The INAK 

The Initiative natürliche Kreislaufwirtschaft e.V.(INAK) (en:„Natural Circular Economy Initiative“) is an association of companies, scientists, waste management companies, and certifiers committed to the use of biodegradable and compostable materials in meaningful applications to avoid microplastic pollution and keep natural resources in the cycle.

We emerged from the Verbund kompostierbare Produkte e.V., which for over 10 years since 2014, has advocated for the separate collection of organic waste and the approval of certified industrially compostable organic waste bags.

Our Contribution to a More Sustainable Future

Responsible Use of Resources:
Together, we stand for a natural circular economy in which we responsibly and sustainably manage the precious resources of our Earth.
Innovations for a Sustainable Future:
We aim to contribute by designing cycles, following nature's example, so that natural resources are not lost but are returned to the soil as nutrients, contributing to the regeneration of nature. We see this as the only sustainable basis for growth and a livable environment for future generations.
Contribution to Reducing Environmental Impact:
We are convinced that biodegradable and compostable materials and products can make an essential contribution to avoiding environmental pollution from microplastics. Therefore, we advocate for an open-ended and science-based examination of meaningful applications for biodegradable and compostable materials.

Our
Goals

Closing natural cycles

We want to help close current gaps in the cycle, such as organic waste in residual waste, and return more natural raw materials to the biological cycle through composting for sustainable processing into compost or biogas.

Strengthening organic recycling

Most packaging can and should already be well and efficiently collected and mechanically recycled. However, there are specific applications that are not suitable for mechanical or chemical recycling. These include applications designed for the collection of organic waste (e.g., organic waste bags) or those that are difficult or impossible to separate from food or food residues (e.g., fruit and vegetable stickers, tea bags, coffee pods). In these cases, using certified compostable materials and the path of organic recycling is the most ecologically efficient recovery method in the context of a closed-loop economy.

Reducing microplastic pollution 

We advocate for a responsible approach to plastics. This also includes examining which applications should replace conventional plastics with biodegradable and compostable materials to avoid microplastic pollution in nature. Especially in applications that remain in the environment and do not make it into recycling, particularly in agriculture, forestry, and horticulture, biodegradable plastics offer a sensible solution. Certified industrially compostable plastics can help reduce contamination in organic recycling and thus limit non-compostable materials and microplastics in the compost stream.

Creating uniform standards and norms for biodegradability

We support research and development efforts to make standards and norms for biodegradation robust and verifiable in all meaningful environments and applications. Often, there is ignorance or uncertainty about the actual biodegradation properties of biodegradable and compostable materials. Uniform standards and norms already exist and provide a secure framework, such as DIN EN 17033 for the biodegradation of mulch films in the soil and DIN EN 13432 for industrially compostable packaging.

Promoting innovation

We advocate for innovation-friendly framework conditions for the bioeconomy in Germany to ensure the resilience and competitiveness of our industry. Numerous highly innovative companies in the field of sustainable plastic products invest significant resources in the research, development, and production of biobased and compostable, biodegradable products, thereby securing or creating new jobs and training opportunities in Germany.

Our Strong Network

We believe that continuous innovation and collaboration are the foundations for successful change. Only TOGETHER can we achieve broad acceptance for the necessary transformations towards a sustainable circular economy.

Our Members

Become a member of the Initiative natürliche Kreislaufwirtschaft e.V. (INAK) 
Become a member

Our Board

Peter Brunk
BIOTEC, Chairman of the Board  
Carmen Michels
FKuR
Friedrich von Hesler
Novamont
Marcel Philip Barth
BASF SE
Karsten Buth
Profectus Films

Our Team

Katrin Schwede-Pritchard
Managing Director
Phone: +49 (0)30 2848 2360

E-Mail: schwede@inak.bio
Gardy Krause
Office Manager & Scientific Associate

Phone: +49 (0)30 2848 2360
E-Mail: krause@inak.bio
Our Statutes
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