bvse: Politics must keep the circular economy in mind

Portrait photograph of Henry Forster

This was the call made by the bvse Bundesverband Sekundärrohstoffe und Entsorgung at its recent annual conference in Cologne.
 
Henry Forster, the president of the bvse – Federal Association for Secondary Raw Materials and Waste Management, emphasised that he sees environmental and circular economy policy issues within the federal government increasingly being overshadowed by other crises, thereby jeopardising established collection and recycling systems that have been built up over decades. In his assessment of the current situation, Forster noted that the sector is currently facing several major economic and regulatory hurdles that could destabilise the system. In his view, against a backdrop of wars, economic problems and international trade disputes, there is a risk that environmental and circular economy policies will take a back seat. This development was a cause of great concern to him. He also criticised the political approach to raw materials in general. An industrialised country with few natural resources, such as Germany, in particular, must attach far greater importance to the use of secondary raw materials. This now applies not only to primary raw materials, but increasingly also to secondary raw materials extracted within the country itself. Forster also criticised bureaucracy and called for approval procedures, government structures and institutions to facilitate and strengthen entrepreneurship, rather than creating additional obstacles. At the same time, however, Forster said there were good reasons for optimism: the recycling and waste management sector could appeal particularly to young people by offering meaningful work and secure career prospects.
 
In conclusion, Forster called for much closer cooperation with other associations. In view of growing economic, regulatory and geopolitical uncertainties, the recycling sector must pool its common interests more effectively..
 
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