2024 RE: CHARGE Batteries and recycling – The key to a sustainable mobility transition REMONDIS.COM

L A I R O T I D E Dear Readers Thomas Conzendorf, REMONDIS Board Member When Sony launched the first lithium-ion battery in 1991, very few people were aware of just what a groundbreaking invention the Japanese had succeed- ed in bringing to market. Development work on such batteries had, though, begun earlier: the British chem- ist Michael Stanley Whittingham discovered the elec- trochemical potential of lithium back in 1979 while he was at the University of Oxford. He developed a battery that had an anode made of lithium metal and a cathode made of titanium sulphide. The obstacle at that time, however, was safety: with the lithium metal being highly reactive, there was a big risk of the bat- tery shorting. John B. Goodenough, an American physicist, then took Whittingham’s battery and further developed it through the 80s. He used, for example, co- balt oxide and managed to increase the energy density. Goodenough’s research work is considered today to be the cornerstone of modern e-mobility. It was the Japanese engineer Akira Yoshino who finally succeeded in building the first marketable lith- ium-ion battery. He used petroleum-derived coke for the anode and aluminium foil as a separator. When Akira Yoshino was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chem- istry – together with Whittingham and Goodenough – in 2019, he said, “Climate change is a grave problem. Lithium-ion batteries can help create a sustainable future.” At the same time, this Japanese Nobel Prize winner warned the world that his invention could lead to a raw materials crisis. “It’s all about whether these batteries can be recycled.” and a number of unanswered questions regarding both safety and recycling, on the other. This latest issue takes a look at the development of the battery market and how batteries are currently being treated and re- cycled. And, as some people are calling for a battery deposit return scheme, we delve into this subject as well. Having said that, though, it is not just the battery that determines how sustainable a product is. The transport transition shows this very clearly: cars can only be truly green when all of the components in- stalled in them are recovered and returned to market. Much attention will be given to the topic of ‘Circular- ity for E-Mobility’ at the IFAT 2024 – both as a dedi- cated ‘Spotlight Area’ as well as in a series of discus- sions and lectures. We are very much looking forward to seeing how this subject will take off in the future and what partnerships will be created between the re- cycling sector and the automobile industry. One thing is certainly clear here: the goals can only be reached if we all work together! There are, of course, a whole number of other inter- esting topics for you to read about in this issue. Do you know, for example, how the circular economy is set up in Poland? And can you imagine how challenging it is to erect scaffolding at dizzying heights such as on the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain? I very much hope you enjoy reading this latest issue. This quick history lesson shows that batteries in- volve both risks and opportunities: a miracle product for driving forward electrification, on the one hand, Yours

Batteries are currently playing a key role in helping countries achieve the ambitious climate targets that the global community agreed to in the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015. Steps have been taken to end the use of fossil fuels to prevent – or at least limit – a climate catastrophe. However, if a modern society and all its technology is to have a relia- ble supply of clean electricity, it will need both large and small storage solutions and, in many cases, these will be batteries. The challenges here will be enormous as these new solutions must be economically viable, socially acceptable and en- vironmentally compatible and they must not put our prosperity at risk. The materials needed to make these batteries have to be extracted from the ground. In some cases, the con- ditions in the mines are contro- versial as both human rights and environmental impact are ignored. What’s more, the copper, lithium and other materials used to pro- duce batteries are finite and, as a re- sult, expensive. Some of the mater- ials in the battery, such as the lead and the acids, also pose a risk to the environment. It is important that technical innovations be developed that enable batteries to be made from more easily accessible mater- ials. But that is not all. Recycling will start to take on a central role as it can both close material cycles and secure supplies. Batteries are an opportunity – if we approach the subject correctly.

B AT T E R I E S U S E D I N A P P L I A N C E S : T H E N U M B E R O F P R I M A R Y A N D S E C O N D A R Y B AT T E R I E S A N D T H E L A R G E S T B AT T E R Y S Y S T E M S P L A C E D O N T H E M A R K E T B E T W E E N 2 0 1 5 A N D 2 0 2 2 O n c e a g a i n , t h e r e i s a s l i g h t i n c r e a s e i n t h e v o l u m e s o f r e c h a r g e a b l e l i t h i u m - i o n b a t t e r i e s 50,000 45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 s e n n o T 32,734 26,662 33,102 27,195 11,167 6,927 4,339 2,581 1,237 2015 12,409 8,401 4,221 2,103 1,193 2016 34,459 28,773 16,184 10,307 3,559 2,616 1,545 2017 37,124 29,411 15,035 10,684 4,173 2,351 1,276 2018 46,619 38,547 38,390 42,454 36,665 41,794 35,744 32,146 17,359 12,739 4,339 2,180 1,320 2019 18,749 14,000 5,275 2,448 2,253 2020 20,756 16,103 21,340 16,763 3,603 1,980 1,569 2021 3,993 1,927 1,756 2022 Source: UBA lithium primary (non-rechargeable) secondary batteries (rechargeable) NiMH AIMn li-ion (rechargeable) ZnC primary batteries 1991 truly was a revolutionary year. This was the year that the Japanese electronics compa- ny Sony launched its Hi8 video camera CCD TR1. Those around at the time certainly did not put this moment down as something of global historical significance. With hindsight, though, it was an important milestone on the pathway towards a renewable energy system. When the Japanese launched their CCD TR1, they also launched the very first battery that used lithium-ion technology. And it was this technology that allowed us to enjoy today’s mobile, digital lifestyle, that drove forward the electrification of an ever greater number of devices, sectors and spheres of life and that shaped the way the battery market has devel- oped over many, many years. For a while now, experts have observed a stable trend away from single-use batteries – so-called ‘primary batteries’ – towards re- chargeable secondary batteries. While it is true to say that primary batteries still make up the lion’s share of the market, figures published by the UBA [Federal Environment Agency] show that the number of primary batteries being placed on the market in Ger- many has been declining since 2020 and the number of rechargeable secondary batter- ies steadily increasing since 2018. The most common type of battery sold on the German market, though, is still the alkaline-manga- nese battery.

G L O B A L R A W M AT E R I A L D E M A N D F O R L I T H I U M - I O N H I G H P E R F O R M A N C E S T O R A G E I N T O N N E S PREDICTED DEMAND IN 2040 Raw material Demand 2018 “Sustainability” scenario “Middle path” scenario “Fossil path” scenario Cobalt Nickel Manganese Lithium Flake graphite (natural) Graphite (synthetic) Source: DERA 12,750 32,320 11,140 7,460 21,900 311,000 2,003,000 530,500 377,300 1,019,000 270,400 1,741,000 461,300 328,100 886,400 59,830 385,400 102,000 72,600 196,000 Recycling capacities in Europe will increase significantly over the coming years, in par- ticular for lithium-ion batteries. These capacities are, however, not yet availa- ble. It will, though, still be a while before the lithium-ion batteries currently being placed on the market reach the end of their service life. Market experts expect there to be a dy- namic increase in the demand for battery re- cycling from 2027 onwards. Last year, Germany’s broadcaster Deutsche Welle quoted lithium expert Michael Schmidt from DERA, who said: “The current dynam- ics affecting the market are swamping it. I’ve not seen anything like it on the commodities market for the last 12 years”. These dynamics are having a dramatic impact on the environ- ment – lithium mines alone have a really bad affect: according to Minviro (a company spe- cialising in life cycle analyses), extracting one tonne of lithium hydroxide from hard rock generates around 15 tonnes of CO2 and con- sumes 170m³ of water and 464m² of surface area. A circular economy approach must be set up for batteries if the energy transition’s envi- ronmental footprint is to be kept as small as possible. If this fails to happen, then the ener- gy transition will lead to a raw materials cri- sis. Looking ahead, modern recycling tech- nologies will enable up to 90% of lithium-ion batteries to be recycled.

G L O B A L B AT T E R Y P R O D U C T I O N W I T H L F P A N D N M C / N C A C AT H O D E M AT E R I A L ( b e t w e e n 2 0 2 2 a n d 2 0 3 0 ) h W T n i y t i c a p a c n o i t c u d o r P 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 NMC LFP NCA Mn-based Other Unclear 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 Source: Fraunhofer ISI Sodium-ion batteries, however, would not cause such a disruption. The principle of ions crossing over is the same as with lithium-ion batteries and the production process is also comparable to that used for the batteries currently on the market. A large part of the existing battery infrastructure could contin- ue to be used. Sodium-ion technology is particularly in- teresting because the key materials are con- siderably less expensive. What’s more, these batteries can be completely discharged with- out them being damaged. Lithium-ion bat- teries always need a minimum voltage, albeit a low one. If the voltage falls below a certain level (normally 2.6 V), then the battery’s cop- per film is destroyed and the battery can no longer be used. This means the whole ques- tion of logistics is much simpler with sodi- um-ion batteries. There is no danger of a fire breaking out when they are transported as they are completely discharged – and so such freight would no longer be classified as hazardous. Sodium-ion technology is particularly interes- ting because the key materials are considerably less expensive. What’s more, these batteries can be completely dischar- ged without them being damaged. Looking at the predicted demand, recycling is not only a useful option but an absolute must… Experts, however, are assuming that sodi- um-ion batteries will complement the mar- ket rather than drive out their lithium-ion counterparts. The reason for this is because sodium-ion batteries have a much lower energy density than lithium batteries. Sodi- um-ion batteries have around just 60% of the storage capacity of modern NMC batteries. This technology is, therefore, primarily of use for smaller vehicles. It is difficult to predict which direction the battery market will go in. The development depends on many factors, in particular the electrification of private transport. In all likelihood, several different technologies will exist side by side in order to best serve the market segments. Looking at the predicted demand, recycling is not only a useful option but an absolute must. If the batteries are not recycled, the energy transition will, sooner or later, lead to a raw materials crisis. The powerful dynamics of the battery market brought about by the technological devel- opments, however, make it difficult for the recycling industry to plan ahead. The risk of making a bad investment is very high.

Creating a buffer Converting electricity generation systems to counteract the climate crisis is creating some novel challenges for the electricity grid. Instead of having a clear and manage- able number of power stations, there are now countless wind turbines and solar systems dotted around the country. This develop- ment is proving to be so dynamic that the Bundesnetzagentur, the authority in charge of Germany’s key infrastructure, has limited itself to publishing the amount of electricity that can be generated rather than the number of systems that have been installed. Converting electricity generation systems to counteract the climate crisis is creating some novel challenges for the electricity grid. And as if that wasn’t a big enough challenge for the grid, there is a new trend: customers are installing their own systems and gener- ating their own electricity. Be it solar panels on the roof – and not only on REMONDIS’ buildings – or balcony solar generators in people’s homes. Being able to plan costs and be energy-independent are the two main ar- guments fuelling this trend. Operators of wind and solar farms are also looking for ways to get a better price for their electricity. The prices at the EEX electricity exchange in Leipzig drop almost immediate- ly when the wind blows and the sun shines; in some cases there are even negative prices. In 2023, that was the case on 46 days for at least one trading period. In other words, the electricity producers have to pay to hand over their electricity.

P U B L I C N E T E L E C T R I C I T Y G E N E R AT I O N I N 2 0 2 3 ) h W T ( y g r e n E 250 200 150 100 50 0 IMPORTS 8.6 NUCLEAR ENERGY 6.7 2023 RENEWABLE ENERGIES 260.7 NON-RENEWABLE ENERGIES 169.4 Import balance Nuclear Geothermal Biomass Waste renewable Fossil brown coal Fossil gas Wind offshore Fossil hard coal Others Solar EEG grid feed-in, Solar other grid feed-in Hydro run-of-river Hydro water reservoir Wind onshore Fossil oil Waste non-renewable Renewables supplied 59.7% of public net electricity production in 2023. Imports and nuclear energy played only a minor role (source: Fraunhofer ISE/energy-charts.info) A geopolitical challenge One thing is very clear: the demand for bat- teries will continue to grow rapidly. In a re- cent study, RWTH Aachen University and the management consultants Roland Berger predicted that the demand for batteries will increase 18-fold between 2020 and 2030. In this study, they state that the demand will grow by an average 34% year on year during this period. This growth is primarily being sustained by lithium-ion batteries. Increas- ingly though, sodium-ion batteries are also playing a role even if their lower energy density and their greater weight limit their potential areas of use. Unlike lithium, which is mined in just a few countries such as Ar- gentina, Australia, Chile and China, there are much larger volumes of sodium available in the four corners of our world. The scarcity of lithium is and will continue to be, therefore, a growing challenge, especially as it is essential for other sectors such as the glass and ceramics industry. With China being the main driver pushing up the price for lithium, 2023 saw a back- ward change in this trend. However, once China’s economy picks up again, the price for lithium is likely to rise. Looking at the current geopolitical situation, this means that lithium may possibly be one of the raw materials that will become scarce for political reasons. Recycling And so it is no surprise that the scarcity of the raw materials and the geopolitical risks mean that recycling activities in this area – primarily lithium-ion batteries – are rapidly increasing and that a whole range of stakeholders, including those beyond the traditional circular economy players, are driving forward ideas so that they get a piece of this future pie, for example for their own battery production operations.

Chronically low collection rates pose risks in the age of lithium-ion batteries These risks are well manageable at REMONDIS’ plant in Lünen when the staff recycle e-waste thanks to the RETRON box- es. Mixed fractions of waste, such as com- mercial waste, are more problematic and these material streams are also sorted and treated in Lünen. Even though a law was in- troduced in 1998 making it obligatory for batteries to be collected separately, half of all batteries in Germany end up being disposed of via other routes. In this age of lithium-ion batteries, these chronically low collection rates not only mean that the environment is being polluted and raw materials are lost but also that there is a danger to life and limb. Batteries often end up in the wrong bins, for example in the bins for mixed commer- cial waste. Processing this mixed waste is a highly dangerous business: for the mater- ial to be recycled in the best possible way, it first has to be shredded and then sorted. If a lithium-ion battery ends up in the shredder and gets damaged, this can have devastating consequences. And this happens more often than many may think. The BDE [Federal Association of the German Waste Management Industry] esti- mates that there are about 30 fires at recy- cling businesses across Germany every single day. These are often caused by lithium-ion batteries being thrown into the wrong bin. Most fires are harmless – thank goodness – but firefighters are called out to tackle two such cases every day. REMONDIS’ fire brigade in Lünen is also in high demand. There are 70 to 80 fire events at REMONDIS’ main plant in Lünen alone each year – once or twice a week, there’s a blaze somewhere on the Lippe Plant. Most of these events are harmless, thanks in part to the prudent fire prevention measures. “Our goal is to train every employee at REMONDIS’ Lippe Plant to become a fire protection assistant.” Daniel Müller, Deputy Head of the Lippe Plant’s Fire Brigade Technology and training protect the plant and its employees The fire brigade uses a variety of measures to protect the employees and facilities, includ- ing early warning fire detection systems. The building used to store the unsorted commer- cial waste, for example, is equipped with an elaborate system of thermal imaging cameras and water guns. If one of the thermal imag- ing cameras picks up a fire source, the sys- tem raises the alarm: the automated water gun travels by itself to the fire source and tries to put out the fire with its 2,500 litres of water a minute. In the best case scenario, all the fire brigade needs do is to go and check everything is okay. One thing that is important is to have well- trained staff. “Our goal is to train every em- ployee at REMONDIS’ Lippe Plant to be- come a fire protection assistant.” The staff learn how to handle the fire protection equipment and know exactly what to do in the case of a fire – and when it’s time to re- treat to ensure they stay safe. Protection systems and training are impor- tant but they cannot solve the problem. If we are to get to the root of the problem, then the collection rates of batteries in general – and lithium-ion batteries in particular – must be considerably increased. “The problem is that the batteries are not disposed of separate- ly,” Müller concluded. If they are collected separately then the risk these small energy storage systems pose is small – especially if the rechargeable batteries are stored in RETRON boxes. Batteries often end up in the wrong bins. There are 70 to 80 fire events at REMONDIS’ main plant in Lünen alone each year.

Lithium is highly reactive, ignites easily and, once alight, cannot be put out. Manufactur- ers have taken battery management meas- ures to ensure the highest levels of safety. Users, however, often handle their devices incorrectly (for example, charging them for too long or letting the battery run down completely), resulting in the structure of the battery being permanently damaged. Even the tiniest production error can also cause problems. lithium batteries from all other appliances – even if they do not actually sell such devices in their shops. The same is true for DIY stores and shops selling electrical equipment. They must all meet the requirements specified in the Battery Law, which imposes a general take-back obligation on retailers in order to increase collection rates. The older the bat- teries, the greater the risk that they are dam- aged – something that is impossible for the users or the retailers to see. Which is why transporting and recycling batteries correctly is a complex subject that covers a whole range of topics including fire protection and waste management law. One of the consequences of electrification has been that many companies have sud- denly found themselves having to face such issues for the very first time. Bike retailers, for example, are now obliged by law to not only take back used e-bike batteries but also Recycling specialists like REMONDIS’ sub- sidiary RETRON have taken up this chal- lenge and developed systems that (a) ensure retailers can store the returned batteries in special boxes safely until they are collect- ed, (b) enable the batteries to be transported safely to the waste management and recy- cling plants and (c) confirm the retailers have met their statutory obligations and sent the batteries for proper treatment. RETRON www.retron.world

Technical challenges It is not so easy to answer the question whether a car battery can continue to be used. REMONDIS’ Swiss subsidiary Chiresa, which has owned a battery dismantling line since 2023, says that – as a rule of thumb – a battery must have a capacity of over 80% for it to be reused. The first step that the staff at BLC – The Battery Lifecycle Company take in the company’s two dismantling centres in Germany is to look at the housing and meas- ure the temperature before even starting to remove the screws. If there are no signs of damage, then the BLC employees begin dis- mantling the battery and decide, step by step, whether they should stop after removing the peripheral components or continue work- ing their way towards the actual battery el- ements. If, at some stage of this process, the battery gets the thumbs down, then it undergoes a deep discharge. This permanently destroys the battery and it cannot be recharged again. Such batteries no longer pose a risk – were the battery not completed depleted, the up to 800 volts normally stored in it would make every step potentially lethal. The remaining dismantling steps can now be carried out un- der simple conditions. There are also fewer safety requirements for transporting these dismantled batteries by lorry compared to battery packs that are still functional.

ALTERNATIVE SECOND USES BLC, a joint venture between the recycling specialists TSR Automo- tive and Rhenus Automotive (both part of the RETHMANN Group), believes that an integrated approach is key. An approach that is reflected by the partnership itself: while TSR Automotive specialises in the reuse and recycling of vehicles, Rhenus Automotive acts as an assembly business for parts of the automobile industry. They have united the concept, ‘a business that put things together can take them apart again’, with the experience of dis- mantling used cars. BLC’s experts have identified four options for used EV batteries: Repair/re-manufacturing: The battery is partially dismantled so that the faulty battery elements can be replaced. The completely refurbished bat- tery can then be installed in an EV again. The challenge here is having a sufficient number of identical batteries. 1. 3. Recovery of spare parts: The battery itself can no longer be used but its peripheral components (such as its control module and cable harness) can be recovered for reuse – in par- ticular, as spare parts. New application (second life): The used EV battery is intact and is used for a new application as a complete unit. An excellent example of this are battery energy storage systems (BESS). Such systems have been used with so- lar panel systems and wind turbines for a long while but there is a clear trend now towards deploying second-hand units rather than new ones. 2. 4. Recycling: The battery is dismantled and its raw material contents are recov- ered for reuse, such as copper and aluminium. At the moment, there are a large number of stand-alone solutions on the market. This automatically leads to more transport costs, for example if a business offering second life solutions discovers that the delivered battery is unsuitable for its needs and has to send it on. On the other hand, it is almost impossible to avoid batteries being incorrectly allocated: which company specialising in recovering spare parts is interested in repairing a bat- tery that is effectively intact? It is precisely for these reasons that BLC is working on an integrated approach, driving forward auto- mation, gathering experience and already thinking about setting up further disman- tling centres.

E -mobility is considered to be the epitome of sustainable travel. Instead of driving diesel or petrol cars and heating up the climate, people should now be using carbon-free EVs charged with green electricity – preferably from the solar panels on their own roofs. Green cars for a green conscience. Reality tends, however, to be more compli- cated than the narrative. If the lithium-ion batteries in the EVs are not recycled, then it is practically impossible for e-mobility to live up to its promise of being sustainable. The Bavarian car manufacturer BMW cal- culated that the carbon footprint of a new- ly registered EV is around 40% bigger than that of a comparable model with an internal combustion engine. This can primarily be put down to the carbon-intensive mining of the raw materials required to make the EV’s lithium-ion battery: e.g. lithium, nickel and cobalt. If the lithium-ion batteries in the EVs are not recycled, then it is practically impossible for e-mobility to live up to its promise of being sustainable. Christian Kürpick knows all about lith- ium-ion batteries. He is a project manag- er at REMONDIS’ subsidiary RETRON. RETRON primarily focuses on so-called in- dustrial lithium-ion batteries – i.e. on bat- teries that are found, for example, in electric cars, bikes and scooters. RETRON’s bread and butter is selling and renting out boxes that allow used lithium-ion batteries to be safely stored and transport- ed. “Bike retailers are, for example, obliged to take back used e-bike batteries,” Kürpick said. RETRON’s boxes ensure that the faulty batteries do not catch fire and burn the bike shop down. T H E N U M B E R O F N E W E V S R E G I S T E R E D I N G E R M A N Y B E T W E E N 2 0 0 3 A N D 2 0 2 3 500,000 400,000 s V E f o . o N 300,000 200,000 100,000 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 Source: KBA, © Statista 2024 Further information: Germany; BEV

Businesses planning a lithium-ion battery recycling plant need to know now how the market is likely to develop over the coming years. There are currently around 2.9 million EVs on Germany’s roads. The warm recycling system sees the battery being heated up to around 500°C to 600°C straight away without having gone through a deep discharge beforehand. There is no need for the deep discharge stage as the ther- mal process allows any remaining energy in the battery to escape. This thermal recycling method also creates a black mass. “The qual- ity of the black mass produced by the ther- mal treatment is lower than that produced by cold recycling. The biggest advantage here, though, is that the battery doesn’t need to be discharged first. This means that recycling facilities can have a much bigger throughput than the plants that only use the cold recy- cling system.” Still not enough batteries to recycle Recycling lithium-ion batteries is not a mass market activity yet. According to Kürpick, there are currently around 2.9 million EVs on Germany’s roads. Figures published by the KBA [Federal Motor Transport Author- ity] show that a total of 1.7 million new EVs were registered between 2003 and 2023 – al- though the numbers before 2011 are more cosmetic. The real EV boom began just three years ago. 524,000 new EVs were registered in 2023 – this figure was just over 63,000 in 2019. “An EV has a service life of approximate- ly eight to ten years,” said Kürpick. “Which means we still need to wait a few years until a significant volume of lithium-ion batteries from the transport sector reaches the recy- cling market. This is the reason why there aren’t any recycling plants operating on an industrial scale yet. Many of the facilities currently recycling such batteries are pilot plants.” The situation is made more difficult by the dynamics of the battery market as they in- crease the risk of recyclers backing the wrong horse. “LFP batteries, for example, were standard just a few years ago. Then the NMC batteries came along. Today, the trend is tip- ping back in favour of LFP batteries. This all makes it really difficult to plan ahead,” Kürpick explained. The backdrop to all this is that the value of the black mass differs great- ly depending on whether the market wants LFP or NMC batteries. “While it’s the nickel and cobalt that are the valuable metals in the black mass when it comes to NMC batteries, it’s just the iron and phosphorus for LFP bat- teries. That makes them two quite different business cases.” Recycling capacities must increase considerably over the coming years Businesses planning a lithium-ion battery recycling plant need to know now how the market is likely to develop over the coming years. “Which is why we and the large car manufacturers are all keeping a very close eye on the developments,” Kürpick contin- ued. One thing is very clear: the recycling ca- pacities must be considerably increased over the next few years. The EU’s new Battery Di- rective stipulates that battery manufacturers must use a certain amount of recyclate in their new industrial, traction and starter bat- teries. The new directive came into force last August but the minimum recycled content requirements do not apply until 2031 and 2036 respectively. This corresponds to the expected return of EVs in a few years’ time. Six percent recycled lithium really is not a huge amount. But it is a start and this figure will gradually rise. So that electric vehicles truly can become green cars.

Photos: Dr. Brüning Engineering UG Dr Ralf Brüning Florian Piehl Having said that, a number of technical and organisational requirements have to be taken into account that will be needed as the num- ber of lithium (high-energy) batteries coming onto the market grows. What requirements would these be? Organising and operating a comprehensive take-back scheme for batteries is an ex- tremely complex undertaking. Batteries have to be labelled correctly and there needs to be a clearing house and a deposit settlement system to name just the most important re- quirements. On top of this, it’s not possible to charge a deposit retrospectively on batter- ies or battery-run products that have already been placed on the market. It’s not possible, either from a practical or an organisational point of view, to introduce a ‘uniform’ deposit return scheme for all types of lithium-ion batteries – i.e. industrial, ap- pliance and vehicle batteries – and for all bat- tery designs at the moment, whether they are on their own or still inside a device. So in which segment of the battery market would it make sense to charge a battery deposit to reduce the number of battery fires? Introducing a deposit return scheme for the product groups ‘lithium batteries not in- stalled in appliances (loose)’ and ‘appliances containing lithium batteries’ would likely have the greatest impact and so help reduce the fire risk. As far as the appliances contain- ing batteries are concerned, then it would not only be necessary to set up a deposit return scheme but also to revise the statutory regu- lations in the German Act governing the Sale, Return and Environmentally Sound Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Ele- ktroG). This could, though, also create some synergies. Such a scheme could potentially increase the number of electrical devices col- lected as well as the number of old batteries. Practically implementing such a deposit re- turn scheme for both loose lithium batter- ies and devices containing lithium batteries would be complex. There are a number of tasks that could be particular challenging. These include setting up a system to enable the deposits to be charged when the products are placed on the market and getting the technol- ogy in place so the products can be returned. This, of course, must be both practicable and consumer-friendly. And then the batteries and the devices must be labelled to make it clear they are part of the deposit return scheme. Deposit return schemes that are restricted to specific product groups (e.g. batteries installed in electric tools and ICT devices) would have a limited impact as the volumes in these sub-segments are compar- atively low. What’s more, in such a scenario, it’s likely that large amounts of lithium-ion batteries would end up being thrown away incorrectly with other waste streams.

A COMPARISON OF DEPOSIT AMOUNTS, PRODUCT COSTS AND POSSIBLE DEPOSIT AMOUNTS PER SUGGESTED BATTERY CLUSTER Cluster Examples of deposit amounts from studies, practical research, positions of associations etc Battery costs Product/device costs Potential deposit amounts for possible implementation Small to medium-sized batteries, not installed in appliances (loose) Electrical/electronic appliances containing lithium batteries that cannot easily be removed by end users Batteries installed in ICT equipment that can easily be removed by end users Batteries installed in electric tools that can easily be removed by end users Batteries installed in e-bikes and e-scooters that can easily be removed by end users €0.10 – 0.50 €0.80 – 3.00 not applicable €0.15 – 0.50 €10.00 – 50.00 cannot be determined depends on type and model of battery €20.00 – 1,350.00 €10.00 – 50.00 €10.00 – 15.00 €20.00 – 30.00 €108.00 – 650.00 €10.00 – 15.00 €20.00 €20.00 – 150.00 €30.00 – 300.00 €10.00 – 20.00 €50.00 €220.00 – 1,250.00 €349.00 – 15,000.00 €50.00 Source: German Environment Agency (UBA) The batteries themselves could be further de- veloped to make them safer, for example by using non-flammable, thermally stable elec- trolytes and cathodes. The European Battery Directive could be revised in this area and define relevant minimum requirements. It would also be feasible to have a segregated collection scheme for waste electronic appli- ances that contain lithium-ion batteries. Another important aspect here is raising awareness of this topic and making sure that all players along the whole of the waste management chain for batteries, e-waste and other waste streams know all about the risks. This includes, in particular, consumers, staff at collection and take-back points – e.g. shop employees – and the people working at waste sorting and treatment plants. The link to the study (German) www.umweltbundesamt.de/publikationen/ pruefung-der-einfuehrung-einer-pfand- pflicht-fuer

Transdev: volunteers from home and abroad With the company being so closely tied to the Île-de-France region, Transdev will be taking on a lead- ing role in this major international event. A special team, Transdev 2024, was set up to organise the tasks needed for this unusual sum- mer mission. And the preparation work is already in full swing: from holding intensive discussions with the Paris 2024 and Île-de-France Mobilités teams, to welcoming and training its employees, all the way through to creating the bus timeta- bles and, last but not least, carrying out dummy runs with the vehicles. Based in Paris, Transdev delivers mobility solutions in 19 countries across five continents and has long-standing experience of operating public transport systems. It is owned by Caisse des Dépôts and the owner-run RETHMANN Group. Transdev will be playing a key role in organising the transport for this summer’s sporting events in Paris. The countdown has begun! The event is proving to be very popular among the drivers – so much so that a large number of volunteer drivers will be travelling to Paris from across the whole of France and Europe. Drivers from Transdev’s Portuguese, Czech and Swedish branches will also be helping out. These sporting events will be of- fering some unique moments for people to meet up and have fun. Transdev would also like to spread this spirit among its colleagues in the RETHMANN Group. We would like to wish Transdev every success and hope that this spirit will continue to inspire the company.

This is also true for the country’s recy- cling, energy and public sectors. Poland has achieved more than others even if a lack of funds has sometimes forced it to move more slowly than it would like (a situation that continued even after it joined the EU in 2004). Despite this, the country was proud to be able to announce last year that it had achieved the second-highest increase in its recycling rates in the EU over the last decade. Only Slovakia’s recycling rate had grown faster. According to Eurostat, Poland’s re- cycling rate was 236% higher in 2021 than it had been in 2012. Its current recycling rate of 40% puts the country in a solid midfield position among the EU states. This success is also a reflection of the path Poland is tak- ing, i.e. much has been achieved but they’re not at the finishing line yet. Looking at the 55% minimum recycling rate set by the EU for 2025, the gap that needs to be filled is still pretty big. Private sector solutions Private sector companies play a major role in the Polish waste management sector. While around 40% of waste management compa- nies belong to local councils, the majority are privately owned. Approximately half of these privately owned firms are internation- al recycling businesses; the other half are lo- cal family-run companies. This means that private sector firms have an important pos- ition on this market – both when it comes to the collection and recycling of munici- pal waste as well as of industrial and haz- ardous waste, healthcare waste, commercial waste, organic waste and e-waste. One of the key factors driving this development was the long-standing ban on local authorities, cross-subsidies or local budgets being used to keep loss-making municipal firms alive. 10% With a share of around 10% of the household waste collection and recycling market (including its PPPs), REMONDIS is the biggest player on the Polish recycling market. Councils made a conscious decision to get the finances and know-how they needed from the private sector. Many local authorities chose, therefore, to set up public private partnerships (PPPs) to achieve this particular goal. REMONDIS alone is involved in eight such PPPs (Poznań, Szczecin, Gliwice, Sosnowiec, Tarnowskie Góry, Krosno, Świdnik, Otwock), its subsid- iary SFW Energia in two (Mielec, Gorlice) and REMONDIS Aqua in four (Trzemeszno, Drobin, Wyszogród, Toszek). This is also one of the reasons why REMONDIS generated around 2.7 billion Polish złotys (PLN) or 600 million euros in 2022 – its second-largest turnover after its home market Germany. With a share of around 10% of the household waste collection and recycling market (in- cluding its PPPs), REMONDIS is the biggest player on the Polish recycling market. Incineration rather than landfill Following the political upheaval, Poland ini- tially set about creating a waste management infrastructure that enabled one single system to collect all the different types of waste and take them to landfill. The two main challeng- es of this first restructuring stage were up- grading the country’s existing landfills to re- flect modern standards and carrying out any renovation work needed. The first big step that they took to modernise waste manage- ment was to ensure the waste was pre-treat- ed in mechanical-biological treatment (MBT) facilities before it was sent to landfill. This is still what happens to most of the waste gen- erated in the country today; the figure was put at 90% for 2020. These facilities sort and cut up the waste streams in order to remove individual substances. These recovered ma- terials are then either recycled, transformed into high-calorific fuels (RDF) for the cement industry or incinerated in waste incineration plants (WIP). The organic fraction is pro- cessed so that it cannot produce methane gas after it has been landfilled. P

As a result, the calculations based on the number of local inhabitants often do not cov- er the actual costs and, paradoxically, mean the costs per head increase disproportional- ly. The Polish audit office recently reported that companies and consumers had fallen into arrears amounting to around PLN 850m (€200m) in 2022 – a sum that has been rising continuously for many years now. This all meant that the majority of councils were unable to finance their system with the fees collected and had to fall back on other funds. Up until a few years ago, Polish law stipulated that the collection and processing of municipal waste must finance itself. This law, however, was changed after many local inhabitants expressed their displeasure at the exponentially increasing costs. Since 2022, councils have been officially allowed to sub- sidise their waste management systems again. There has been much opposition to the idea of ‘producer responsibility’ in the packaging recycling sector (i.e. to companies placing packaging on the market having to pay for these materials to be recycled). The reason put forward by the Government in 2022, when it once again stopped such a bill being put to the vote, was that it feared such a move may lead to companies passing on the costs to consumers and pushing up prices even more. Other measures should fix the situa- tion, such as the levies being charged on sin- gle-use packaging. “The EU grants that will be available in the future for new projects – and that local authorities will be able to apply for – will be nowhere near as attractive as those in the past.” Torsten Weber, Managing Director of REMONDIS International At the moment there is also a lack of funds available to modernise the country’s waste incineration plants and transform them into waste-to-energy (WtE) plants. Experts be- lieve this shortfall to be around PLN 10bn. And Torsten Weber, managing director of REMONDIS International, pointed out a further obstacle: “The EU grants that will be available in the future for new projects – and that local authorities will be able to apply for – will be nowhere near as attractive as those in the past. One main reason here is because the EU is no longer prepared to subsidise WtE plants. Many of the plants built in Po- land in the past were financed with the help of such funds. In the future, therefore, there will be a considerable distortion of compe- tition with projects that are built primarily using conventional financing and very few subsidies.” And then there is the whole question of how the planned deposit return scheme for drinks packaging, which is due to be rolled out in 2025, is to be financed – a question that is yet to be answered.

LESZEK PIESZCZEK – CURRICULUM VITAE 25 years’ experience of the environment and the circular economy in Poland CURRENT POSITION COO, REMONDIS Sp. z o.o., Warsaw PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Since 2012: Board chair of the Investor Chamber of Commerce in Poland (Izba Przemysłowo-Handlowa Inwestorów w Polsce) Since 2009: A member of the supervisory board of the Polish Waste Management Chamber PIGO (a member of the FEAD in Brussels) 2001 – 2009: Managing director of EKO-PUNKT, Organizacja Odzysku S.A. 1999 – 2001: Assistant to the Managing Director, Rethmann Recycling Sp. z o.o., Warsaw 1989 – 1999: Employee at Siemens AG, automation technology dept., Nuremberg-Moorenbrunn FURTHER EDUCATION 2001 – 2006: Master’s course at Lodz International Studies Academy (LISA) 1987 – 1989: University of Education Studied social education in Częstochowa Our waste-to-energy project team is working hard at the moment to change the fuels being used in the main plants as quickly as possible and to substitute them with alter- native fuels. RE:VIEWS: What role will the private sector and pub- lic private partnerships – or PPPs – play in the fu- ture? Is there a danger of Poland turning its back on private sector solutions over the long term? Leszek Pieszczek: That’d be a great loss for the whole of the system and it’s very difficult to picture that happening. Particularly as local authorities in Poland are getting further and further into debt and, at the same time, must pay ever greater sums to central government. The new government has said that it intends to reduce the levies that towns and districts must pay but it’s hard to predict to what ex- tent this will actually happen. One real challenge for private sector solu- tions are the many council-owned companies that are given contracts without the work be- ing put out to tender. This is effectively lim- iting free competition. These public sector firms, however, certainly don’t operate more cost-effectively or more efficiently. Instead, they cost the local authorities a lot of money, which the councillors could put to much bet- ter use for other public tasks. Generally speaking, not working with the private sector and not making use of this private capital benefit no one. It’s not just a question of investment but also of private sector know-how and the many years spent by private sector specialists researching into and developing projects – often international projects involving other international busi- nesses. If the public sector chooses to forego private sector investors, then it is also fore- going its professional experience and know- how that is generally up to date with the lat- est international standards.

The snow centre in Bottrop. Supported by REMEX’s GRANOVA

The EBV aims to create uniform solutions for the whole of the country “As far as technology is concerned, there are no obstacles whatsoever to processing large quantities of mineral waste so that it can be used sensibly as recycled aggre- gate,” commented Heuser. “We’ve been doing this in the Netherlands for many years now.” REMEX’s subsidiary HEROS Sluiskil B. V., for example, processes IBA at its HEROS Ecopark Terneuzen, a site covering 45 hectares. It is able to produce a material of such high quality that it can be used to make concrete for building products. HEROS does this by deploying a complex system that not only re- moves the heavy metals from the mineral substances but also im- proves their environmental prop- erties. Germany’s federal system had a negative impact on the process- ing and recycling of mineral frac- tions for decades. Until just re- cently, each German state had its own rules and regulations about where and under what conditions recycled aggregate may be used in building projects. While efforts were made by the German states to create uniform conditions via LAGA (the federal states’ working group on waste), the lowest com- mon denominator was the very best that they ever managed to achieve. Germany did not have a nationwide market for substitute building materials – something that would have led to economies of scale for recyclers and made the recycling of such materials more cost-effective. A great deal still needs to be done, however, if it is to live up to this key role. Take a closer look at the numbers and the picture is more nuanced as the recycling rates dif- fer greatly between the various ma- terial streams. Around 80% of con- struction waste (which, lying at 60 million tonnes, makes up just over a quarter of all the mineral waste generated) is recycled. This is a good amount. In contrast, just 10% of earth and rocks (the largest frac- tion at almost 130 million tonnes) is processed into recycled aggregate. It may be true that the majority of this huge material stream is used. In this particular case, though, ‘used’ also means utilising it as a build- ing material in landfills or surface excavations and not necessarily in technical structures such as roads. Those responsible for planning Germany’s Mantelverordnung or ‘Umbrella Ordinance’ (a large envir- onmental policy project, of which the EBV, i.e. the Substitute Building Materials Ordinance, was the most controversial) estimated a few years back that there would be around 38 million tonnes of recycled aggre- gate every year. A figure that was far too low looking at the current demand for this construction ma- terial and the amount of mineral waste actually being processed. Ac- cording to Kreislaufwirtschaft Bau, 77 million tonnes of recycled ag- gregate were produced from con- struction waste, road construction waste, and earth and rocks in 2020. And even more is possible – if the conditions are right. Figures published by Kreislaufwirtschaft Bau (an alliance of construction and circular economy associations) show that around 220 million tonnes of mineral construction waste were generated in Germany in 2020.

Restrictive end-of-waste ordinance is thwarting circular building An end-of-waste ordinance that is too re- strictive, however, could make the frame- work conditions for substitute building ma- terials worse rather than better. It would simply reinforce the tendency that is already there on the market today to only use the highest material categories (such as RC- 1). “It would, totally unnecessarily, devalue many types of recycled aggregate,” said Heu- ser criticising the Federal Environment Min- istry’s plans. On top of this, there is the issue that not all mineral waste can be recycled into substitute building materials. Material that is contami- nated with asbestos or other dangerous sub- stances may not be returned to market but must be deposited safely in landfills instead. REMEX fears that the EBV and end-of- waste ordinance might result in mineral frac- tions, which are being recycled into substi- tute building materials at the moment, being sent to landfill in the future. Landfill space, which is already scarce in Germany, would then be filled with materials that could be used, without hesitation, to construct roads if the framework conditions were more fa- vourable. REMEX proposes an easy-to-understand, end-of-waste regulation As a result, REMEX has put forward a pro- posal for an end-of-waste regulation for substitute building materials that is easy for everyone to understand. Namely, that all substitute building materials and ma- terial categories should be given product status if the materials are used in line with the EBV. “The EBV’s new regulations creat- ed a long overdue, scientifically based, na- tionwide framework,” explained REMEX managing director Michael Stoll. Despite this though, each German state continues to do their own thing as there are no national end-of-waste regulations. “At the moment, a patchwork of new – sometimes contradict- ory – rules is being set up, creating yet more red tape,” Stoll continued. “What we need is a healthy mix of recycled and virgin building materials.” Berthold Heuser, Authorised Signatory at REMEX If natural resources are to be conserved, cli- mate change tackled and biodiversity pro- tected, then there is no getting around the fact that there must be more recycling. The circular economy will not, however, be able to cover the demand for raw materials by itself. 585 million tonnes of aggregate were produced in 2020 and just 220 million tonnes of mineral waste generated during the same period. Which is why Berthold Heuser does not see recycled aggregate as a rival product for companies producing aggregate from virgin materials. “What we need is a healthy mix of recycled and virgin building mater- ials,” he concluded. Virgin building mater- ials could then be used more in high quality applications, for which there are no recycled substitutes at the moment. It is just after four in the afternoon at the Bottrop snow centre and it has got a little louder as a group of children get off the lift laughing: the Kids Club has stepped onto the slope. This venue makes it possible for children aged seven or older to ski regularly without having to go on an expensive ski- ing holiday. Close to where they live, in the heart of the Ruhr region. The children are al- most certainly not aware of the fact that it is thanks to recycled aggregate that they have a safe place to enjoy this winter sport. And would probably not be very interested either if they did know.

“ Annual demand for gypsum in Germany lies at around ten million tonnes.” Carsten Ketteler, Managing Director of CASEA Gypsum is an excellent building material because it can be recycled an infinite number of times without it losing its quality. Yet recycling rates of this material are low – and it is a raw material that may become scarce in the future. When Carsten Ketteler talks about gypsum you could listen to him for hours. Where gyp- sum is found. All the things you can do with it. All the places it is needed. Ketteler is man- aging director of REMONDIS’ subsidiary CASEA and obviously enjoys what he does. CASEA produces and sells high quality prod- ucts made of calcium sulphate, i.e. of gypsum. “Annual demand for gypsum in Germany lies at around ten million tonnes,” Ketteler said. In contrast, just 700,000 tonnes of waste gypsum are generated each year. Ketteler explained that the big difference between the two can be put down to the big drywall boom that began in the 80s – a time that saw construction firms starting to install large volumes of plasterboard. “The buildings that are currently being demolished don’t ne- cessarily contain large amounts of recyclable gypsum-based waste.” Gypsum-based construction waste is not normally listed in waste statistics as it only makes up a mere 0.3% of all mineral waste generated – as can be seen in the latest fig- ures published by Kreislaufwirtschaft Bau (a circular economy construction initiative). Having said that, gypsum is an excellent ma- terial for promoting circular building as it can, just like glass and metal, be recycled an infinite number of times without losing its quality. The principle behind recycling gyp- sum is really very simple: the gypsum rock is gently fired at a temperature of 180°C al- lowing the water contained in the input ma- terial to escape. Water is then added again to the intermediate product – calcium sulphate hemihydrate. This process creates calcium sulphate dihydrate, the chemical term for gypsum. Water out, water in: recycling gyp- sum is not rocket science. But, as is always the case with recycling, it is all about the pur- ity levels of the input material.

According to the German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA), a mere fraction of the gypsum-based waste generated was recycled for reuse in 2020, namely 63,000 tonnes. Sci- entists assume, however, that approximately half of the gypsum-based waste produced in Germany could be recycled for reuse. Depositing gypsum-based waste in landfills regularly causes problems as gypsum can sometimes dissolve in water. If water gets into the main body of the landfill, then it can wash out the gypsum, resulting in it accu- mulating in the leachate system. One of the main reasons why gypsum-based waste con- tinues to be sent to landfill despite this prob- lem is because there are such small volumes. “Renovation work generates small amounts of plasterboard compared to the other types of mineral waste. Unfortunately, they tend to be taken to landfill rather than one of the four recycling facilities because of the costs involved,” explained Ketteler. Some of the old plasterboard is even transported to the Czech Republic where it is used to clean up uranium slurry ponds. And then there is the gypsum-based plaster that is stuck to the tiles when a house is de- molished. “No one’s going to scrape it off and transport it, possibly hundreds of kilometres, to one of the four recycling facilities.” The volumes of FGD gypsum will fall considerably over the coming years as the country’s coal-fired power stations are gradually shut down. Since the new landfill ordinance came into force at the beginning of January, it has been forbidden to send recyclable waste to land- fill. Things are unlikely to change, however, when it comes to gypsum as it is question- able whether more material will be recycled for reuse as long as backfilling is categorised as a form of treatment. And yet the capaci- ties that have been set up across Germany to recycle gypsum are certainly not being ful- ly exploited. Figures published in the study that the ecological institute, Prognos, and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) carried out for the German Environment Agency (UBA) show that Ger- many could realistically be generating up to 800,000 tonnes of recyclable gypsum-based waste in 2030.

In a different project, the compa- ny has set up a separate collection scheme for used dental plaster from dental practices. Dental plaster is used by dentists to make, for exam- ple, imprints of their patients’ teeth. “And they use quite a bit of mater- ial,” Ketteler commented. And yet the amounts generated are too small for most recycling businesses. With this in mind, CASEA joined forces with ERNST HINRICHS Dental GmbH and SILADENT Dr. Böhme und Schöps GmbH to launch a pro- ject to recover this sought-after raw material. “The dental practices and dental labs store their used plaster in the same box that they get their new dental plaster in and then send it back to HINRICHS,” Ketteler ex- plained. The plaster would proba- bly end up in the residual waste bin if they did not have access to this take-back scheme. The gypsum circular economy is more than just recycling All these projects, however, will hardly be enough to close the gap created by the loss of the FGD gypsum from the 2030s onwards. Which is why CASEA will continue to extract natural gypsum from its quarries in Ellrich (German state of Thuringia), Dorste (Lower Saxony) and Sulzheim (Bavaria). The com- pany also acquired a gypsum pro- ducer based in the Spanish town of Navarra back in 2020. “Spain has the largest reserves of natural gyp- sum in Europe,” Ketteler continued. This takeover not only strengthens the company’s independence but will also help to secure supplies of the raw materials for the German building materials industry once the coal-fired power stations are shut down. Looking at the great discrepancy between the demand for the raw material on the one hand and the volumes of waste material gener- ated on the other, the circular econ- omy is more than just recycling when it comes to gypsum. “It’s all about ensuring that natural gypsum is quarried in a way that has as little impact on the environment as pos- sible,” Ketteler explained. “Which is why we already start restoring the landscape while we’re quarrying the gypsum and even beforehand to compensate for our activities. That way we enhance the landscape and preserve biodiversity.” The long-term goal must be, however, to increase the amount of gyp- sum-based waste being recycled for reuse. Only if gypsum-based waste is collected separately and recycled can this excellent building material display its greatest strength: its cir- cularity. Water out, water in. The gypsum circular economy is more than just recycling. “It’s all about ensuring that natural gypsum is quarried in a way that has as little impact on the environment as possible,” Carsten Ketteler says.

Scaffolding below the summit cross T The specialists needed three days to erect the scaffold close to the peak of Germany’s highest moun- tain. They were able to do this so quickly thanks to the meticulous work that had been carried out beforehand to prepare the project, especially the organisation of the material and logistics. While most of the Zugspitze has been devel- oped to cater for tourists, this high alpine region is by no means easy to access. It was not possible, for example, to use standard freight vehicles. Which meant that each individual part of this 9.5-tonne scaffold had to be transported up the mountain on the Zugspitze cogwheel train and carefully packed up so that they did not ex- ceed the train’s load limit. he Schneefernerhaus – a research station dedicated to climate and high alti- tude research work – can be found on the south flank of the Zugspitze, Germany’s high- est mountain. Located 2,650 metres above sea level just be- low the mountain’s summit, this twelve-storey building extends out from the grey rock like an eagle’s nest and enables scien- tists from a variety of institutes to study the atmosphere, bio- sphere and many other topics. This research work delivers im- portant findings as the Zugspitze is a good place to measure both climate-relevant processes and the impact of climate change. Protecting the research centre against falling rocks Last year, XERVON erected a scaf- fold on a section of the sheer rock face immediately behind the re- search station. 28 metres long, this two storey protective and work platform was built up the side of this almost vertical wall of rock. The lower storey spanned a sec- tion of rock approx. five metres in height and the second went up a further six metres. The scaffolding provided safe access to the rock face so that it could be stabilised with shotcrete – renovation work that was urgently needed to pro- tect the Schneefernerhaus and the scientists working on its platforms from being hit by falling rocks. GERÜSTBAU UNTERM GIPFELKREUZ

Preserving Patrona Bavariae Wendelstein Church It could be the perfect setting for a sentimen- tal film: built on a rocky crest, Patrona Ba- variae Wendelstein Church seems to hover high up on the top of the mountain and offers a truly spectacular panorama of the Alps. This neo-Gothic house of worship was conse- crated in 1890 and looks very much like a chapel. It is, however, Germany’s highest church and a famous landmark of Mount Wendelstein. building work all year round in such high al- pine regions. Good weather is a must. This meant that all of the renovation work that needed to be done on Patrona Bavariae had to be complet- ed in the summer season. A very narrow time window that also required the scaffolding to be put up quickly. XERVON had just five days to transport seven tonnes of material up the mountain and erect five tonnes of scaffolding. Located 1,740 metres above sea level, Wen- delstein Church is very much exposed to the vagaries of the alpine weather. When the de- cision was made to carry out extensive ren- ovation work on the weather-worn walls and roof, XERVON was called in to erect the scaffolding around the outside walls of this unusual building. It is not possible to do XERVON first transported the material by train using the special waggons provided by the Wendelstein cog railway. After that, the team had to carry it up the final few metres to the church themselves. The first phase of the project saw them erecting a scaffold around three of the church’s walls, all of which was able to stand on the ground.

A number of tasks are to be carried out on this futuristic-looking mountain station dur- ing the nine-month project, including install- ing a 1,000m² glass façade to provide visitors with a clear view of the surrounding Alpine peaks. At the same time, it is to get 633m² of solar cladding so it can supply itself with green energy. XERVON Austria’s specialists have surrounded practically the whole of the mountain station with scaffolding so that the work can be carried out on the façade. All in all, it used around 12 tonnes of scaffolding material to do this, which was transported up the mountain in special ‘team cable cars’. Set- ting up the scaffolding on the rocky surface was a particular challenge, especially as much of the station is built right next to the edge of sheer cliff faces. With the alpine weather conditions factored in, most of the work done on the outside of the building was completed before winter began. The teams then worked on the inside of the station during the coldest months. The pro- ject – probably the highest ever to be carried out in Austria – is due to be completed in May 2024. This will herald a new era for visitors to the Dachstein World. Skiing and snowboard- ing are no longer permitted on the Dachstein glacier because of the negative impact this has on the environment. The UNESCO world heritage site Dachstein will, however, contin- ue to be a fascinating place to visit thanks to the completely modernised mountain station. The station is to get 633m² of solar cladding so it can supply itself with green energy

A technical innovation is no coinci- dence. On the contrary, it is the result of many years of development work. The industrial services specialist BUCHEN UmweltService is constantly looking to drive forward such individual solutions in-house – a task that also involves remaining in close contact with the compa- ny’s customers and teams of operatives. The key driver behind this innovative spir- it is the company’s technology department. Branislav Radu, an engineer and head of the department, explained in a recent interview just how important the department is for the business – and describes the ‘typical’ path- way a new development takes. 30 BUCHEN’s innovation activities are continuously growing: at the mo- ment, around 30 new developments or further developments are worked on every year.

“ We always get our ideas for developing and improving technology from the company’s work. Just as our innovations are always tried and tested solutions that can be used by the company.” Branislav Radu, Head of the Technology Department at BUCHEN UmweltService RE:VIEWS: Your technology department is a key inno- vation engine. Branislav Radu: Our technology department is not the only innovation engine. It is, though, the main driving force behind it. It also plays a central liaising role to make sure that our company uses the best possible technology available. Being the market leader, it is our mission to lead in the area of technology as well. If we’re to live up to this goal, then we must also have the resources and the know- how required for innovations. The company meets these conditions with its technology department – and has created a basis that other market players simply don’t have. RE:VIEWS: There’s always a reason for developing an innovation. Where do you get your ideas for such new developments? Branislav Radu: We always get our ideas for developing new equipment and improv- ing existing technology from the company’s work. Just as our innovations are always practical and tried and tested solutions that can be used by the company. When it comes to applications engineering, for example, the technology department assists in projects that focus on the company’s everyday busi- ness, on the cleaning equipment that can be used and on the most suitable processes. This often leads to us spotting where there is po- tential to develop new equipment or improve existing machinery. We then make the most of this potential to offer targeted solutions. Our operational teams also provide ideas for innovations. They can spot where there is room for improvement when they carry out their work and put forward suggestions for how things could be improved, for example via our idea management scheme. We look at these suggestions and then develop them further. What’s more, we regularly hold our ‘Technology Forum’ to enable all of the tech- nology managers from home and abroad to get together. This event is used to discuss and swap ideas about the technology and pro- cesses they’ve used as well as to talk about the technical challenges they’ve faced. This is something that often leads to new innova- tion projects being set up. In some cases, the forum participants also come up with initial ideas for how to approach the subject. Inno- vation projects are also initiated this way as the company’s management team believes it can be very useful to actively develop inno- vations. RE:VIEWS: So what does the development process actually look like? Branislav Radu: We talk to manufacturers, our customers, our suppliers and our operation- al teams and work very closely with them whenever we plan new developments. The first step is to clarify and specify the project’s general framework conditions, such as the requirements, wishes, budget and goals. The company’s Technology Forum is held regularly to enable all of the technology managers from home and abroad to get together.

RE:VIEWS: Do you also collaborate with other in- house departments or with external partners? Branislav Radu: We cooperate closely with specialist in-house departments, such as QHSE&S and personnel development. We also work with procurement as we have the technology expertise and can advise them on technological equipment, machinery and processes. We also support our colleagues who wish to invest in large-scale equipment – from helping them to draw up the specifica- tions, to requesting quotations and monitor- ing orders, through to carrying out the final inspection. Outside the company, we work closely with manufacturers and suppliers as well as with the committees of various in- dustry associations. On top of this, we also collaborate with development partners, such as universities. RE:VIEWS: Let’s assume a prototype has passed all the trial runs and the innovation must now be intro- duced into the field. How do you go about doing this? Branislav Radu: The successful development, i.e. the finished product, is handed over to our operational colleagues together with the technical documentation including the CE certification, quality tests and our final in- house report. After our colleagues have re- ceived the relevant instructions or taken part in a seminar to learn how to use the inno- vation, they can then use it in the field. Our application engineers accompany these col- leagues the first few times they use the equip- ment to provide help should it be needed. They also remain in close contact with one another afterwards – in particular with the operatives using the equipment – to get their AUTOMATED THROUGH-FEED WASH SYSTEM BUCHEN UmweltService developed its automated through-feed wash system for cleaning small parts. The contaminated parts pass through the unit and are cleaned by high-pressure water jets; if necessary, they can be put through the wash system several times. Environmental factors were also taken into account here: a special system has been integrated into the unit that ensures a structured process is used to remove the used water. feedback and look whether the innovation can be further improved. RE:VIEWS: How does BUCHEN UmweltService protect its successful innovations? Branislav Radu: We carry out patent research work during the actual development process to make sure that we’re not violating existing patents. This research also shows us whether there’s the potential for us to initiate our own patent application. If this is the case, we first check whether the innovation is eligible for a patent or registered design. We also deal with the whole of the patent process ourselves – from handing in the application, to being granted a patent, through to the patent ex- piring. We also keep a close eye on deadlines and regularly review the economic benefit of our registered patents. RE:VIEWS: Technological progress is speeding up in practically all areas. Will the importance of technical innovations continue to grow in the industrial clean- ing sector? Branislav Radu: Most definitely. Safety, en- vironmental and efficiency requirements will continue to get stricter in the industrial cleaning sector. I personally think that that’s both important and a good thing. From point of view of safety, each and every accident at work is one accident too many. This reason alone is what drives us to develop safer in- novations for our colleagues working in the field. At the same time, the carbon-cutting goals are creating technical challenges for all sectors. It will also be the innovations that make the difference in this area in the fu- ture. And then there’s the whole issue of the skills shortage. Innovations help us to make workplaces more ergonomic, safer and, as a result, more attractive. Not to mention the fact that our colleagues much prefer using state-of-the-art technology. Last but by no means least, our company motto applies more strongly than ever here: we are quite simply “working for the future”.

“ Here at REMONDIS, we believe in a mix of different fuels and have always been open to new kinds of technologies and alternative fuels.” Sascha Hähnke, Managing Director of REMONDIS Sustainable Services GmbH Sascha Hähnke, managing director of REMONDIS Sustainable Services, is an ex- perienced logistics specialist and has in- depth knowledge of the mobility sector hav- ing worked in the industry for many decades and built up a network of contacts across all key areas of business and politics. While he argues passionately for alternative concepts and new approaches to be implemented, he also insists that there must be clarity in this matter and vehemently opposes ideological debates. In a recent interview, he outlined the com- plex situation in the mobility market and talked about the exciting alternatives, pro- jects and developments, for example in the field of alternative fuels; Germany – the land of cars – may possibly be in the process of reinventing itself! The technology: alternative fuels “Here at REMONDIS, we believe in a mix of different fuels and have always been open to new kinds of technologies and alternative fuels,” Sascha Hähnke stressed. This means that both electric vehicles (EVs), powered by batteries or hydrogen fuel cells, and lorries run on biodiesel or biogas must be used to ensure the transition in the mobility sector is a success. “If we wish to be sustainable and systematically protect the environment, then we must back all the different types of tech- nologies. We won’t be able to reach the fin- ishing line if we opt for just one type,” Sascha Hähnke continued and he is certain that he is right here. All in all, REMONDIS and Rhenus operate around 10,000 lorries, more than 50 of which are EVs. All in all, REMONDIS and Rhenus operate around 10,000 lorries, more than 50 of which are EVs

“ If the very most were made of the country’s volumes of organic waste, then up to 100 terawatt hours of biomethane could be produced every year in Germany alone.” Sascha Hähnke, Managing Director of REMONDIS Sustainable Services GmbH REMONDIS has made significant contributions to- wards the development and use of biodiesel since the beginning of the 21st century. In 2004, it set up a new business division dedicated solely to its biodiesel operations, which it runs under the brand name ‘ecoMotion’ – a move that led to an expansion of its production capabilities and distribution network at home and abroad. For many years now, articulated lorries, run on HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil) and deployed by Rhenus and REMONDIS’ associated companies in the field of recycling logistics, have been successfully out and about on the roads in this tough day-to-day business. Electric lorries – powered by batteries or hydrogen fuel cells – are already the norm at many public and private sector waste management companies. But all potential systems must be sounded out here as well, Sascha Hähnke believes. One interesting fact: EVs are by no means a modern invention. The first electric vehicle was built by the French inventor Gustave Trouvé back in 1881 when he invented his electric Trouvé Tricycle. 21 batteries were used to power Charles Jeantaud’s electric car, which was presented in the same year that his fellow countryman Trouvé introduced his tricycle. Pushed into the background by the internal combustion engine, EVs enjoyed a bit of a revival in the 60s and 70s following the oil crisis. Now- adays, electrically powered vehicles are seen by many as the key to reducing carbon emissions. REMONDIS and Rhenus have trialled electric lorries in a variety of field tests, including a Mercedes eActros Gen 2, a DAF (VDL), an E-Force (Iveco) and a Volvo FH Electric. Many public sector circular economy firms already successfully deploy electric trucks powered by hydro- gen cells (for example, from FAUN) to carry out their everyday business.

Subsidy programmes Talking about the commitment of federal government: the amount of work that must be done to convert many parts of the coun- try’s mobility sector is huge and it would seem to be self-explanatory that this will only be possible with the help of subsidies. Which is why logistics experts find it total- ly incomprehensible that a clear pathway has not been set out here. “Many firms sim- ply can’t plan ahead and we’re already going through a more than difficult time with the current wars, crises, inflation and changing global trade routes,” Sascha Hähnke warned. Subsidies for climate-friendly commercial vehicles are coming to an end this year and he believes this will have a significant im- pact. “Other countries were envious of our KsNI subsidy programme even if it wasn’t managed particularly well,” explained Sascha Hähnke. Instead of the three calls for funding each year, there was, for example, only one. Speed was another important factor both regarding the processing of the applications and the pre-financing of the investments. “Many small companies simply can’t cope with the latter on their own,” said Hähnke, summing up the situation. Financing Finances play, and will continue to play, a major role both in making the transition a success and maintaining the existing infra- structure. Lorries also contribute towards this as they have to pay HGV road tolls: half of the money collected from the HGV road toll scheme (minus the costs for collection, enforcement and toll compensation meas- ures) is spent on the country’s federal high- ways and the other half on mobility measures that predominantly involve the country’s rail systems. On its website, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport writes: “In 2022, the scheme generated about 7.4 billion euros. Given the urgent need for investment in the structural maintenance and upgrading of the transport network, the tolling scheme makes a major contribution to transport in- frastructure funding”. So far, so good. On the 01 December 2023, the HGV toll was extend- ed to include a CO2 levy for vehicles weigh- ing 7.5 tonnes or more – something that led to a massive increase. This regulation will also apply to lorries weighing between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes from 01 July 2024 onwards. The government expects the regulation that came into force on 01 December 2023 alone to bring in an additional 26.61 billion euros between 2024 and 2027. “This is a disaster for our sector and it really is incomprehen- sible that we are asked to pay even more and that this money is then spent on the Deutsche Bahn’s rail system,” commented Sascha Hähnke. There’s no alternative to alternative fuels If the mobility sector is to be successfully transformed, then there is still much to do – technologically, financially and admin- istratively. “As far as I’m concerned, there’s no alternative to alternative fuels, especially in recycling logistics,” said Sascha Hähnke, pointing to the many exciting approaches that are being used and tested in the field. “We can achieve a great deal if we all work together and are open to new kinds of technologies and, above all, if we base our decisions on the facts and have the courage to implement such pro- jects – I’m absolutely convinced of this,” con- cluded the managing director of REMONDIS Sustainable Services. “ As far as I’m concerned, there’s no alternative to alternative fuels, especially in recycling logistics.” Sascha Hähnke, Managing Director of REMONDIS Sustainable Services GmbH

Unfortunately, however, the funds put aside for these plans were then used to build the Nürburgring racing track. The water infra- structure in the Ahr valley remained largely unchanged and we all know what this led to 111 years later. It is clear today that many regions need to completely overhaul their water supply and wastewater treatment infrastructure. And this will require large investments. While just 1.96 billion euros were invested in public water supply in 2007, this figure had already jumped to around 3.4 billion euros in 2021. It will not be possible to handle this herculean task without the help of private investors. Investing in tomorrow’s smart water management Rainfall events will, therefore, become more extreme and regions with too much or too little water will become the norm rather than the exception. The fact that the amount of precipitation will remain roughly the same over the long term may be comforting but it also highlights the particular challenges that water infrastructure will have to face. On the one hand, local and district authorities need to be able to provide a stable supply of water during dry periods and long periods of drought. On the other, they must have an in- frastructure that can cope with severe rainfall events. And this cannot simply mean safely diverting the volumes of water into the next big river to ensure there is no loss of life and buildings remain undamaged. On the con- trary, investments must be made not only to ensure that water is used more efficiently but also to build additional capacities to store the excess water generated by heavy rainfall. This would then make it easier for the regions to get through the next inevitable drought. People came up with ideas and concepts to do this many years ago as well. Following the severe floods in the Ahr valley back in 1910, plans were drawn up to improve water flow and build additional sewer pipes and storage basins in the vulnerable areas.

REMONDIS has shown in a variety of public private partnerships dedicated to delivering key public services that it is in it for the long haul. Both in good times and bad. Which all means that regional authorities are facing some very big tasks. If falling profits in municipal firms means fewer taxes are collected, then the costs must be covered completely by the public purse, e.g. from pub- lic swimming pools, public transport and other public services – something that will push many towns to the limit. It is, therefore, important for local authorities to look for the right partners who can make the most of their operational expertise and experience of provid- ing services to help them master these difficult tasks. Ideally, it should be a reliable partner who is there to stay. REMONDIS has shown in a variety of public pri- vate partnerships dedicated to delivering key public services that it is most certainly in it for the long haul. Both in good times and bad. Ludger Rethmann, CEO of REMONDIS, one of the world’s leading water and circular economy companies, has already described the pathway towards a more cooperative future in a book that he published together with Prof. Michael Schäfer; he is also aware that a number of problems created in the past must also be over- come: “Anyone arguing in favour of more privatisation in the water management sector inevitably finds them- selves being confronted with the large-scale nega- tive examples of the recent past. The privatisation of Berlin’s water company (with its guaranteed interest payments for the investors) and of the British compa- ny Thames Water (with its change from a municipal to a regional, private sector monopoly) were unsuc- cessful for a whole host of reasons. On the one hand, they failed to recognise – or, worst case, ignore – the investments that were actually needed. On the other, it would appear that the guiding principle of these privatisations has been the short-term maximisation of profits to benefit the private sector shareholders. Quite rightly, this purely privately owned, profit-ori- ented approach has proven to be wrong. We believe that the only viable model for maintaining, preserv- ing and operating water infrastructure in a cost-ef- fective way is to set up public private joint ventures dedicated to delivering these key public services. Such companies cooperate on an equal footing and are generally designed to run over a long-term period. It is precisely for these reasons that companies – in particular high-performing, family-run firms like REMONDIS – should commit themselves and make the most of their know-how and capital to work to- gether with public sector partners to make water sup- ply and wastewater treatment in Germany and Europe fit for the future and ensure it is run cost-efficiently over the long term. Examples – such as Wasserver- sorgungs- und Abwasserentsorgungsgesellschaft or WAG, a public private partnership in Schwerin (the capital city of the German state of Mecklenburg-Vor- pommern) and the Hagen-based Enervie – Südwest- falen Energie und Wasser AG – clearly demonstrate that such collaborations can work well. The Hanse City of Rostock also benefited from its cooperation with the private sector company EURAWASSER for over 20 years before it made the politically motivated decision to ‘remunicipalise’ the business – a move that led almost immediately to an economic collapse. Once again, this shows that local authorities are well advised to set up public private joint ventures over the long term.” Sabrina Soussan, president and managing director of the Suez Group, an international water and circular economy business, also stressed the need for public private partnerships (PPPs) during an interview with France TV on 19 January: “It means more investments, it means more business. PPPs are key here and will bring about change. These subjects will become ever more important and it will be necessary – and this is something I’d really like to underline here – for the public and private sectors to work together. This will simply be a must looking at the sums of money that will have to be invested, other- wise we won’t be able to manage it and won’t be able to make any changes.”

The right political framework conditions must, how- ever, be in place in this area as well, if the necessary innovations and investments are to be made. To be- gin with, politicians must set the course for the future, long-term, cost-effective and efficient use of water. Some countries have already reacted to their local con- ditions and revised their laws on how water should be used. In many of India’s new industrial zones, for ex- ample, closed loop systems must be installed to ensure all of the water used by the industrial facilities is cap- tured, recycled and reused on site. This big goal is en- capsulated in the term ZLD, i.e. zero liquid discharge. No longer should a single drop of water be lost as dirty wastewater; no longer should the environment be pol- luted and groundwater levels impacted by such water. Such approaches are vital in water-poor countries like India in order to conserve their valuable water re- sources. As Europe can expect to suffer from more and more droughts in the future, we should also copy such examples and install closed loop systems for our own water resources. Perfect examples of successful water projects This wish to have wastewater-free production oper- ations was what prompted the collaboration between Evonik Catalysts and REMONDIS Aqua. Together, they commissioned a zero liquid discharge facility at its plant in Dombivli, India. In this particular project, REMONDIS Aqua helped this chemicals manufacturer to plan, build and finance the facility. “Modern waste- water management is a key component to overcoming the historical water crises in many regions around the world,” commented Dr Keno Strömer, managing di- rector of REMONDIS Aqua India Pvt. Ltd. This facility uses a number of different systems to treat the process water, one of which recovers the sodium sulphate from the water so it can be reused by indus- try as a raw material. One of the main advantages of the facility is that Evonik is less dependent on external water suppliers. What’s more, this sustainable use of water helps protect the environment, further improves the environmental footprint of the company’s indus- trial production activities and ensures that the process water and the recyclables recovered from it can be ef- ficiently reused. The ZLD projects in India are acting as a role model all around the world. This system enables less water to be used in production processes and is becom- ing more and more important on the international stage as companies look to become more sustainable. UNITED NATIONS WORLD WATER DAY The theme for this year’s UN World Water Day on 22 March was ‘Water for Peace’. According to UNICEF, around 2.2 billion people around the world have limited or no access to clean drinking water. One thing is certain here as well: climate change will only make this situation worse. Adapting water infrastructure to the impacts of climate change is expensive but vital. A further example is the use of intermediate products. REMONDIS Aqua supplies a manufacturer of acti- vated carbon in the Netherlands with process water. It deploys several different steps here to treat the raw water. Producing pure process water also involves extracting a certain amount of water and this water, i.e. this intermediate product, is supplied to the agri- cultural sector. This is a further example of how water infrastructure can be adapted to regional conditions. Among all these private sector innovations to improve the use of scarce water reserves, it is important not to forget that the other side of the coin – the severe rain- fall events – means that it is essential to have tempor- ary storage facilities and systems able to divert large volumes of water. What’s more, modern AI-based forecasts are needed to predict when, where and how much rainfall can be expected. Working together with its planning department and water authorities and with REMONDIS Aqua’s support, the German town of Goslar has taken some big steps towards becoming a smart sponge city. Today, Goslar is acting as a role model with its smart flood protection measures.

>>„ Dr Martin Kemmler, Managing Director of REMONDIS SAVA

>> A plant well below its emission limits The centrepiece of this plant is its huge fur- nace. “What’s important here is that all the particles remain in the furnace at around 1,100°C for at least two seconds.” The pollut- ants are then eliminated in the downstream flue gas cleaning system. The emissions not only meet the permitted limits – they are, in fact, much lower. The plant’s operations are wastewater free, which means that all salts are boiled down and stored below ground. What’s more, metal scrap is removed from the slag and returned to market. The plant is, for the most part, self-sufficient as far as its electricity requirements are concerned. The hot steam is transformed into electrical en- ergy in a turbine. Any excess electricity is fed into the grid. WHAT IS IODINE? Iodine is a trace element. It is a so-called ‘vulnerable element’ as there are not endless quantities available. It is, for example, added to table salt and used to make medicines. An innovative iodine recovery system But that’s not all. Last year, Dr Kemmler and his team commissioned a novel facility able to recover iodine. “The set-up of this facility is completely new as it enables even small volumes of iodine to be recovered and does not limit or interfere with the normal hazardous waste incineration process,” he explained. This facility can be seen as the in- cineration plant’s eighth cleaning stage. The recovered iodine is a good source of income. So far, the new facility has been able to re- cover around 3,000 kilos of iodine a month, making it a profitable enterprise. KEMMLERDR

“ Waste is a collection of valuable substances that we can use. That is efficient climate action and environmental protection.” Dr Martin Kemmler, Managing Director of REMONDIS SAVA For many years, he took Alpine club mem- bers to the highest Alpine peaks and up the steepest rock faces and gave rock climbing classes. “I spent ten years of my life living and breathing rock climbing – every free minute I had! When others were off partying at the weekend, we went up the mountains on Friday evening and were out of bed at six on Saturday morning to tackle a tricky rock face.” He has climbed hundreds of dif- ficult rock faces over the years and in 1991 he was even part of the group tackling the Drusenfluh in the Swiss Rätikon Alps with its 600-metre rock face (grade VIII difficul- ty) for the very first time. “We simply entered the area without finding out the lie of the land beforehand and fought our way up the south wall. We even set up a bivouac at the end.” Fitter than ever This is a hobby that he is not prepared to give up, even living in Brunsbüttel where the highest hills are the dykes. He likes to go to the indoor rock-climbing centre run by the German Alpine Club in Hamburg and some- times goes rock climbing when he is on holi- day – preferably with his son or daughter at his side, both of who are climbers. “Very few people my age still go rock climbing,” he said. He chose not to go to the indoor centre dur- ing covid as he did not want to risk catching the virus. “I didn’t climb for two years and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get off the ground the first time I tried again. But I exercise reg- ularly now and I’m fitter than I was ten years ago,” he concluded with a grin on his face. The musician, guitar maker and gardener Valuable substances, nature and the envir- onment can be found in other areas of Dr Kemmler’s life as well. Five years ago, he and his wife moved into a 380-year-old thatched house in the countryside and completely retrofitted it to make it energy efficient. “There’s a second house on the property that I use as a workshop and practice room,” he continued. In his free time, Kemmler likes to make and restore jazz guitars – and play them. “We both like being out in the coun- tryside. We grow fruit and vegetables in our garden. My wife is in charge of the vege- tables and the fruit is more or less my job. We rarely have to buy fresh produce between May and October.” The years in the mountains A further passion of his underlines just how much he loves being outside surrounded by nature. Dr Kemmler has been a keen climb- er – a rock climber to be precise – from a very early age. He became a qualified moun- tain tour guide while studying chemistry in Tübingen. “