PODCAST: How Germany Is Leading the Reusable Packaging Revolution with Dana Voges

Episode Title: How Germany Is Leading the Reusable Packaging Revolution with Dana Voges

Guest: Dana Voges, Project Lead for Circular Economy and Sustainability at SEA ME

Summary:

In this episode, Cory Connors welcomes Dana Voges to discuss her remarkable journey from growing up visiting landfills on Take Your Kid to Work Day in Colorado, to leading reusable packaging innovation in Germany. Dana shares how SEA ME and their open pool system Zerooo are building a scalable, brand-agnostic reuse infrastructure for cosmetics and personal care — and what the rest of the world can learn from Germany’s deposit return system.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Dana’s unique background: from Superfund site field trips and trash fashion shows to circular economy research at the Technical University of Berlin
• Germany’s deposit return system (DRS) and why it works — and why the US lags behind
• What SEA ME is and how their reusable packaging model works for cosmetics and personal care products
• The Zerooo open pool system: a pay-per-use model that handles reverse logistics, washing, and redeployment for participating brands
• The origin of the Zerooo name and its triple infinity loop logo
• Consumer behavior as the hardest challenge in reuse systems — and how pre-fill models reduce friction
• The “chicken and egg” problem between retailers and brands, and how SEA ME is bringing both to the table
• The roller coaster analogy: why reuse systems require coordinating infrastructure, legislation, incentives, and behavior simultaneously
• How parallel revenue from the SEA ME brand funded the system during early-stage high costs
• Economies of scale: how wash costs for 10,000 bottles are nearly the same as for 1,000
• Aesthetics and wear: clever bottle design to prevent scuffing and maintain brand appearance across cycles
• Why metal containers present challenges for reuse: keepability, high upfront carbon footprint, visual inspection limitations, and consumer familiarity
• Why glass and PET are the preferred materials for SEA ME’s system
• The importance of integrating reuse systems with existing consumer habits (e.g., reusable bags, existing return infrastructure)
• SEA ME’s current footprint: ~900 sale and return locations in Germany, with major European retail expansion underway

Resources Mentioned:

• SEA ME
• Zerooo
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation 
• Cradle to Cradle by Michael Braungart

Contact:

Brands selling personal care, home care, wellness, or beauty products in PET bottles interested in joining the European Zerooo system can reach out to Dana Voges and the SEA ME team directly.

Closing Thoughts:

Cory and Dana agree that reuse systems work best when they integrate seamlessly into existing consumer behavior rather than demanding new habits. The German model proves it can scale — and the economic case is catching up with the environmental one. Dana extends an open invitation to brands ready to join the movement in Europe.

Thank you for tuning in to Sustainable Packaging with Cory Connors!

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