In order to allow a more climate-friendly and circular economy, the German environment ministry (BMU) has established a stakeholder process to review the current state of standardisation and identify the requirements for future standards. The BMU stated in a news statement that some key resources, such as recycled plastic for creating new items, are devoid of any rules and regulations. “Anyone who takes the notion of the circular economy seriously must take into account the whole life cycle of products,” stated environment minister Svenja Schulze.
Norms and standards, which must be adhered to in a secure and understandable manner, play a significant part in this.” This would aid in the closing of circles, therefore protecting the climate and ecosystem. The circular economy standardisation roadmap is divided into seven sections: electrical engineering and information and communication technologies, batteries, packaging, plastics, textiles, buildings and municipalities, and digitalization/business models/management.
They are in line with the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan’s main issues. The initiative’s results are expected in November 2022.
Environmental activists have rejected early initiatives at the national and European levels to better integrate recycling and circularity principles into the energy transition as insufficient. Industry organizations, on the other hand, believe that a thriving recycling market might emerge on its own, due to the enormous value that better recycled materials can provide.