Economics, technology and regulation for a closed plastics cycle

online lecture by Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum on June 16, 2026, at 3 p.m.

Moderation: Petra Schultheiß-Reimann

Plastics – especially in packaging – are condemned by some as environmentally harmful, while others praise them as a sustainable form of product protection. Proper handling is crucial. The question repeatedly arises whether a completely closed-loop system would be feasible, not only technologically but also economically. A climate-neutral circular economy must function without additional fossil carbon inputs. Based on an acatech study commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), in which the author participated, a scenario for a fully closed plastics cycle in the packaging sector by 2035 is presented, using the commodity plastics polyethylene, polypropylene, and PET. The model demonstrates that an additional cost of just 4 euro cents for a product in a 100g plastic bottle is sufficient if the technological, economic, and regulatory parameters are properly balanced.

Zoom link for the lecture: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89080704305?pwd=4MI6xgap1SZ3vesEm5LUlOf8rAaPaD.1

Before the lecture , there will be a five-minute startup introduction. Jerome Geils-Lindemann from AMSIS GmbH will present: Next-Level Metal 3D Printing: Economical and support-free thanks to rapid simulation.