent second phase of the project, policy instruments and legal options of actions for increasing the use of recyclates are to be developed on this basis.

 

More information: TA project "Strategies and Instruments for Improving the Use of Recycled Materials

 

Sources:

• Euwid Recycling und Entsorgung 48/2021 (11/30/2021)
• Photo: © Lidl