Page 47 from: April 2005

rule-setting at European Union level and, what’s
more, every country has its own regulations cover-
ing collection, environmental demands and output
requirements. It is just too much and too detailed.’

According to Mr Löderbusch, the American
approach to waste management focuses too much on
securing short-term financial gains, which works only
with valuable streams such as PET, recovered paper
and scrap metal. Longer-term investments can yield
stable returns once they become established, he adds.

Mr Löderbusch also sees difficulties with the
southern European market. ‘Many countries in the
region already have well-organised collection and
recycling activities,’ he explains. ‘As a foreign enter-
prise, it is not easy to integrate with the various
domestic companies. Personally, I prefer to do busi-
ness with Eastern European countries: the people
are much more open-minded, like to think in struc-
tural terms, and mostly have a closer relationship
to Germany than do the Mediterranean people.’

Mr Löderbusch believes the recycling business is
becoming ever more serious and professional in its
approach. ‘Subsidies are disappearing and, as a

R E C Y C L I N G & W A S T E

with a global outlook

Silvio Löderbusch, Managing Director of several
Remondis plants.

Re-granulate from PET bottles is one of the
company’s end products.

Optimisation of logistics is one Remondis’
main topics.

Scrap, published by the Institute of Scrap Recycling
Industries (ISRI), keeps you on the cutting edge of
recycling information—the information you need to gain
a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Every bimonthly issue of Scrap offers in-depth articles on market trends, new equipment
and technology, management issues, and more, while its columns and departments keep
you up-to-date on industry news, meetings, new products, and personnel moves.

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Remondis key recycling figures
Material Tonnes per year

Glass 1 098 000
Paper/Card/Cardboard 806 000
Organic/Green waste 608 000
Construction/Mixed construction waste 562 000
Sewage sludge 400 000
Toxic waste from contaminated sites 344 000
Packing materials 216 000
Wood 244 000
Scrap metals 149 000
Metal slag 109 000
Electric/Electronic waste 61 000
Photographic chemicals 46 000

result, recycling companies are forced to work more
efficiently and to reduce costs,’ he says. ‘The market
will become more open, and this creates opportuni-
ties for firms like Remondis.’

Over the coming years, he concludes, Remondis
will focus on growth in water treatment, on optimi-
sation of logistics and on expansion in other coun-
tries.