Nationwide repair incentive for Stengele

Support for funding - Nationwide repair incentive for Stengele

Germany's Environment Minister in Thuringia, Bernhard Stengele from the Greens, is promoting a nationwide state incentive for mending appliances in the future. Such a repair incentive, preserved in Thuringia, can support the new right to repair, Stengele shared with the German Press Agency in Erfurt. Thuringia presented a proposal during the Environment Ministers' Conference with the Federation and the States, which concluded on Friday in Bad Durkheim.

Since EU countries recently agreed on a right to repair, Germany must implement it within two years at the latest. "The sooner, the better," said Stengele. Thuringia has observed positive results with the repair bonus - a state subsidy for fixing electrical appliances, consequently, they don't end up in the landfill.

However, challenging has been the price contrast between repair and buying various devices. "Both the repair bonus and the right to repair can help with this," the Green politician elaborated.

At the Environment Ministers' Conference, Thuringia's proposal will gain the support of Saxony, as indicated by the ministry. It requests the federal government to explore the opportunities for facilitating the right to repair through the introduction of a nationwide repair incentive or similar measures.

The Thuringian model has been practiced since 2021 and offers a 50% reimbursement of the repair cost, up to 100 euros per year. The model has funded over 30,000 repairs until the end of 2023. Fraunhofer Institute's calculations show that the avoided electronic waste totals 400 tons.

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1. Furthermore, Stengele advocates for the expansion of the Thuringian repair bonus model to other German federal states, aiming to promote environmental policy nationwide.
2. As part of the European Union's agreement on the right to repair, the German Press Agency reported that Stengele emphasized the importance of early implementation, ensuring a 'Repair bonus' in Germany becomes a reality.
3. To facilitate the nationwide repair incentive, Thuringia seeks collaboration with the German government and other federal states, such as Saxony, to ensure a smoother 'Repair' process for households and businesses.
4. The 'Environmental policy' reforms in Thuringia have inspired other regions, like Bad Dürkheim, to consider similar 'Repair bonus' programs, following the positive results observed in the Thuringian model.
5. Due to the success of the repair bonus in reducing electronic waste, Bernhard Stengele plans to advocate for this policy at the EU level, aiming to make it a standard for all member states.
6. Consulting with experts from the Fraunhofer Institute, Stengele identified that the success of the Thuringian model has led to significant 'Environmental benefits', preventing more than 400 tons of electronic waste from entering landfills.

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