German Green Dot: The debate goes on

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Waste Age; (United States)

OSTI ID:7087689

Goff, J A; Rabasca, L; White, K

Three years after its initiation and only six months after the rumored collapse of Germany's Green Dot Program, some industry officials hailed the Green Dot system as the resolution to the current waste policy debate in the US. The Green Dot legislation is influencing the need and outcry for passage of similar progressive packaging legislation in the US. While recycling in the US is increasing, so is waste generation, he argued. On the other hand, while recycling in Germany is dramatically increasing, waste generation is going down. Half a million tons less packaging material was used in 1992 than in the previous year. In terms of setting up a national recycling policy similar to Germany's in the US, Jim McCarthy, senior analyst for the Congressional Research Service (Washington, DC), said this country is not anywhere close to doing so. Legislation formulated in 1992 that introduced the concept of manufacturer responsibility for packaging was struck down, and legislation on the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is not up for reauthorization until 1997. The US is increasingly alone among industrial countries that does not ask industry to take some responsibility for its packaging.

• OSTI ID: 7087689
• Journal Information: Waste Age; (United States), Journal Name: Waste Age; (United States) Vol. 25:6; ISSN WAGEAE; ISSN 0043-1001
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
291000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Conservation
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EUROPE
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
LEGISLATION
MANAGEMENT
NORTH AMERICA
PACKAGING
PACKAGING RULES
REGULATIONS
SOLID WASTES
USA
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WESTERN EUROPE