The share of reusable packaging for beverages has continued to fall. In 2017, only about 42 percent of the drinks were bottled in returnable bottles. This informs the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).
Thus, the reusable rate is again 0.5 percentage points lower than in 2016. Looking back on the year 2010, the decline is particularly clear: Since the rate was still at 48 percent.
It is a long way from the goal of the packaging law. According to this, 70 percent are targeted in the long term. "Short transport distances and reusable packaging are important in order to avoid environmental pollution and waste," said UBA President Maria Krautzberger. For it well-functioning reusable systems are needed. "All supermarkets and beverage outlets should offer as many drinks as possible in returnable bottles, thereby helping to reduce waste."
Glass bottles can be filled 50 times
According to the latest available data, the market share of disposable plastic bottles was around 52 percent and cans reached a market share of four percent. As beverage packaging accounts for more than a quarter of German packaging waste, a higher reusable share would also significantly reduce packaging waste overall. According to the UBA, reusable glass bottles could be filled 50 times, and PET returnable bottles could still be filled 20 times.
According to the UBA, beer is an exception to the low reusable share, where the reusable share is currently just under 82 percent. But here, too, the disposable bottle is used more often: in 2010, the reusable portion was still just over 88 percent.
