FairCup

Das nachhaltige Verpackungswunder

• Sibylle Meyer
• Meta Thurid Lotz

Durch unterschiedliche Organisationen wird die Einführung von Mehrwegpfandsystemen für die Abfallverminderung, den Ressourcenschutz und Klimaschutz gefordert – jedoch müssen auch solche Systeme Nachhaltigkeitskriterien in Folge ihrer Ökobilanz unterliegen. Im Folgenden soll daher das FairCup-Mehrwegpfandsystem als Best Practice Beispiel für angewandte Kreislaufwirtschaft anhand der mit dem System verbundenen CO₂-Emissionen dargestellt und im Verhältnis zu Einwegverpackungen bewertet werden.

German environmental protection organisations and the Federal Environment Agency demand the introduction of returnable deposit cup systems for waste avoidance, resource protection and climate protection due to the massive growth of waste volume generated by disposable cups. However, these systems should also be subject to sustainability criteria in order to reflect the actual effect in relation to disposable cups. The FairCup reusable system is such a system which was initiated by a pupil project and evolved in cooperation with various stakeholders focussing on eco-optimization regarding material and design. Thus, end customers can purchase food and drinks to go in a reusable cup for a deposit, consume the product and return the cup to all participating partners and receive their money back. The Federal Environment Agency ascribes positive environmental effects to this system based on a life cycle assessment considering criteria as the CO₂-emissions, water and land use and the cumulative energy expenditure. For this reason, the system has been certified with the Blue Angel – a German certification for environmentally friendly products and services. Nevertheless, up to now the effects resulting from the reuse of the deployed material polypropylene in the context of circular economy have not yet been considered. Consequently, further investigations of this system are required despite the overall positive ratings.