Environment and climate

GRI 201-2 - Financial implications and other risks and opportunities due to climate change

In light of the increasing interest in sustainability, demand for low-emission products and processes is also growing among investors, consumers and companies. Interzero is taking advantage of this opportunity with its own services. The company uses scientific reports to create transparency about the emissions and resources that could be saved by using Interzero solutions. Interzero provides its customers with certificates to prove this contribution to sustainability.

The trend towards more resource conservation and carbon savings is also being accelerated by regulatory changes such as the EU plastics strategy, the German Packaging Act and the WEEE amendment on the taking back of waste electrical and electronic equipment. The European Green Deal also paves the way for further promoting the circular economy in Europe – a basic prerequisite for achieving the EU’s increasingly ambitious climate targets. Interzero supports the development of specific directives, laws and regulations to promote the circular economy as part of the Green Deal and advocates minimum quotas for the use of recycled materials, for example. While Interzero’s business is not directly impacted by the negative effects of climate change, sites could be affected by isolated regulatory measures such as energy-oriented refurbishment initiatives. The consequences of these opportunities and risks have not been quantified to date.

GRI 302: 3-3 - Energy: Management of material topics

Saving natural resources and combating climate change are two of the greatest global challenges of our time. Energy efficiency is a key factor in meeting these challenges. Interzero not only strives to provide products and services that help customers establish more energy-efficient processes, but also designs its own internal processes to be as energy-saving and resource-friendly as possible.

All sites with an ISO 14001 environmental management system in place are obliged to keep improving their environmental performance (see Interzero website and the websites of the individual companies). All Interzero sites are also certified to ISO 50001 (energy management). The environmental management and energy officers at our various sites are responsible for monitoring key performance indicators and implementing energy efficiency measures. Even companies that have no need for an environmental management system take the issue seriously and invest in environmental protection – particularly to meet legal and regulatory requirements but also to reduce costs by being more energy efficient.

We plan to continually reduce energy demand and thereby reduce Interzero’s ecological footprint by uncovering potential energy savings and implementing suitable measures (see Sustainability programme and GRI 2-23). Energy consumption is therefore logged and managed in detail per site, and discussed annually with the Executive Management.

Interzero also uses green electricity with an “ok-power” label. The share of electricity from renewable sources currently stands at around 33.2 percent of total electricity consumption (2021: 35.8 percent). Due to the energy crisis, the share of renewable sources has recently declined slightly.

To achieve further improvements through environmental management, Interzero encourages environmentally responsible behaviour on the part of all employees by actively communicating the projects and measures carried out within the Group. The aim of this is to raise awareness, reduce consumption and increase efficiency (see GRI 302-4).

GRI 302-1 - Energy consumption within the organisation

Compared to the previous year, total energy consumption increased by around 0.8 percent. The IPR locations are not yet included in this figure.

The energy sources relevant for Interzero are divided into gas, diesel, heating oil, electricity and district heating. In 2022, around 33 percent of the electricity demand was covered by green electricity.

GRI 302-2 - Energy consumption outside of the organisation

Interzero does not track all of its energy consumption outside of the company – that is, the consumption by key upstream and downstream activities in connection to its business activities. However, as these carbon emissions (Scope 3) are considered material, they are collected and evaluated extensively in terms of their corporate carbon footprint (see GRI 305).

GRI 302-3 - Energy intensity

In 2022, Interzero's total energy consumption was 80,788 MWh. Energy intensity in relation to revenue at Interzero has decreased in recent years. In the reporting period, this was due in particular to higher revenue in the licensing business, which does not require any additional energy consumption.

GRI 302-4 - Reduction of energy consumption

Interzero continues to optimise its processes and, in order to minimise its energy footprint, considers energy efficiency when purchasing or replacing equipment. For example, to help reduce plant energy consumption, we have documented procedures and checklists for shutting down all equipment that can be switched off. Other measures include installing high-efficiency compressed air units equipped with intelligent controllers, detecting compressed air leaks, analysing and reducing usage peaks, switching off equipment at night, integrating more electronic electricity meters in (online) monitoring, replacing fluorescent tubes with LEDs, deploying presence detectors and reducing the air conditioning levels in the data centre. Total power consumption rose marginally by 0.8% compared with the previous year.

GRI 303: 3-3 - Water and Effluents: Management of material topics

Although a scarce and especially valuable resource, water is an essential part of many of Interzero’s services. Interzero is very careful to utilise water sparingly in all of its processes. Around 96% of the water is used at our non-administrative sites: for washing returnable transport packaging, for example, for sorting and cleaning pre-shredded plastic waste, and for the swim-sink separation process used in plastics recycling. Total freshwater use was reduced by about 17 percent compared with 2020.

All sites with an ISO 14001 environmental management system in place are obliged to keep improving their environmental performance. Reducing water usage is a key concern. The environmental management officers at each of our sites are responsible for continually optimising our water footprint. All of our other sites are also careful to minimise their water consumption, not least for reasons of cost. Causes of avoidable water consumption such as leaking taps or pipes are resolved as quickly as possible. We also urge all employees to use water and other resources sparingly through awareness-raising initiatives such the leaflet "10 points for the environment".

GRI 303-1 - Interactions with water as a shared resource

Interzero sources its water from municipal and private utilities. No water is taken from other sources (such as Interzero-owned wells). Significant quantities are used by our water-intensive plants in Eisenhüttenstadt, Mönchengladbach and Sankt Leon Rot, and in our sorting plants. Those eight sites account for about 96 percent of Interzero's total water withdrawal. They use the water for cleaning and for their production processes (which also lose some water through evaporation and condensation). Whenever possible, water is treated for reuse. All wastewater that Interzero cannot recycle is discharged via public sewers or treated and then conveyed to approved sewage treatment plants.

All of the company's operational sites are located in Germany. One of the three water-intensive sites, Mönchengladbach, is located in an area classed by the Water Risk Atlas as an area of water stress. As the site is ISO 14001 certified, it continually monitors environmental impacts and identifies and implements potential savings of natural resources, including water.

The increase in total water withdrawal and water stress compared to 2021 can be attributed to the commissioning of an additional washing facility for reusable dishes and the water-intensive recommissioning of a higher number of idle main plants.

GRI 303-2 - Management of water discharge-related impacts

When it recirculates water, Interzero is careful to ensure that no harmful substances are allowed to enter the wastewater. For example, because the detergents used in its washing depots are strongly diluted, they can be safely discharged into the normal sewage system without having to be treated. All wastewater is discharged via public sewers or treated and then conveyed to approved sewage treatment plants.

Due to their production activities, the Mönchengladbach and Eisenhüttenstadt sites have to comply with special requirements. For example, the temperature and pH value of the wastewater must comply with local standards. These values are measured in accordance with the stipulated guidelines. Interzero also complies with all the legal requirements in force at the other sites that discharge water.

GRI 303-3 - Water withdrawal

Total water withdrawal in 2022 was 70,123 cubic metres (2021: 61,939 cubic metres). The Eisenhüttenstadt, Mönchengladbach and Sankt Leon-Rot operations and the sorting plants account for 96 percent of Interzero's water withdrawal.

GRI 303-4 - Water discharge

Water discharge in 2022 was 61,660 cubic metres (2021: 53,836 cubic metres). The sites with high water usage, namely Eisenhüttenstadt, Mönchengladbach and Sankt Leon Rot as well as the sorting plants, were responsible for around 96 percent of the total. Overall, 87.9 percent of the water withdrawn was discharged. The difference between the amounts withdrawn (see GRI 303-3) and discharged is attributable to reuse as well as to evaporation and condensation in the washing and production processes. The difference at the Eisenhüttenstadt site in 2022, for example, was approximately 34 percent.

Water that cannot be treated for technical or other reasons is discharged after use into the municipal sewer system as waste water. The quality of the wastewater at the Mönchengladbach production facility is tested due to regulatory requirements. The wastewater at our other operational sites is checked as part of the general tests carried out by the municipal utilities at their discretion. No substances of concern have been detected in the wastewater so far.

GRI 305: 3-3 - Emissions: Management of material topics

The conservation of natural resources and climate change are two of the most pressing challenges facing the global community. Interzero wishes to play its part in limiting global warming and conserving resources. The company achieves this by providing products and services to customers that save emissions and resources on the one hand, and by continuously reducing its own environmental footprint on the other. In order to live up to this claim, Interzero in its sustainability strategy committed to calculating its corporate carbon footprint (CCF) regularly, reducing its greenhouse gas emissions continuously and carrying out site-specific optimisation work.

In 2017, Interzero used this CCF to formulate a climate strategy and define targets. Due to the repositioning of the company, these targets are currently being revised:

• By 2025, Interzero will reduce its site emissions (Scope 1 and 2) by 50 percent compared with the 2015 baseline.
• As regards logistics, Interzero is continuously looking for areas of potential optimisation and working towards its goal of reducing logistics-related emissions, for example by using electric vehicles.
• In 2018, Interzero set itself another target: The company aims to save at least 5.5 million tonnes of raw materials and 800,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually with its services in order to make an even bigger contribution to the circular economy and to reducing emissions.

GRI 305-1/2/3 - Direct and indirect GHG emissions (Scope 1, 2, 3)

In 2022, Interzero’s site-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including emissions from business travel, totalled 26,059 tonnes of CO₂-e (2021: 24,884). The increase is mainly due to the addition of new sites. Restarting the sorting plant in Leipzig alone generated 2,345 metric tons of CO₂-e. Significantly higher office occupancy and travel activity compared to the peak of the pandemic also contributed to the increase in emissions.

Corporate Carbon Footprint

Interzero calculated its corporate carbon footprint (CCF) for the fourth time in 2021. A total of around 93,729 tonnes of CO₂-e were generated by Interzero’s activities in 2021. Compared to 2019, emissions decreased by 78,564 tonnes of CO₂-e. The reduction in Scope 3 emissions is largely due to lower market share in the dual system and the lower volume of transports commissioned as a result. Our orders to logistics service providers are responsible for approximately 58 percent Interzero's Scope 3 emissions. Transport services alone account for 40,266 tonnes of CO₂-e.

Interzero applies the results to make informed business decisions. The company aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions when placing logistics orders, for example. One option here is to offer incentives to optimise tour planning. Transport service providers are also required to meet the Euro 6 diesel emission standard. When awarding contracts, Interzero gives preference to suppliers who use alternative drives (electric, LNG, hydrogen) if the price they offer is the same. The data and insights gained are being used to manage the company's business units.

GRI 305-4 - GHG emissions intensity

In 2022, Interzero's total CO₂-e emissions (direct and indirect site emissions plus emissions from business travel) amounted to 26,533 tonnes. The intensity of GHG emissions in relation to revenue was 29.1 tonnes per million euros. Compared with the previous year's figure of 30.4 tons per million euros of revenue, the intensity decreased due to higher market share in the dual system. The increase in revenue in this business has no perceptible impact on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, thus benefiting the ratio.

GRI 305-5 - Reduction of GHG emissions

In 2022, Interzero’s site-based GHG emissions, including emissions from business travel, totalled 26,533 tonnes of CO₂-e, which represents a year-on-year increase of around 1,649 tonnes or 6.6 percent. After pandemic-related measures were scaled back, emissions from air and rail travel increased significantly and many sites consumed more electricity due to a resurgence in office occupancy. Diesel and gas consumption continued to decline year-on-year by 9.2 percent for diesel and 11.9 percent for gas.

In order to further reduce emissions, Interzero has switched to supplying its sites with "ok-power" label-certified green electricity over the last few years, where technically and contractually possible. The share of electricity from renewable sources currently stands at around 33.2 percent of total electricity consumption (2021: 35.8 percent). Compared with the 2015 reference year (27,169¹ tonnes of CO₂-e), Interzero reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2022 by 26,113 tonnes of CO₂-e even though its business grew by 3.9 percent on a like-for-like basis.

¹ Due to changes in the corporate structure, the Leipzig sites have not been included in the scope of Interzero's consolidated financial statements since 2019. The original reference value in the 2015 baseline year (31,460 tonnes CO2-e) was adjusted to account for the elimination of emissions from these sites.