Commitment to resource conservation and circular economy as part of European Week for Waste Reduction

Overath, December 8, 2025, BARLOG Plastics participated in this year’s European Week for Waste Reduction (EWAV), which took place from November 22 to 30, 2025, under the motto “Repair instead of throwing away – avoid electronic waste,” with its own cell phone collection campaign. Barlog Plastics is the first company in the Rheinisch-Bergisch district to support the initiative of the Zero Waste Club of the Bergisch Waste Management Association (BAV), thereby sending a clear signal for the responsible handling of old electrical appliances.

Valuable raw materials instead of drawer finds

Millions of disused cell phones lie unused in households, even though they contain valuable raw materials such as gold, silver, copper, and rare metals. Through proper collection and recycling, these materials can be returned to the recycling cycle and natural resources can be conserved. At the same time, this prevents batteries and rechargeable batteries from causing fires or releasing harmful substances due to improper disposal. “As a company in the plastics industry, we are aware of the importance of functioning material cycles – not only in the plastics sector, but throughout the entire value chain,” emphasizes Frank Barlog, managing partner of BARLOG Plastics GmbH. “With our cell phone collection campaign, we want to actively contribute to reducing electronic waste, securing resources, and raising awareness of the circular economy among our employees.”

Kick-off in Overath: Collection bin for old cell phones

Together with BAV waste consulting, the first cell phone collection bin for employees’ old cell phones was set up at the Overath site on November 26, 2025. Employees were encouraged to hand in their old smartphones and tablets. All collected devices will then be sent for professional recycling. In addition to the collection campaign, BAV provided information materials explaining the proper disposal of electrical appliances, the hidden dangers of lithium-ion batteries, and the importance of reuse and recycling.

Embedding sustainability firmly in everyday business

With this initiative, BARLOG Plastics is underlining its own commitment to embedding sustainable practices not only in its product portfolio and customer projects, but also in its everyday internal business operations. The mobile phone collection campaign is another building block in a comprehensive sustainability strategy that encompasses resource efficiency, waste prevention, and the promotion of the circular economy. “We want to actively involve our employees and show together that every contribution counts,” Frank Barlog continues.