On 31 July 2025, Dr Ewa Harlacz visited the photovoltaic recycling plant (PV recycling plant) of Reiling GmbH & Co. KG as part of Environment Minister Oliver Krischer’s summer tour. Together with Environment Minister Oliver Krischer and Lara Wever (Head of Department VIII B 4), they took a tour led by Tom Reiling, Managing Director of Reiling GmbH & Co. KG, Sarah Menden (Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications) and Malte Fislake (Operations Manager at Reiling PV Recycling).

Photovoltaic modules enable clean energy generation. The Reiling company is dedicated to the resource-efficient disposal of these modules through recycling. After use, the PV systems are inspected at Germany’s first photovoltaic recycling site in Münster. Only those parts that can no longer be used are recycled according to their components. This allows silicones, glass and metals to be reused as recyclates on an industrial scale.

A picture featuring one of artist HA Schult’s ‘Trash People’ figures was a must!

We would like to thank Reiling GmbH & Co. KG for the fascinating tour of their facilities.

More information on the supply system, regional potential and circular approaches to the use of critical raw materials in North Rhine-Westphalia can be found in the Green Economy Paper published by the Environmental Economy Competence Network NRW:

Green Economy Paper