What businesses need to know about the Green Dot
by Ellen Thornton at 10:28 in Packaging, Environmental
What is it?
The Green Dot is a widely recognised symbol on packaging in many European Countries. The mark signifies that for that piece of packaging, a financial contribution has been paid to a national packaging recovery organisation, set up in accordance with the principles defined in the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62 and the respective national law. The Green Dot is only mandatory in a few countries but is still widely used across Europe. When mandatory, the first person to place packaging onto the market must pay a licence fee to use the Green Dot in that country and ensure that the Green Dot is printed on their packaging.
Who issues the Green Dot licence?
Packaging compliance schemes issue the licence, the scheme responsible depends on the country.
Country | Green Dot licencing scheme |
Austria | Fost Plus |
Bulgaria | Ecopack |
Croatia | Eko-Orza |
Cyrprus | Green Dot Cyrprus |
Czech Republic | Eko-Kom |
Estonia | ETO/ERO |
Finland | No Green Dot organisation |
France | Citeo |
Germany | Der Grüne Punkt |
Greece | HERRCO |
Hungary | Öko-Pannon |
Iceland | No Green Dot organisation |
Latvia | Latvijas Zalias Punkts |
Lithuania | Zaliasis Taskas |
Luxembourg | Valorlux |
Malta | Greenpak |
The Netherlands | No Green Dot organisation |
Norway | Grønt Punkt Norge |
Poland | Rekopol |
Portugal | Sociedade Ponto Verde |
Romania | Eco-Rom Ambalaje |
Serbia | Sekopak |
Slovakia | Envi-pak |
Slovenia | Slopak |
Spain | Ecoembes |
Sweden | FTI |
Turkey | Cevko |
UK | Valpak |
Ukraine | No Green Dot organisation |
Green Dot in the UK
The packaging recycling system in the UK is based on the purchase of Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) which are recycling certificates showing that a certain amount of packaging has been recovered or recycled. This means that the Green Dot is a meaningless trade mark in the UK. In order to ensure that the Green Dot is not misused and does not mislead UK consumers, a licence can only be issued to companies in the UK if they are exporting packaging or packed goods in Europe. If your company is a full member of Valpak's Packaging, WEEE or Batteries compliance then it can use the Green Dot symbol in the UK for free (this does not include small WEEE/Battery customers).
Licence fees
The costs of using the Green Dot may vary in the respective national recovery systems for packaging and packaging waste. There are several factors that influence the relative compliance costs, including: the existing national collection and recovery infrastructure in the waste management sector – both for packaging waste as well as other waste streams; the source of packaging used to meet national recycling targets (e.g. household only or all packaging); the proportionate share of costs which industry bears; national recycling targets and the effect of derogations for some member states; the collection system used; geographic location and populations density; enforcement influences costs; labour costs; and the national waste legislation.
If you have any further questions about the Green Dot mark, please contact us to speak to one of our consultants. If you would like to read more blogs and articles like this one, sign up to our free monthly digest.
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