B
BattG – German Batteries Act
Legislation on the Distribution, Collection, and Environmentally Friendly Disposal of Batteries and Accumulators.
Blue Angel - German Eco Label
The German government’s environmental label – it sets high standards for environmentally friendly products and services and serves as a guide for consumers. A globally recognized symbol that serves as a benchmark for environmentally beneficial products.
C
Central Agency Packaging Register (ZSVR)
The “Central Office” is a private-law foundation whose purpose is to establish and monitor a transparent and fair distribution of the costs associated with the waste management and recycling system for packaging. This is done through the LUCID portal, where registrations by stakeholders, together with data reports, form the basis for the monitoring function.
D
DAkkS (German Accreditation Body)
DAkkS is Germany’s national accreditation body. It confirms that certification bodies operate competently and independently in accordance with internationally recognized standards.
Against this backdrop, RecyClass has stipulated that, starting in mid-2026, only certification bodies accredited according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17065 by the respective national accreditation body – in Germany, DAkkS – will be permitted to conduct RecyClass audits (Recycled Plastic Traceability and Recycling Process).
Declaration of Completeness (Section § 11 VerpackG)
Concerns manufacturers who place more than the minimum quantities of packaging on the market. The completeness declaration includes information on the type of material and mass of all sales and secondary packaging placed on the market in the previous calendar year, especially those that are left over from private end consumers after use. It requires examination by a registered expert, tax consultant, or auditor.
DIVID
The Federal Environment Agency's electronic registry for the registration, reporting of quantities, and administration of obligations under the Single-Use Plastics Fund Act (EWKFondsG).
E
EWKFondsG – Single-Use Plastic Fund Act
Act on Reducing the Environmental Impact of Certain Single-Use Plastic Products. This applies in particular to plastic-containing items such as cigarette filters, tampons, wet wipes, and packaging for products intended for immediate consumption. Companies must register via the “DIVID” registry, report the single-use plastic products placed on the market and their quantities, and, based on this, pay annual fees to the Single-Use Plastics Fund. The responsible supervisory and enforcement authority is the Federal Environment Agency (UBA).
EPR – Extended Producer Responsibility
An environmental policy instrument that transfers responsibility for managing the post-use phase of a product to manufacturers when it becomes waste. Manufacturers pay EPR fees based on the quantities of packaging or products (e.g., batteries or electrical and electronic devices) they put on the market. EPR is a regulatory principle that forms the basis for a multitude of European Union legal standards and is increasingly gaining importance worldwide.
F
Final Processor
Operators of facilities that manufacture marketable products from waste or secondary raw materials.
G
GewAbfV – German Commercial Waste Regulation
Regulation on handling commercial residential waste and specific construction and demolition waste.
L
LUCID
Packaging Register - Online platform of the Central Agency Packaging Register for implementing the Packaging Act. (ZSVR)
M
Manufacturer
Depending on the regulatory area, manufacturers and distributors are companies that place products, packaging, or batteries on the market for the first time on a commercial basis. The specific classification and the resulting obligations are determined by the relevant legal framework, such as the Packaging Act (VerpackG), the Battery Act (BattG), or the European Packaging Regulation (PPWR).
P
Publicly appointed and sworn experts
Publicly appointed experts must demonstrate special expertise, practical experience and personal suitability in a specific work-field. This is assessed by the appointing authority during the initial appointment with regard to education, curriculum vitae including professional stations and work samples (expert reports). Furthermore, the applicant must prove his professional knowledge and performance by means of an examination. The appointment is regularly limited to 5 years. For an extension, work results must be submitted and proof of active participation in specialized further training must be provided, which is subject to a renewed assessment. Publicly appointed experts are sworn to act independently and impartially.
Producer Responsibility Organizations (PRO)
are authorized systems that assume the extended producer responsibility obligations on behalf of battery manufacturers and distributors. In particular, they organize the take-back, collection, treatment, and recycling of used batteries, as well as the fulfillment of legal documentation and reporting requirements. Manufacturers and distributors of batteries must join an approved OfH to fulfill their legal obligations. The approval and registration of OfHs is carried out by the Foundation for the Register of Waste Electrical Equipment (stiftung ear).
R
RecyClass
Certification system in the field of plastic recycling with three modules, which evaluates and classifies the recyclability of plastic packaging and the activity of plastic recyclers and further serves as proof of the use of recyclates in the product.
Recycling
Recovery process by which waste is processed into products, materials or substances either for the original purpose or for other purposes.
Recyclate
Substances and objects that consist wholly or partly of materials that come from recycling.
V
VerpackG – Packaging Act
Information on the type of material (material fraction) and mass (weight) of packaging.