With 'Fit for Recycling', Interzero is introducing a new service that enables companies across Europe to obtain a reliable, practical and cost-effective assessment of the recyclability of their packaging. The procedure is based on an analysis of packaging specifications, complemented by laboratory tests carried out at Interzero's Competence Centre for Recycled Plastics, and provides clear results in a recyclability report, including a PPWR classification.

The launch comes at a crucial time: as part of the planned Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the European Union will significantly tighten the requirements for recyclable packaging. From 2030, only packaging that meets certain recycling criteria can be put on the market. Germany has been a pioneer in this field for years - Interzero actively contributes its long-standing expertise to European committees and discussions. The laboratory-tested "Made for Recycling" methodology offers a scientific test that analyses the packaging under realistic conditions. Packaging that passes this procedure can carry the "Made for Recycling" seal - a visible seal of quality that provides clear guidance for retailers and consumers alike. "Fit for Recycling" now gives manufacturers and distributors an additional, practice-oriented assessment tool. It clearly indicates whether and to what extent their packaging already meets future regulatory requirements - and at the same time highlights concrete optimisation potential for the further development of packaging design.

How "Fit for Recycling" works

1. Companies send Interzero packaging samples, the relevant specification and a completed checklist with all relevant information.
2. Experts examine the packaging on the basis of specifications and an information sheet, supplemented by laboratory analyses of key packaging parameters.
3. The results are presented in an easy-to-understand report - along with a PPWR-compliant classification.

Practical support for PPWR compliance

"With Fit for Recycling, we offer companies an uncomplicated way to check their packaging for PPWR compliance in a timely manner." - Jonathan Scheck, packaging engineer at Interzero, explains. "Our customers benefit from reliable analysis based on actual packaging specifications and supported by laboratory data - fast, reliable and practice-oriented."

Media contact:

Corporate Communications Interzero
Christina Bunnenberg
Tel: +49 151 72476504
presse@interzero.de

Invitation to Interzero webinar - "ROP - optimization or hidden tax? Analysis of the UC100 project"

To help businesses and organisations understand the changes that the bill will bring, Interzero invites you to a free webinar, which will take place:

25 September 2025., hrs. 10:00-12:00

Webinar programme:

• Presentation of the proposed ROP model (IOC concept)
• Roles and responsibilities: producers, recyclers, municipalities, ROP organisation
• Relationship of the UC100 project to European law
• Business impact analysis
• Q&A session with an expert

Leading the way: Przemyslaw Kuna, Managing Director at Interzero - an environmental expert with many years of experience in auditing and consulting for companies.

Advantages of participation:

• Two-hour online meeting without leaving the office
• Possibility to ask questions live via chat
• After the webinar, access to the speaker's presentation

Register today. You will receive a link to the broadcast by email.

You can also find out more about ROP in the entry: Ministerial draft ROP under a wave of criticism from manufacturers

we are pleased to announce that as of 19 August 2025 by resolution of the Board of Directors, the address of our company is changing. As of 25 August 2025. welcome to our new office located at the following address:

Al. Jerozolimskie 146D, 02-305 Warsaw

The decision to relocate is due to our dynamic growth and the need to provide our employees and clients with a more comfortable environment in which to work and collaborate. The new location offers better transport accessibility, modern infrastructure and more space, which will directly contribute to an even higher quality of our services.

At the same time, we would like to inform you that all other contact details, including telephone numbers and email addresses, will remain unchanged.

Please update our data in your records.

The days 8 and 9 September - Wellbeing Day and Battery Recycling Day - are not coincidentally adjacent in the calendar. They share a common denominator: caring for the environment and for one's own health. Environmentally conscious actions, such as proper waste separation, translate directly into our wellbeing. 

As part of this year's campaign, we invite you to a unique battery-powered concert. At the piano will sit Emilio Pianowho will play songs from his latest album as well as well-known hits. The concert will be an opportunity to collect used batteries - the more you bring, the more energy will power Emilio's performance!
We meet on 6 September (Saturday) in Zlote Tarasy in Warsaw.

Between plus and minus

The campaign was inspired by the results of a study conducted in 2024, published in the report Between plus and minus. One conclusion in particular caught our attention Contrary to popular belief, young adults under the age of 35 appeared to be the least engaged group in environmental activities. They are more likely than older generations to question the point of recycling and have less knowledge about the proper handling of batteries.

Take care of your batteries - take care of yourself

Batteries are an invention that has significantly influenced our everyday life. They allow us to use technology without the constraints of cables and sockets. Used batteries, if not disposed of properly, can seriously pollute the environment. They contain harmful chemicals such as heavy metals and toxic compounds that should be recovered through the recycling process. Disposing of them incorrectly is a real danger - to nature and to ourselves.

Therefore, responsible battery handling is not only about caring for the planet, but also about our health and quality of life.

Material from the first edition of the campaign can be found at EcoFree and in Interzero news. 

"Charge your batteries" is part of Interzero's public education campaign "Eko bez kantów" introducing Poles to the topic of selective waste collection, recycling and circular economy issues.

The Ecological Debt Day on 24 July 2025 marks the day when humanity has consumed more from nature than our planet can regenerate in a whole year. This year we will reach this day eight days earlier than last year. But it is not inevitable. Calculations Global Footprint Network, based on research resources SAVED carried out by Fraunhofer UMSICHT, show that the emphasis on a circular economy makes sense: together with customers and partners, Interzero is moving the Environmental Debt Day forward by more than 10 minutes - worldwide.

Although humanity has been living in ecological debt since the end of July, Interzero impressively demonstrates that a functioning closed-loop economy has a positive impact on resource conservation and climate protection. Every recycled pack, every reused electrical appliance and every properly collected battery reduces the demand for primary resources and is an important step towards our vision of a world without waste.

Mathis Wackernagel: "Over the past years, we have been refining our assessments of how Interzero's operations are reducing global environmental growth. Our latest calculations confirm that the company, together with its customers, has succeeded in moving Environmental Debt Day forward by several minutes. This means that Interzero is truly changing reality: the more it does, the smaller the global achievement of ecological debt."

Plastics as a key resource

Interzero sees plastics as a particularly important lever in postponing Environmental Debt Day. More than 50 per cent of the primary raw materials saved come from recycling of plastic packaging, especially lightweight packaging (LWP). However, the return and recycling of lightweight packaging not only has a large impact on volume within the Dual system, but the savings in this area are particularly high.

Improved and unified rules of the game

However, the potential is far from exhausted. In addition to consumer decisions by individuals or better waste separation, better structural framework conditions and the promotion of innovation are needed above all to pull the great lever that is the circular economy. There are a number of action points: expanding separate collection systems, introducing new extended producer responsibility (ROP) schemes at an early stage, consistently implementing sustainable public actions and prioritising recyclable packaging. A deposit system for batteries and accumulators can also contribute to improving safety across the industry. A clear policy framework is needed to promote technological innovation and guarantee investment in a circular economy.

Sybilla Merian: 'The ideas are here - strong, effective, forward-looking. Committed people, bold projects and innovative technologies are already making the circular economy a real game changer. But more is needed to anchor this change in the long term: we need to rewrite the rules of the game - boldly, collectively and with a future worth living in in mind.

Environmental Debt Day shows us that we are living beyond our means. But we can take action - with a team that is fully committed to making the circular economy work.

Let's #MoveTheDate. From Interzero.

Note on calculation methodology:

Global Footprint Network bases its calculations on a resource accounting tool called the Ecological Footprint. Using this data, the non-profit organisation compares humanity's or the population's current demand for resources with the Earth's capacity for biological regeneration. Most of the data for estimating Interzero's contribution to resource conservation comes from the study 'resources SAVED by Recycling' conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environment, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT. Once a year, Interzero commissions these scientists to determine the amount of greenhouse gases and resources saved through our company's activities.

On 3-4 June 2025, the Interzero Environmental Conference took place - the most anticipated event in the recycling and environmental industry. The 12th edition of the Conference was packed with inspiring keynote speeches and substantive debates, where invited guests addressed legislative changes, the hottest environmental trends and the whole future of waste management.

This year's Interzero Environmental Conference took place at Warszawianka Hotel near Serock. The event was organised by Interzero, a leading provider of environmental services and circular solutions for companies of all sizes, and the Conference's partners were Bank Millennium and the Polish Chamber of Packaging Recovery and Recycling (PIOIRO).

As every year, the Interzero Environmental Conference brought together a distinguished line-up of guests - each day nearly 200 specialists participated in lectures and debates operating in the field of environmental protection, which provided a unique opportunity for networking and business development.

The two-day event will feature three panel discussions and 19 talks by environmental experts, eco-educators, business representatives and representatives of business organisations. The event was moderated by Kamila Kalińczak - radio and television journalist and creator of the educational game ĄĘ. The role of moderator of the discussion panels was played by Jakub Pawłowski, journalist and publicist, known, for example, for his series of videocasts "Eko Bez Kantów" carried out as one of the elements of Interzero's public education campaign of the same name.

The lecture topics of the June Environmental Conference oscillated around one of the strongest social and business trends - the circular economy. Further lectures allowed participants to look at the issue of circularity from several key perspectives: legislative, industry and consumer.

The EU and government's vision of GOZ was discussed by Paweł Sosnowski, Interzero's Board Representative for Environmental Regulation, who addressed the following in his speeches the subject of the new battery regulation and the controversial and widely reported ROP bill. Challenges of the packaging industry in the context of PPWR discussed by Konrad Nowakowski, President of the Polish Chamber of Packaging Recovery and Recycling. The buckle connecting all these areas was a speech by Interzero's Vice-President, Paweł Lesiak, who shed new light on the impact of this legislation on business and activities of Polish companies.

An extremely interesting consumer perspective was presented by Urszula Kozłowska, Communication Strategy Consultant and Marketing Educator, and Aga Wilke-Trochymiak, Senior UX Researcher from Allegro. Urszula Kozłowska demonstrated in an accessible and clear manner, how entrepreneurs can engage their customers into eco-actions and give them a real sense of empowerment. Aga Wilke-Trochymiak, meanwhile, talked about the packaging preferred by Allegro customers and discussed the Barriers discouraging consumers from changing their habits to be more eco-friendly. She also outlined the measures the company has implemented to respond to these preferences and dilemmas.

At the Environmental Conference 2025 there was also plenty of inspiration and insight from other business representatives - Among others, Tomasz Kurpiewski from McDonald's Polska, Marcin Jakubiak from Decathlon, Tomasz Patyra from Stora Enso and Ireneusz Janiczek from SodaStream talked about circular solutions used in their companies.

The lectures delivered at the Interzero Environmental Conference were complemented by expert debates, during which invited guests discussed the most pressing problems and challenges of the environmental industry. On the first day of the event, a panel "Contemporary challenges in textile recycling: How can the industry effectively close the material cycle?". The debate was introduced by Agnieszka Oleksyn-Wajda from Lazarski University, who talked about how selective collection and producer responsibility can transform the textile industry.

Two debates are scheduled for the second day of the Conference:

• Sustainable packaging is both a gain for the environment and a challenge for businesses. How to reconcile ROP and PPWR?
• SUP in practice: How to reduce single-use plastics and not lose competitiveness?

The subject matter of the first panel discussion coincided with the moment when the draft law on ROP was introduced into the government's legislative work. On 2 June, the Council of Ministers announced that the project had been given the number UC100, and already on 4 June, experts Marta Szymborska of GS1 Polska, Paweł Lesiak of Interzero, Piotr Mazurek of Konfederacja Lewiatan, Dariusz Lizak of the National Economic Chamber of the Bottling Industry and Maciej Radzki of Bank Millennium debated the solutions proposed by the government on ROP and how to reconcile them with the provisions of the PPWR regulation. The experts gathered on stage agreed that the current draft of the ROP does not meet the expectations of businesses nor does it guarantee environmental benefits. Moreover, the protractedness of legislative procedures, the uncertainty of the law and the questionable quality of legislation are a brake on new investments and on building a competitive advantage for Polish companies.

In a similar vein was the second of the debates, during which experts discussed effects of the implementation of the SUP Directive in the Polish legal order. Jakub Zieliński from Orlen S.A., Ewelina Tokarska from Eko Myjnia Operator, Dr Daniel Kiewra from FOB, Jacek Kuś from Sfinks Polska S.A., Paula Dudek from Tedmark and Zbigniew Skowronek from Interzero discussed the possibilities of limiting single-use items without a drop in competitiveness. According to the experts, the Polish SUP has been a misfire - not only has it failed to motivate entrepreneurs or consumers to reduce plastic, it has also created room for abuse through its lack of precision and wide scope for interpretation.

Events related to the Interzero 2025 Environmental Conference took place not only on stage, but also off stage. Attendees of the event were treated to booths from SodaStream, Millennium Bank, Interzero eco-devices, a colourist and the Interzero Environmental Education Team.

• SodaStream representatives presented carbonated water saturator system and talked about the brand's philosophy and its development in the spirit of GOZ and zero waste.
• Bank Millennium advisors presented to interested parties financing opportunities for green projects and investments.
• Conference participants were able to test modern bottle dispensers. The Bin-e smart self-sorting bin, the PEL solar compacting bin and the Oklin GG-02 electric composter were also available for testing in the eco-device zone.
• A professional colourist conducted colour analyses and identified the beauty types of the Conference participants to help them make informed and always accurate shopping choices.
• The Interzero Environmental Education Team presented original educational materials and set up a recording studio to create new episodes of the Eko bez kantów videocast.

Under the motto of GOZ and circularity, the 12th edition of the Interzero Environmental Conference is now history. In conclusion, the organiser invited all those present and absent in Serock to the next industry event under the KŚ banner, which will take place in 2026. Follow the latest Interzero events >>

The e-Leasing Day conference is the most important event of the leasing industry in Poland, concerning the directions of development, digitalisation and the future in cooperation with the digital industry. There was no shortage of topics related to the green transformation of business - the agenda for the event included talks on topics such as the life of a post-lease car or the Leasing 2040 project, which assumes ecology as one of the three key areas of development for the industry.

Interzero was represented by Robert Kowal, Business Development Manager with a talk entitled "Automation, digitalisation and appropriate financing on the way to a circular economy. Case studies.", in which he analysed existing and prosperous circular economy models in the leasing model. He emphasised the importance of investing in innovation today:

- Many closed-loop projects directly do not pay off today; many companies do not want to invest in them. It is therefore worth looking further into the future and considering how much we can gain in a few years' time if we invest in the circular economy today.

At the end of May, we had the pleasure to be part of one of the most important ESG events for entrepreneurs. The Sustainable Economy Summit aims to set new paths for growth - respecting our environment and taking into account business values. Participants included sustainability, ESG and CSR experts, entrepreneurs and senior executives responsible for implementing sustainable practices in their companies, as well as representatives from public administration and NGOs.

Paweł Lesiak, Vice President of the Management Board at Interzero, participated in a panel on the effective model of extended producer responsibility and the circular economy. He paid particular attention to the issue of ROP system solutions - based on both financial and organisational responsibility. He expressed the expectation that the ROP model for packaging, which will eventually be developed in cooperation with all parties involved in the system, will guarantee a real field of cooperation between producers, local governments and recyclers - so as to ensure an effective waste management system and bring about a full closure of the raw material cycle.

- More than 40 non-governmental institutions disagree and are protesting against the ministry's proposed changes. We have been working on the ROP as Interzero since 2018. We held meetings with both producers and local government. We agree that the costs to date have been underestimated, but introducing para-tax solutions that are outside of real oversight and competitive mechanisms is not the right direction.

The experience of other European Union countries, where the ROP system is already in place, shows that changes can be made in a way that does not impose an additional cost on the consumer and that product prices do not rise dramatically. We are in a permanent legislative change we have not been in before. We have had legislation changed systematically for several years and hardly anyone has kept up with it. As Interzero, we strive to support you by offering comprehensive, economical and ecological solutions that not only respond to the current challenges of waste management, but, above all, make it possible to effectively close the cycle of raw materials.

The next speaker from Interzero was Robert Kowal, Business Development Manager, who presented Interzero's good practices in waste management in his presentation. He emphasised the importance of working at the grassroots to transform the linear economy into a circular economy.-. To implement a viable closed-loop economy, we need to go back to basics, focus on how to prevent and minimise the generation of waste - through clever product and packaging design - and only then look for solutions on how to return waste to circulation

May is a time that, at Interzero, marks the joint integration of our group companies. As every year, the entire Polish team from our offices in Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz and Katowice went to relax and integrate in nature. This year's integration took place in Warka, an hour away from Warsaw, in the charming Sielanka Hotel on the banks of the Pilica River. The omnipresent greenery definitely helped us to relax.

The meeting started with a short presentation by the Board of Directors, summarising the main achievements and goals of each department. This was followed by a social game in the form of themed tables. Various topics were discussed, such as favourite books and films, sports, daily habits, as well as issues related to Polish cuisine and regional dialect. The discussions lasted an hour and a half and the participants were actively involved in the conversations. Even after the meeting, discussions on the proposed topics could be heard continuing in the corridors of the office.

After lunch, the second part of the integration activity took place, which was painting together. Each participant was given a cut-out of a larger painting in which our logo and the values that guide us in our daily work were inscribed. This was a great opportunity to show off a more creative side to the others, as well as an unexpected collaboration - those painting within the same puzzle eagerly exchanged self-mixed colours or good advice. The result of this fun are four unique paintings, which will soon be hanging on the walls of our Polish offices.

The culmination of the day was the evening party - for the first time, we decided to take the form of a costume party and invited participants to the Wild West. The creativity of our employees exceeded our wildest expectations. From classic cowboys and cowgirls to sheriffs and fugitives, the costumes perfectly reflected the spirit of the event. This is just further proof of how much ingenuity and positive energy our employees possess. A definite motivation was the competition for the best disguise - during the evening, employees were able to vote for their favourite. Among the most creative were the girls from the Administration Team in a group costume - although they did not win first place, they stole everyone's hearts with their pink hats and tulle skirts! Additional attractions included a shooting stand, where visitors could try their hand at shooting both short and long guns, and an electric bull - the record-holder managed to stay in the saddle for more than 46 seconds!

We started the morning of the second day with an invigorating outdoor yoga - a session for the body and a calm head. This was the final point of the trip - after breakfast together, we headed back on the road to return to our duties the following week with renewed energy.

Thank you for such a large attendance and, above all, Patrycja Seweryn and Aleksandra Leśniak for organising the entire event - thanks to your commitment and great ideas, we will long remember this trip and look forward to the next one!

In the latest episodes of Eco without a corner, we talked about the history of waste segregation and the challenges and threats posed by the modern textile industry.

Agnieszka Oleksyn-Wajda, Ph.D., analysed the phenomenon of ultra fast fashion and presented a series of policies and regulations that will help to stop this practice and significantly reduce the amount of textile waste with which our planet is currently flooded.

Meanwhile, together with Slawomir Starościak, an environmental practitioner with more than 30 years of experience, we leaned into the history of waste segregation in Poland from its very beginnings and discussed what impact key reforms (the new ROP model and the deposit system) as well as new technologies will have on separate collection.

Focus on sustainable design: the new EU packaging regulation sets high requirements for packaging recycling. Interzero explains how they can actually be sorted and recycled using its research-based 'Made for Recycling' packaging analysis.

20 out of a possible 20 points: with this result, Gualapack's 'Pouch 5' is a true recycling champion. The leading supplier of squeeze pouches has already had its packaging evaluated several times according to the Made for Recycling" analysis standard, thus obtaining important information on sustainable design: "With Pouch 5, we have developed the first stand-up pouch with a spout made of a single material - polypropylene - that is highly recyclable." - says Lorenzo Sacchi, head of sustainability at Italian company Gualapack S.p.A.. "Interzero's expertise has been, and continues to be, essential to us when testing recyclability."

Sustainable packaging has long since ceased to be merely an image factor. According to the European Commission, recyclability will soon be the deciding factor for packaging in the market. PPWR keyword: The new EU packaging regulation states that all packaging must be recyclable from 2030. "With Made for Recycling, we support our customers in determining the actual recyclability of their packaging, optimizing it when necessary and developing new, future-proof solutions." - says Frank Kurrat, Managing Director of the Interzero Recycling Alliance. "In this way, companies can also differentiate their packaging from their competitors in the long term."

An important argument in favour of Gualapack: unlike many other environmental claims, the 'Made for Recycling' label is based on clearly defined, scientific facts. The international standard for the recyclability of packaging is based on an assessment methodology developed by Interzero in cooperation with the bifa Umweltinstitut and confirmed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV. Packaging is analysed at the Interzero Plastics Innovation competence centre in Slovenia - the first and so far only accredited research facility in the EU specialising in the development and analysis of recycled plastics. Specialists not only analyse the materials and design of packaging, but also assess the practical sorting and recycling infrastructure, which can vary considerably from country to country.

For Gualapack, the commitment to recycling has undoubtedly paid off. In 2021, the single-ply PP bag won the Best Packaging Award in Italy and is now used by major brands such as Nestlé and Kraft Heinz. "Pouch 5 is now our flagship product and accounts for about a third of our flexible packaging sales." - says Lorenzo Sacchi. In terms of quality, the single-plastic packaging is not inferior to the standard versions. They can be sterilised and pasteurised, making them suitable for yoghurt or baby food packaging, for example, and the outer layer can be easily printed with a branding. A distinct advantage of the single-plastic version is that, from production to recycling, it emits around 40 per cent fewer greenhouse gases than a standard bag - an added incentive for companies looking to reduce their carbon footprint.