ERDE and VerenA starting 2025 campaigns: Agricultural take-back systems by RIGK with expanded collection portfolio

Wiesbaden, March 2025 – At the end of each winter, VerenA and ERDE, the agricultural take-back systems operated by RIGK, kick off their collection campaigns. The initiative VerenA, launched in 2023, focuses on Big Bags as well as paper and film packaging from agriculture. Meanwhile, ERDE, which has been collecting a wide range of agricultural plastics since 2013, continues to expand its collection efforts in 2025. Both initiatives aim to save even more CO₂ in 2025 by intensifying their activities and further advancing the circular economy in agriculture.

ERDE now collects drip tapes and greenhouse films

The continued strong growth of ERDE is expected to be supported in 2025 by nearly 700 collection points, over 150 collection partners, and numerous participating manufacturers and agricultural businesses, both in Germany and Switzerland. The goals remain ambitious: In 2024, ERDE renewed its voluntary take-back commitment with the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV) and plans to make over 60% of asparagus films and over 75% of silo and stretch films available for recycling by 2026 and 2027, respectively. Further collection targets are in place for agricultural plastics such as nets, yarns, and nonwoven fabrics.

The collected quantities in 2024 reached record levels, surpassing the 2023 numbers with over 40,000 tons of agricultural plastics, which corresponds to a CO₂ savings of approximately 37,000 tons. An additional 2,500 tons of agricultural plastics collected in Switzerland in 2024 highlight the growing environmental commitment of businesses there.

The expected further increase in collection volumes will be driven in part by the integration of drip hoses as a new collection fraction, which began in late 2024 in cooperation with AZUD and Netafim. Additionally, starting in the 2025 season, ERDE will also collect greenhouse films, with the first collections already underway.

VerenA integrates paper and film packaging

The VerenA initiative looks back on two successful campaigns since its launch in 2023. In its first year, over 320 tons of Big Bags were collected. In 2024, the initiative increased this amount to around 480 tons. According to current calculations, the material recovery rate in the previous year was a commendable 75%. A significant portion of the collected packaging was reintegrated into the material cycle through VerenA.

For 2025, a further increase in collection volume is planned. With a growing number of collection points and an expanded partner network, VerenA is now extending its collection system beyond Big Bags to include paper and film packaging from agriculture. This expansion allows agricultural businesses to return their packaging materials more comprehensively and contribute to waste reduction and more efficient resource use.

The 2025 collection season began in February. Starting in April, VerenA will be fully active and continue through mid-November. This year, over 270 collection points will be available, marking a significant increase from the approximately 200 collection points in the inaugural year of 2023.

Strong partner network for sustainable agriculture

Both ERDE and VerenA rely on close collaboration with agricultural businesses, retailers, and recycling partners to reduce packaging waste, conserve valuable raw materials, and promote more environmentally friendly farming practices.

Boris Emmel, System Manager of ERDE, states:

Our results from 2024 show that we are on the right track. With the further expansion of our collection system and the integration of new fractions, such as greenhouse films, we aim to achieve even greater successes in 2025, together with our partners and agricultural businesses.

Jens Dambeck, System Manager of VerenA, adds:

Our goal for 2025 is to continue expanding the system and increase collection volumes. The expansion to paper and film packaging marks another important step toward a circular economy. We thank our partners for their continued support and look forward to continuing the collection campaign together.

Other RIGK Agricultural Return Systems Start in 2025

In addition to ERDE and VerenA, the return systems PAMIRA  and PRE  will also soon start the new collection season. PAMIRA collects plant protection and fertilizer packaging, with the main campaign running from May. In the previous year, 3,678 tons were collected – an increase of 17% compared to 2023. The PRE SYSTEM, with up to 10 collection points, is responsible for the safe disposal of chemicals and plans the next collection for november 2025.