Digital printing and sign-making businesses generate a lot of waste. How is this production waste properly disposed of in Germany? For many businesses, this is also a matter of survival.

Disposal costs amount to approximately 70,000€ per year at the PPS. Digital Printing, LLC , estimates Steffen Hufnagel. The head of production in Berlin and Dresden estimates a total of just over 280 metric tons of waste. Cardboard and wood—materials that are, in principle, easily recyclable—account for about 120 metric tons of that total. Another approximately 130 metric tons end up at the waste-to-energy plant. About 40 metric tons consist of composite plastics, which are classified as hazardous waste. Paint residues and cleaning fluids total approximately two metric tons. These, too, must be disposed of in a special manner.

With about 150 employees and an annual print volume of 3.5 million square meters, PPS. Digital Printing GmbH is certainly one of the larger companies in the industry. However, the sample calculation also shows that the digital printing industry does indeed face a rather costly problem with production waste.

Production waste is commercial waste

Of course, the types of waste generated by digital printers and advertising specialists depend on their exact line of business. For companies specializing in textile printing, this may include transfer paper and fabric scraps. Those who also build trade show booths and display structures must recycle metal shavings and scraps. Companies that offer illuminated signage likely also dispose of a lot of electronic waste. And all of them generate vast amounts of waste paper, pallet wood, ink canisters and cartridges, as well as leftover cleaning products and detergents.

Where should it go? In Germany, this actually depends to a large extent on local conditions. In general, however, waste disposal issues for commercial businesses are governed by the Circular Economy Act and the Commercial Waste Ordinance. The latter is set to be comprehensively revised and reenacted by 2026. Both regulations aim to ensure that as much waste as possible is sorted by type before disposal. This is because it allows for better recycling of raw materials. After all, the European Union has set a goal of achieving a circular economy by 2050.

Commercial establishments are already required to collect paper, cardboard, and paperboard separately, as well as glass, plastics, metals, and wood. The goal is to ensure that these materials do not end up in landfills or waste-to-energy plants whenever possible, but can instead be reused.

Paint and ink residues, as well as empty containers and cartridges, are considered “hazardous waste”if they exceed certain thresholds or contain hazardous substances. They are then subject to the mixing prohibition, meaning they must not be mixed with other waste streams. For hazardous waste, businesses must coordinate the planned disposal with the authorities in advance and keep supporting documentation on hand.


Wood waste must be separated and disposed of by type. Photo: S. Angerer / KI

Where should we put the trash?

In principle, companies can choose which certified waste disposal company handles their waste. However, there are variations depending on the federal state, “mandatory disposal requirements,” particularly for hazardous waste.

The relevant environmental agency in Nuremberg emphasizes that no exceptions are provided for even very small businesses. However, small quantities of hazardous waste can be recycled through a less cumbersome process using so-called collective disposal certificates. Details may vary by location. Incidentally, this means that disposal instructions are usually not included on the packaging of films and other products for digital printing and advertising technology. For consumer products, however, these instructions are mandatory.

However, please note: Improper waste disposal or insufficient documentation may result in fines of up to 100,000 euros nationwide under the Circular Economy Act. In addition, digital printing companies and advertising technicians may face Packaging Act may face further penalties for violations of the obligations regarding the take-back and disposal of packaging.

For small digital printing shops and sign-making businesses in particular, such high fines can easily spell the end.

Less production waste is better for the environment

In commercial and digital print runs , paper waste is the primary byproduct. Paper-based printing substrates can be easily integrated into existing recycling loops. They are therefore considered a sustainable solution.

However, typical digital printing applications are usually printed on plastic films. Laminating creates a composite material that often can no longer be recycled by material type. “Difficulties (with waste disposal) arise in particular with non-combustible composite materials,” explains Hufnagel, for example. “Due to the integrated polyester fibers, which are virtually impossible to separate, PVC tarps are treated almost as hazardous waste and are therefore correspondingly expensive to dispose of. Because of the added flame retardant, the material is also unsuitable for incineration in large quantities.”

There have been repeated attempts, particularly to limit the amount of composite materials used in digital printing and advertising technology. So far, none of these have gained a foothold in the market. “We have developed a ‘Split-And-Recycle’ film in which the print layer can be separated from the substrate, allowing the main component of the product to be recycled as a single material. So far, however, the market does not seem receptive to this,” says Ina-Maria van Alst, Communications Manager at Folex Coating GmbH.

When it comes to ink cartridges and tanks, however, some hardware manufacturers have already taken action. For example, HP is doing so as part of Planet Partners . Epson operates a recycling program, as does Roland DG. Mimaki asks users to contact their authorized dealer for more information. In addition, there are a number of service companies in Germany that accept used ink cartridges or even buy them back. These cartridges are often cleaned and refilled.


Composite materials from digital printing shops often end up in waste-to-energy plants. Photo: S. Angerer / KI

Production Waste Becomes an Economic Factor

In the future, we can expect regulations governing commercial waste to become even stricter and disposal costs to rise. For digital printers and advertising technicians, this means that efficient waste management is increasingly becoming a key factor in operating costs. This applies to companies of all sizes and is not limited to the printing industry.

It is therefore likely that, in the future, customers of printed products will try to require their suppliers to take back dismantled banners. This is still quite rare, reports Steffen Hufnagel of PPS: “There are isolated cases where, when replacing an advertising space, we have to dispose of the old material that was previously installed.”

That is why the company is preparing a pilot project in which it plans to take back certain used materials and feed them into a recycling process. Printing customers will then receive a certificate for the newly recovered material. This would be of particular interest to print buyers from companies that are already subject to the environmental reporting requirements .

In summary, it can be said that in the future, it will become even more important for digital print shops and signmakers of all sizes to ensure the proper disposal of their production waste. However, companies should not view this merely as a burdensome legal obligation. When properly implemented and communicated, efficient waste management can become a real competitive advantage.