Markers used for labelling surfaces are an integral part of day-to-day work in the halls of the Krones plants. But where should the empty pens go? To ensure they don’t end up in general waste but can instead be recycled, edding introduced its international Returnboxes back in 2022.
Since 12 February, such boxes have also been available at the Krones site in Nittenau, allowing the markers used there to be easily recycled at the end of their service life.
Recycling made easy
The idea behind the boxes is both simple and practical: The Returnbox can be ordered free of charge via the edding website. As soon as a marker runs dry, it can simply be dropped into the box. It makes no difference whether the pen is made by edding or another brand – all markers are welcome, including permanent markers, highlighters, felt-tip pens or overhead transparency pens. Once enough used pens have accumulated and the box is completely full, it can be sent back to edding with the free return label provided. This way, empty markers are easily fed back into the recycling loop, reducing waste both in offices and production facilities.
Why even pens make a difference
Recycling markers is more beneficial than many might initially think. On average, edding can recover more than 67 per cent of the collected materials as secondary resources to be used in new industrial products – and the more old pens are returned, the greater the positive impact on the environment. By making the Returnboxes available to businesses, schools, and public and educational institutions, edding aims to encourage as many people as possible to take part in the recycling cycle. And the concept appears to be working: While there were only 181 filled boxes in the whole of 2022, by mid‑2025 the number had already reached 697.
As participation increases, recycling is becoming more accessible for employees, students, trainees, and visitors to public institutions – while at the same time raising awareness of careful resource use. At the Krones site in Nittenau, the Returnboxes have therefore been placed at key locations throughout the halls to ensure employees can use them effectively. Now it’s all about collecting – and simultaneously planning how the boxes can be set up at other sites as well.
