Germany supports increasing the life span of consumer products

The number of electrical appliances in German households is growing. Regardless of how many can be repaired, a large number of these appliances end up in the bin and are often not properly disposed of. At the official launch of this year's European Week for Waste Reduction, Florian Pronold, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry, advocated product longevity: "It pays to repair. It is possible to give objects a new life by repairing them as opposed to throwing them away. This way, everyone can contribute to reducing waste volumes, saving natural resources and taking climate action."

The Federal Environment Ministry has, for a long time, strongly supported increasing the life span of products used on a daily basis, which is in line with a general trend in German society. Florian Pronold said: "Many consumers are showing an encouraging change of mindset. It is becoming increasingly popular to meet up in repair cafés, or search for second-hand bargains at flea markets or online. At the same time, products need to be made more durable again. For instance, if a battery or a valve is broken, this should not prompt the owner to throw out the entire appliance." 

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