Successful 2024 Balance: PAMIRA® recycles more than 3,670 tonnes of containers

Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, August 2025 – PAMIRA®, , Germany’s free-of-charge take-back system for crop protection and liquid fertiliser packaging, reports an impressive balance for 2024: more than 3,670 tonnes of emptied and rinsed containers were returned nationwide at over 420 collection points – a strong demonstration of agriculture’s commitment to environmental responsibility. More than 95 percent of this volume was mechanically recycled and reintroduced into the raw material cycle.

While the current 2025 collection season is already running at full speed and showing equally promising results, last year’s outcome highlights the effectiveness of the scheme: farmers and winegrowers alike are committed, contributing measurable impact to climate and resource protection by returning their packaging at collection points.

Successful 2024 balance: PAMIRA® recycles more than 3,670 tonnes of containers

By mechanically recycling the collected containers, PAMIRA® makes a substantial contribution to resource conservation. In 2024 alone, more than 4,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalents were saved – the same as the carbon capture of more than 300,000 trees. Since the system was founded in 1996, more than 67,000 tonnes of plastic packaging have been collected and recycled, equivalent to the CO₂-binding capacity of more than 3.4 million trees.

A practical example illustrates the benefit: the total material recycled could be used to produce drip irrigation hoses with a total length of around 7.5 million kilometres – enough to circle the equator 188 times. Products manufactured from PAMIRA® material – including cable protection pipes, fence posts or components for the maritime sector – demonstrate how used packaging can be transformed into new, high-quality applications.

Shared responsibility – a proven system

The system’s success is based on the voluntary cooperation of numerous stakeholders: the German Crop Protection Association (Industrieverband Agrar e. V., IVA) acts as scheme owner, while RIGK GmbH organises nationwide collection and ensures controlled recycling. Farmers, collection points and manufacturers of crop protection and liquid fertilisers all work together to make the system a success.

Thorsten Heil, System Manager for PAMIRA® at RIGK, explains:
“For nearly three decades, PAMIRA® has shown how voluntary take-back schemes can work. The consistently high return volumes prove that the sector is taking responsibility – and that environmental protection and efficiency go hand in hand.”

Further information on PAMIRA, as well as the PRE system for the take-back of obsolete crop protection products and other agricultural chemicals, can be found in the current IVA Annual Report 2024/2025. 

Successful special take-back schemes – focus on pheromone dispensers

Another success factor is the special take-back scheme for pheromone dispensers, established in 2020. These environmentally friendly tools, used by winegrowers to protect vines from grapevine moths, are collected after use via dedicated return appointments. In 2024, more than 47 tonnes of dispensers were collected, and in 2025 this figure increased further: over 51 tonnes were returned – clear proof of the success of this specialised scheme.

Conclusion: PAMIRA® remains a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture

The 2024 return and recycling results underline PAMIRA®’s role as a proven take-back system that not only meets regulatory requirements but also, through the voluntary commitment of manufacturers and users, makes an active contribution to climate and resource protection. While the 2025 campaign continues, last year’s balance confirms: recycling in agriculture works – when all stakeholders pull together.

Further information:
PAMIRA® – Packmittelrücknahme Agrar (Agricultural Packaging Recovery)
www.pamira.de
An initiative of the German Crop Protection Association (Industrieverbands Agrar e. V., IVA)
System owner: CWFG | Implementation: RIGK GmbH

Contact RIGK GmbH:
Thorsten Heil
System Manager PAMIRA
+49 611 308600-17
heil(at)rigk.de