Dear readers,

the song of sustainability rings out in unbroken tones around the globe, sung by industry, associations and politics alike. Where there is incentive, however, a lack of transparency tends to creep in in the competition. That doesn't have to mean anything bad, but it can be intentional. A company advertises its sustainable packaging product by saying that pulp made from 100% recycled paper is now being used. If one reads the entire communication and puts the details together, it turns out that the pulp required for this is carted in large quantities from France to Poland. When asked, the editors find out: Well, there is actually still room for improvement, but ultimately it's about quality. - Then one should emphasize the quality, not the dubious sustainability!

In general, when it comes to circular economy, people tend to forget - or rather, reluctantly mention - that the recycling of paper fibres is currently limited to around seven runs (plus x). Laboratory tests at the TU Darmstadt, Germany, have already shown that significantly more should be possible - but the challenges come already at an earlier stage: the filtering out of impurities and contaminants while trying to minimize fibre losses at the same time. This in turn often starts with the consumer; in the paper bins there are bags full of plastic waste, residual waste, tin cans and bulky waste. But also mountains of composite materials - often unabashedly advertised as sustainable - can be found. Here, too, is indeed still a lot of room for improvement. And with all this, one shouldn't forget that actual sustainability also means: doing without!

Have a great read & stay safe!