It is becoming more difficult & costly to export foodstuffs to Germany, according to recent media communications. The German parliament has approved a law which strengthens the packaging recovery regulations. The law particularly concerns products which are sold in glass bottles or plastic containers, (wine and mineral water), metal or glass containers (jams, preserves), cans and plastic bags. Recovery of bottles is especially onerous, since there is an obligatory deposit (DM 0.50) on the bottles, repaid when returned by the customers. Producers & importers must coordinate with a "green point", an organisation which guarantees collection & recycling of the waste packaging. There are fixed quotas for the percentage of material which must be recycled (72% for bottles). As of January 1999, fines are being issued if these quotas are not met.
