Sustainable packaging for paints and varnishes from Adler

A whopping 2.7 million containers of paints, varnishes, stains and oils leave the Adler plant every year - and every one of them can be recycled. Recycling is very simple: "Empty containers can be handed in free of charge at any collection point for metal or plastic packaging, as long as they no longer contain any liquid material," explains Helmut Stanzl, Circular Economy Officer at Adler. Recycling not only reduces the mountains of waste, it also saves a lot of raw materials, energy and therefore CO₂ emissions: around 1.7 tons less greenhouse gas are produced per tonne of recycled tin cans, and emissions from plastic production can also be reduced by up to 87%. The recyclate can then be used to produce new packaging. Half of all Adler's wall and façade paints are already filled in buckets made of recycled plastic (and the trend is rising), and Adler also offers selected products in practical, slim refill bags. The cardboard shipping packaging is also a true model pupil of the circular economy: it is usually made entirely from recycled material and can also be fully recycled. Often even directly at the Adler plant: "We shred old cardboard boxes into filling material that we use instead of bubble wrap," reports Helmut Stanzl.

Empty paint drums are refilled at Adler

Deliveries to Adler customers from the furniture, window and wood industries are usually filled into plastic drums. Once the paint has been processed, the empty drums are cleaned at the Adler plant and then refilled. Each year, an impressive total of around 40,000 drums and containers are cleaned - and therefore an equally impressive amount of waste is saved. The same applies to the IBCs, large plastic tanks with a capacity of 600 to 1,000 liters. "At Adler, we only purchase Green Layer IBCs from a German manufacturer, which are made of 35% recycled plastic," explains Helmut Stanzl. The empty containers are collected from the customer free of charge and then cleaned and recycled - saving around 100 kg of CO₂ per container. "We have aligned our entire strategy with the principles of the circular economy - this applies to our products as well as to packaging and consumables," explains Adler R&D Director Dr. Albert Rössler. He still sees a lot of potential for the future - and the key to success lies in good partnerships across the entire value chain: "On the one hand, we are doing educational work with our customers, be it on the processing of environmentally and climate-friendly products or the recycling of packaging," says Dr. Rössler. "On the other hand, we are also in contact with our suppliers about new raw materials and packaging materials." Because the goal is clear: "Our vision is sustainable, recyclable paint production, from the processing of bio-based raw materials and recycled packaging through to seamless recycling!"