The RESY symbol with a number identifies recyclable transport and outer packaging made of paper/cardboard, with the four-digit number below the symbol identifying the licensed manufacturer. This number is assigned upon conclusion of a usage agreement with RESY GmbH and guarantees material recycling. It is not an official mark under the German Packaging Act, but it does signal sustainable disposal.

Key facts about the RESY symbol with number:

• The marking consists of the RESY symbol (arrows in a circle) and an individual four-digit number.
• The number identifies the manufacturer or distributor who is a member of RESY Organisation für Wertstoffentsorgung GmbH.
• It is a system for take-back and material recovery, used particularly in the B2B sector for transport packaging.
• Packaging bearing this mark is 100% recyclable.
• To use the mark, a trademark usage agreement must be concluded.
• The number enables traceability of the material and ensures a closed material cycle.

PAP 20 is the recycling code for corrugated board. It identifies multi-layer cardboard packaging such as typical shipping boxes and belongs to the paper and cardboard packaging group (PAP 20–39). This packaging is recyclable and belongs in the blue bin (waste paper).

• Material: Corrugated board
• Use: Commonly used for shipping boxes, transport packaging and cartons
• Disposal: Via waste paper (blue bin)

PAP 21 identifies solid board, frequently used for folding cartons, boxes or as interlayers. It is a recycling code for paper and cardboard packaging that should be disposed of via waste paper (blue bin) so that it can be recycled.

• Material: Solid board / cardboard
• Examples: Shoe boxes, folding cartons, product packaging
• Disposal: Via waste paper (blue bin)

PAP 22 is a recycling code for paper, identifying paper packaging such as wrapping paper, bags or magazines.

• Meaning: Identifies materials made of paper
• Examples: Books, newspapers, magazines, paper bags
• Disposal: Via waste paper (blue bin)

The designation “compostable 7P1137” refers to a certification for compostable packaging, specifically in connection with the product “Flo-Pak The Bio One”. 7P1137 is a bio certificate (DIN EN 13432) confirming that the material is 100% biodegradable and compostable. These are bio loose-fill chips (packaging chips) made from plant starch, water and air.

Meaning under DIN EN 13432: the product must decompose by at least 90% within a maximum of 90 days in an industrial composting facility. These chips are clean, safely biodegradable and can be reused. This refers primarily to industrial compostability.

PLA film (polylactic acid) certified to DIN EN 13432 is considered industrially compostable. This European standard sets out the strict criteria that packaging must meet in order to qualify as biodegradable and recoverable in industrial-scale facilities.

Core requirements of DIN EN 13432

To receive this certification, PLA film must demonstrate the following in testing:

• Biodegradation: At least 90% of the material must break down into water, CO₂ and biomass within six months under industrial conditions (approx. 58 °C).
• Disintegration: After no more than 12 weeks, no residue larger than 2 mm may remain in the compost.
• Absence of harmful substances: Strict limits apply to heavy metals and chemicals so that the quality of the resulting compost is not impaired.
• Ecotoxicity: The finished compost must have no negative effect on plant growth.
• Sustainability: Made from renewable raw materials such as corn starch or sugar cane.

Although the film is certified to DIN EN 13432, this does not mean it can break down on a domestic garden compost heap, where temperatures are usually insufficient. In Germany, such bioplastics also frequently may not be disposed of via the organic waste bin, as they are often sorted out as contaminants at the processing facilities.

PE-LD 04 (low-density polyethylene) is a flexible, widely used plastic (recycling code 04) primarily used for films, bags, carrier bags and tubes. It is considered largely harmless to health, but is environmentally damaging if not properly recycled via the yellow bag or yellow bin.

• Material: Low-density polyethylene
• Properties: Flexible, tough, transparent to milky, water-repellent
• Typical applications: Stretch film, bin liners, mailing bags, packaging film, squeeze bottles
• Disposal: Belongs in the recyclables bin or the yellow bag
• Recycling: Can be recycled into new films or plastic products

LDPE 4 (low-density polyethylene) is a soft, flexible and durable plastic (recycling code 04) frequently used for flexible packaging such as films, bags, squeeze bottles and carrier bags. It is recyclable, chemically resistant and characterised by a low density.

• Properties: Flexible, tough, transparent, moisture-resistant
• Use: Clear films, bin liners, freezer bags, cushioning films (bubble wrap), lids
• Recycling: Identified by the number 4 within a triangle; recyclable and, in many regions, belongs in the yellow bin or yellow bag

LDPE 4 is a very safe plastic, often regarded as food-safe, and does not release harmful chemicals.

We use Supraplus PP packing tape. PP packing tape (polypropylene) is considered more environmentally friendly than PVC adhesive tapes, as it releases no toxic gases when incinerated and is theoretically fully recyclable.

Disposal and recycling

• Leave it on the box: In Germany, you can generally leave PP adhesive tape on the box. At recycling plants, waste paper is dissolved in water (pulper); the paper fibres separate while foreign materials such as adhesive tapes are mechanically screened out.
• Large quantities: If you need to dispose of a large amount of tape or entire rolls, these belong in general waste.
• Yellow bin: Clean PP films without paper residue can theoretically be disposed of via the yellow bin, although small strips of adhesive tape are often not efficiently sorted out and recycled there.