Anniversary of a flagship project: For ten years, ‘Spende Dein Pfand’ (Donate your deposit) has been an integral part of Cologne Bonn Airport – and a real success story: since May 2015, around 3 million deposit bottles have been returned by passengers in specially provided collection bins in the terminals. This has generated deposit proceeds of almost 740,000 euros to date. The money is used to finance jobs for people who were previously long-term unemployed and are now working on the project. The initiative, which the airport runs in partnership with JobWerk Porz and recycling company Der Grüne Punkt, combines environmental protection with social commitment.
‘Spende Dein Pfand’ is a prime example of sustainability in action – with social, ecological and regional impact. We have been a partner in this project for ten years because it fits in perfectly with our understanding of responsibility. We are very happy to support this initiative,’ says Thilo Schmid, CEO of Flughafen Köln/Bonn GmbH. To further strengthen the project, the airport will also contribute around 10,000 euros per year to the logistics costs in future.
The proceeds from the donated deposits enable the employment of three deposit officers at the non-profit educational institution JobWerk Porz. ‘Here, a neighbourhood project is creating concrete opportunities for people who often have few prospects on the regular job market,’ says Inez Wolf, Managing Director of JobWerk Porz gGmbH. Three employees work at the airport on a rotating basis. They empty the bins, sort and pack the empty containers and ensure that everything runs smoothly in the terminal.
Der Grüne Punkt – Duales System Deutschland GmbH is also a partner of ‘Spende Dein Pfand’. The recycling company from Cologne-Porz collects the donated bottles and returns them to the recycling cycle. All proceeds from the deposits go to JobWerk Porz. ‘This benefits both people and the environment,’ says Jörg Deppmeyer, Managing Director of Der Grüne Punkt. ‘Spende Dein Pfand shows how bottles that would otherwise be thrown away can become a real asset for social projects and resource conservation.’
Find out more at www.spendedeinpfand.de.
![Five representatives from Cologne Bonn Airport, JobWerk Porz and Grüner Punkt stand behind a green deposit container in Terminal 2 of Cologne Bonn Airport and celebrate 10 years of the ‘Spende Dein Pfand’ deposit project at Cologne/Bonn Airport. They hold large signs with the letters C, G and N and a ‘Like’ symbol in their hands.[Translate to English:] Fünf Vertreter von Köln Bonn Airport, JobWerk Porz und Grüner Punkt stehen im Terminal 2 des Köln Bonn Airport hinter einem grünen Pfandspendebehälten und feiern 10 Jahre Pfandprojekt 'Spende dein Pfand' am Flughafen Köln/Bonn. Sie halten große Schilder der Buchstaben C, G und N sowie ein Like-Symbol in den Händen.](/fileadmin/_processed_/4/6/csm_Pfandprojekt_c77ef713dd.jpg "Spende Dein Pfand")
