DE DIVID Single-Use Plastics Fund Act
Cleaning Up Public Spaces: What You Need to Know About Germany’s Single-Use Plastics Fund Act & DIVID PlatformFor decades, local municipalities have carried the financial burden of picking up discarded...
About this resource
Cleaning Up Public Spaces: What You Need to Know About Germany’s Single-Use Plastics Fund Act & DIVID Platform
For decades, local municipalities have carried the financial burden of picking up discarded coffee cups, take-away food containers, and cigarette butts from parks, streets, and beaches. A major regulatory shift in Germany changes that equation. Through the Single-Use Plastics Fund Act (Einwegkunststofffondsgesetz or EWKFondsG) and its central digital management portal, DIVID, Germany is enforcing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) by making plastic producers pay for public cleanup efforts.
What Is the Single-Use Plastics Fund Act ?
Passed to implement the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive (2019/904) into national law, the EWKFondsG establishes a simple principle: the polluter pays.
Instead of taxpayers funding urban sanitation and litter management, commercial manufacturers, importers, and remote sellers of specific single-use plastic products must pay an annual levy based on the mass of products they place on the German market. The collected funds—estimated at over €400 million annually—are distributed directly to municipalities and public waste management authorities to reimburse their cleaning, collection, and public awareness campaigns. For a deeper look at how this compares to other EU member states, see our guide on Germany's single-use plastics (SUP) regulations.
Key Act Details
| Overview | Details |
|---|---|
| Legal Basis | EWKFondsG (implementing EU Directive 2019/904) |
| Enforcing Authority | German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt / UBA) |
| Central Digital Portal | DIVID (www.einwegkunststofffonds.de) |
| Key Affected Categories | To-go food containers, beverage cups & lids, carrier bags, wet wipes, balloons, and tobacco products with filters |
The Role of the DIVID Platform
At the heart of the law is DIVID, the digital platform operated by the German Environment Agency (UBA). DIVID functions as the single compliance point for both sides of the ecosystem:
- For Manufacturers: Companies must register their business details, declare the weight and categories of single-use plastics placed on the market, and pay the corresponding levies.
- For Municipalities & Public Authorities: Cities and local administrative bodies register on DIVID to log their cleaning, waste management, and education services to claim financial reimbursement.
Important Compliance Rule: Selling or offering covered single-use plastic products on the German market without proper DIVID registration is illegal and carries strict sales prohibitions and penalties. Businesses selling packaged goods into Germany should also review their obligations under the broader German Packaging Act (VerpackG).
Products Subject to the Levy
The law applies to products made entirely or partially from plastic (including bio-based or biodegradable plastics) designed for single use:
- To-Go Food Packaging: Fast-food containers, sandwich boxes, and meal trays.
- Beverage Packaging: Single-use cups, caps, lids, and rigid beverage containers up to 3 liters.
- Bags & Wrappers: Lightweight plastic carrier bags and foil packaging for food intended for immediate consumption.
- Sanitary & Household Goods: Pre-moistened wet wipes and personal care wipes.
- Tobacco Products: Cigarette filters and filter rods containing plastic.
- Balloons: Latex or foil balloons intended for industrial or consumer distribution.
Essential Compliance Checklist for Businesses
If your company manufactures, imports, or sells packaged goods into Germany via e-commerce, follow these steps to stay compliant:
- Verify Manufacturer Status: Determine if you are the "first actor" introducing covered products to the German market. Non-German businesses selling directly to consumers via cross-border e-commerce must also comply.
- Appoint an Authorized Representative (Foreign Sellers): Foreign entities without a German branch must appoint an official Authorized Representative in Germany to manage levy obligations. Learn more in our EU Authorised Representative guide.
- Register on DIVID: Create an account on the official DIVID portal before placing products on the market.
- Track & Report Quantities: Maintain strict records of product weights (in kilograms) categorized by product type. Reports must be submitted annually through DIVID.
- Pay the Special Levy: Settle annual invoices issued by the Federal Environment Agency based on published levy rates per kilogram.
Sellers should also confirm whether their products trigger related obligations, such as German WEEE (electronics) registration or the German Battery Law, since many single-use and packaged product ranges overlap with these regimes.
A Bigger Shift Toward Sustainability
The EWKFondsG and DIVID platform mark a critical evolution in environmental policy. By connecting producer costs directly to civic cleanup expenses, Germany is giving businesses a tangible financial incentive to redesign packaging, reduce single-use materials, and transition toward circular economy solutions.
Need help navigating DIVID registration, EPR levies, or appointing an Authorized Representative in Germany ? Contact Complico Consulting GmbH today, explore our full EU compliance services, or check our pricing page to get started. You can also browse our compliance blog for more guidance on German and EU packaging law.