From 2024, the Single-Use Plastics Fund Act will oblige manufacturers to pay the costs for their single-use plastic products collected as waste in streets or parks. The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) has set up the digital platform DIVID to manage and process the fees to be paid, which has now gone live with its first functions after a delay.
Domestic manufacturers can now register via the platform. In addition, foreign manufacturers and their authorised representatives can already create accounts. Via the step-by-step Provision of the platform for other user groups and the activation of new functionalities, the Federal Environment Agency will be informed as soon as possible via DIVID inform.
Manufacturers who have already commenced operations before 1 January 2024 have time to to register by 31 December 2024. The Single-Use Plastics Fund Act provides for an immediate registration obligation from 1 January 2024 only for the fraction of manufacturers who start their activities from that date. The duty to pay the levy will also apply by law from 2024, regardless of whether and when registration takes place.
For manufacturers of to-go food containers or tobacco filters (products) and certain other single-use plastic articles, extended producer responsibility will apply from 2024 - this means that they will be obliged in particular to in the costs of public collection, cleaning and disposal in public spaces and waste counselling services. The details of this cost contribution are regulated by the Disposable Plastics Fund Act.
From 2025, affected manufacturers who supply or sell certain single-use plastic products on the market for the first time will pay into the Single-Use Plastic Fund, depending on the product type and mass. Cities and municipalities can transfer their collection or cleaning measures and other reimbursable services to the fund.UBAreport. The funds paid in are then distributed pro rata to the beneficiaries.
The UBA manages the single-use plastic fund and register for manufacturers and entitled parties digitally via the single-use plastic fund platform DIVID. From 2025, the UBA will determine the amount of the levy to be paid by the individual manufacturers and the amount of the payments to cities, municipalities and other authorised parties. Furthermore the UBA is responsible for the categorisation of single-use plastic products, The purpose of the single-use plastics fund is to determine the type of product and to establish the manufacturer's status within the meaning of the Single-Use Plastics Fund Act.
Digital processing
DIVID enables the UBA to process all registrations and payments digitally of the estimated 56,000 manufacturers subject to the levy and the annual distribution of funds to an estimated 6,400 beneficiaries. The platform is the central instrument for fund-related communication between external users and the UBA as well as for the associated internal administrative processes. It enables the proper collection and distribution of the funds based on annual fund volume of around 430 million euros.
Source: UBA
