The Green Dot (German: Der GrÃÆ'¼ne Punkt ) is a licensed symbol of an industry-funded European network of systems to recycle packaged consumer goods. Logos are trademarks protected throughout the world.
Video Green Dot (symbol)
Drafts
Green Dot is a system thought by Klaus TÃÆ'¶pfer, Germany's environment minister in the early 1990s. The basic idea of ​​Green Dot is that consumers who see logos know that product manufacturers contribute to the cost of recovery and recycling. This can be with household garbage collected by the authorities (for example in a special bag - in Germany this is yellow), or in containers in public places such as parking lots and outdoor supermarkets.
The system is financed by the green dot license fees paid by the product manufacturer. Costs vary by country and are based on materials used in packaging (eg paper, plastic, metal, wood, cardboard). Each country also has different costs to join the scheme and fixed costs and fixed variables. The cost also takes into account the cost of collection, sorting and recycling methods.
In simple terms, the system encourages manufacturers to reduce packaging as this saves on license fees.
Maps Green Dot (symbol)
German garbage collection system twice
In 1991, the German government passed a packaging law (Verpackungsverordnung) which requires manufacturers to take care of the recycling or disposal of any packaging material they sell. As a result of this law, the German industry established a "double system" of garbage collection, which takes household packaging in parallel with the existing municipal solid waste collection system. This industry-funded system is operated in Germany by Duales Systems Deutschland GmbH (German company for company "Dual System Germany Ltd"), or short DSD.
DSD only collects packaging materials from producers who pay license fees to DSD. DSD license fee payers can then add the Green Dot logo to their package label to indicate that this package should be placed into a separate yellow sack or yellow wheelie basket which will then be collected and emptied by a DSD-operated garbage collection vehicle and sorted (and if possible recycled) at the DSD facility.
The cost of a German license is calculated using the weight of the package, each type of material used and the volume of products produced per year.
Management
The worldwide stewardship of the Green Dot logo is managed by the European Packaging Recovery Organization Europe on behalf of Green dot national organizations across Europe.
Design symbols and confusion
The design of the Green Dot symbol has a clear connection to the Taijitu (yin and yang) Chinese symbol and the recycling symbol of Gary Anderson. Where colorful printing is available, official forms are printed in bright and dark green (Pantone 366C and 343C). For cost reasons or to avoid visual clashes with other symbols, many manufacturers choose black or white or other combinations on their packages.
The Green Dot logo only indicates that the company has joined the Green Dot scheme, and it is not necessarily recyclable. Logos are often confused with recycled logos.
Legal Charges
In Malta, Green Dot Malta Limited, a waste recovery company licensed by Der Grune Punkt Duales Deutschland System GmbH to use the trademark Green Dot in Malta, has successfully petitioned the Maltese court in a number of occasions to protect the brand from free-riders and from competitors seeking an unfair advantage of the international reputation and the goodwill they enjoy.
In February 2009, Smart Supermarket, an established local supermarket based in Birkirkara, Malta, was ordered by a judge not to sell, manufacture or pack Green Dot trademarked products without the required license. Green Dot Malta Limited argues in court that supermarkets not only publicly violate trademarks and violate Trademark Laws but also take unfair advantage of Green Dot's reputation and goodwill without authorization. The First Hall of Civil Court, led by Madam Justice Abigail Lofaro, reinforced Green Dot Malta Limited's request and issued a prohibition warrant. Lawyers Antoine Naudi and Victor G. Axiak appeared for Green Dot Malta Limited. Following this order, both parties reached an agreement in which Smart Supermarket signed a royalty license agreement with Green Dot Malta Limited and registered all of its own branded food products such as confectionery and newly packaged products. they agreed to cooperate. The two companies also agreed to work together to ensure that intellectual property rights related to the Green Dot sign in Malta would be better protected against unlawful use by third parties including suppliers of various goods to supermarkets.
In April 2009, following a similar request for an order filed by Green Dot Malta Limited, the company Zamco Caterware Limited declared in open court that it binds itself not to distribute any product on the market with the Green Dot symbol on their packaging without the required license. The Company also states that they will not import any products containing Green Point markings unless the relative royalty contribution has been paid and unless they prove that the imported product will be recycled in the applicable environmental legislation.
In September 2009, Karta Converters Limited, a company that produces and distributes goods made of paper, cardboard and plastics, is ordered by the Civil Courts First Center to not manufacture, pack, sell or otherwise continue to circulate in the market of local bearing products trade "Green Dot" without the required license. Chief Justice Dr. Geoffrey Valencia accepts the statement of Green Dot Malta Limited that the company commits itself as a "free rider" in the local market and that he takes unfair and unfair advantage of Green Dot's reputation without his consent. Following this order, Karta Converters Limited issued a press release stating that it would adopt internationally recognized Green Dot symbols on its paper, cardboard and plastic products in accordance with the law. Karta Converters also stated that it will join about three hundred other companies participating in GreenPak, a waste recovery scheme operated by Green Dot Malta Limited, to recycle its packaging.
Out-of-court settlements have been achieved on numerous occasions with other Maltese companies to ensure that the international reputation of the marks is protected.
In May 2010, Green Dot Malta Limited won a court case against Green.Mt Ltd, a local competitor operating a waste recovery scheme in Malta. The latter was established in 2007, a few years after the registration of Green Dot Malta Limited. Green Dot Malta Limited petitioned the Court to declare that the name Green.Mt Ltd is an unfair competition in terms of law because of the use of "." coupled with the words "Green Mt" is meant to cause confusion in the market.
In assessing, Mr. Justice Raymond Pace states that both schemes are clearly direct competitors operating in the same field of activity and that the name Green.Mt Ltd has created confusion in terms of article 32 of Chapter 13 of the Maltese Law. The court stated that the law stipulates that a business can not use any name, mark, or symbol that may cause confusion with a name, mark or other symbol that is used legally by another party. Impersonation does not need to be perfect. It is enough that in its entirety can deceive consumers. The judge said that the examination of the words used made it undoubted that the names could and did create confusion among consumers. The Court thus commands Green.Mt Ltd to pay Green Dot Malta Limited a nominal amount by penalty and to waive any offensive material in possession under the name Green.Mt Ltd within 30 days from the date of appraisal. Dr. Antoine Naudi and Dr. Victor G. Axiak performs for Green Dot Malta Limited. Before the final decision was made, Green.Mt Ltd changed its name to Green MT Ltd.
See also
- Recycle symbol
- Japanese recycling symbol
References
External links
- Der GrÃÆ'¼ne Punkt - DSD company website
- PRO website of Europe
- Valpak UK - British Green Dot license company
- Green Point: usage standard
- A full list of packaging recovery organizations in Europe with links to their websites
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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