TÜV SÜD and RecycleMe agree on global strategic alliance

Reading time: 2 Minutes, 49 Seconds

Munich. TÜV SÜD and RecycleMe have agreed on global collaboration over identification and certification of packaging recyclability, thereby expanding their existing collaboration. In November 2021, the two partners awarded their first joint certificate based on TÜV SÜD’s own “Recyclability of Packaging” standard.

TÜV SÜD is one of the leading providers of testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services worldwide, employing 25,000-plus staff at over 50 locations. In its Business Unit Green Energy & Sustainability, TÜV SÜD offers a wide range of sustainability services guided by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The TIC experts place special emphasis on the strengthening and expansion of the circular economy.

RecycleMe is an international consulting firm specialising in the circular economy. The RecycleMe team advises and supports customers from a wide range of different industries on topics such as optimised packaging design for recyclability and compliance with international obligations under extended producer responsibility (ERP). To this end, RecycleMe uses cutting-edge technology, digital evaluation tools and innovative solutions.

Within the scope of their collaboration, TÜV SÜD and RecycleMe will further improve their support of manufacturers, bottlers and other fillers, importers, online merchants, commercial chains and other distributors of packaged goods along their road to greater sustainability. The two partners will combine digital analysis methods and established audit processes to achieve certification in accordance with the TÜV SÜD “Recyclability of Packaging” standard. The testing and certification procedure can be applied to packaging made of plastics, paper, cardboard, glass, aluminium, ferrous metals, wood and composite materials.

“Our collaboration will benefit our customers above all“, announces Thore Lapp, TÜV SÜD Business Unit Manager Green Energy & Sustainability, pointing out that an item of packaging is a product and must be treated as such. “Our third-party assessment and certification cover all relevant standards, as well as local collection and recycling structures”, adds Dr Robert Hermann, head of Green Energy & Sustainability at TÜV SÜD Austria, where the testing and certification method was developed in a joint effort with RecycleMe. “RecycleMe’s digital test method supports comprehensive analysis. In conjunction with our verification and validation processes, this delivers the required level of transparency.”

“The expertise of RecycleMe and that of TÜV SÜD are an ideal match”, says Sabrina Goebel, Managing Director of RecycleMe GmbH. “The core element of our collaboration is the creation of a digital twin of the packaging by the RecycleMe experts. The collaboration between our two companies creates a unique certification process, which can be used to demonstrate the recyclability of packaging – also to consumers. We are thus creating further incentives for manufacturers to maximise the recyclability of their packaging and thereby to contribute significantly to a working circular economy.

The first certificate in accordance with the TÜV SÜD “Recyclability of Packaging” standard was awarded in November for a folding carton with inliner from Plukon, one of Europe’s largest suppliers of fresh chicken and poultry convenience products. Within the scope of their collaboration, TÜV SÜD and RecycleMe will carry out joint tests and projects. As well they will establish a continuous know-how transfer to further improve their technical test methods.

Caption (from left): Thore Lapp, TÜV SÜD Business Unit Manager Green Energy & Sustainability and Sabrina Goebel, Managing Director of RecycleMe GmbH, signing the strategic alliance agreement.