Germany's 'Green Dot' Waste Management System

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Germans were considered among the most environmentally conscious people in the world. In the 1970s and 1980s, long before 'sustainability' and 'eco-friendliness' became common terms, Germans followed several eco-friendly practices. A visit to a West German grocery store in the 1980s would have surprised many people from other developed countries. For example, most products were sold unwrapped; meat and cheese were cut to order rather than sold in pre-packaged form; and at the checkout counter, there were no plastic bags – most consumers would bring their own shopping baskets or bags........

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The Green Dot system had its share of problems. While the system was successful in increasing waste collection, traditional waste management companies such as landfill companies suffered a blow. There were problems associated with sorting as well.......

The Packaging Ordinance and the implementation of the Green Dot system produced many tangible results. Both the producers as well as ordinary citizens responded favorably to the law. Between 1991 and 2000, there was a marked reduction in the quantity of packaging waste generated in Germany. “There has been a 14% decrease in the volume of consumer packaging between 1991 and 2000,” Schmitz said.......

But some experts felt that the legal challenge to Viagra had a silver lining as it indicated the continuing development and progress of the Chinese IPR regime. The Chinese pharmaceutical companies' decision to legally challenge Pfizer's patent demonstrated significant progress by China toward the rule of law in the IPR arena. They noted that on earlier occasions Chinese firms had blatantly violated IPRs and this new emphasis on seeking legal routes was indicative of the Chinese companies' growing appreciation of the value of patent laws.......

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