Small business toll refiners in Germany?

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solar_plasma

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2013
Messages
2,695
Location
Germany
I would like to know, if there is anyone, who has started a little professional (toll) refinery in Germany. If so, I would like to ask them some questions about, where to start, if I want to get professional. I have already send an email to the Berufsgenossenschaft Rohstoffe und chemische Industrie hoping, that they can tell me, if it would be lawfully possible for me and which laws etc. I would have to read.
 
Wow, after some hours of reading the laws and searching german chemistry related forums, I guess european and german politicians have made it completely impossible to start such a business in Germany. I even read about that some small companies are gone to other countries already. So, I can only use this for educational purposes as far as my professional work allows to do so.
 
solar_plasma said:
Wow, after some hours of reading the laws and searching german chemistry related forums, I guess european and german politicians have made it completely impossible to start such a business in Germany. I even read about that some small companies are gone to other countries already. So, I can only use this for educational purposes as far as my professional work allows to do so.

Pretty sad huh?

The make a monopoly on the best markets so people do not even get the chance to start one!

Only Giant companies are allowed to get such opportunities such as Emicore etc...
 
Take commercial spraying for example, legally, if a current owner of a landscape/lawn business wants to branch out to spraying, you can't do it. You have to have worked under/for someone licensed for 2 years with your applicator license before you can go off on your own. There are loads of people out there doing it anyways under the radar.
 
I am impressed, I received a very friendly reply and a whole lotta links, where I can get more information and where I can ask for the necessary permissions. Ofcourse it is still not the time for dreaming. But who knows, we will see.
.
 
solar_plasma said:
I am impressed, I received a very friendly reply and a whole lotta links, where I can get more information and where I can ask for the necessary permissions. Ofcourse it is still not the time for dreaming. But who knows, we will see.
.

If you ever get going i may send my stuff to you
At least I hope it will work for you
scm
 
Well if solar gets a chance to start one; I'll be convinced that he'll be able to pull it of.

Preparation is very important and he knows it :mrgreen:
 
Indeed, now I will first write a description, what processes I would like to offer, so they can see, that I am no danger to anyone and there will be no emissions. Also, so they can see, that I know, what I am talking about. If they will tell, that I could get the permissions, the next step would be to talk with potential customers, so I can validate, if there is a market niche for a win-win solution I could offer. The last challenge then would be, if it is possible to me to build a laboratory according to regulations out of almost nothing.....the regulations could make this dream too expensive, I guess.
Well if solar gets a chance to start one; I'll be convinced that he'll be able to pull it of.

...IF, then only, because of this forum!!! Here we learn so much more, than only how to clean up or avoid the mess and get the gold out, but everything, we need to do high quality refining and everything about the business. You people are great!

And let's face it, still I have to learn some practical skills :lol: but as far as I know myself, this should be done in 2 years for the basics to reach a professionalstage plus 20 years for becoming good :lol:
 
why start a business?
Just refine as a hobby and for the fun and education, toll (refining others scrap for fun, keeping a small percent of the metal, to pay for supplies and the education) let the (toll) hobby refining pay for itself, the education and your hobby.
 
If I can't, I only do it as far as I can use it within the bounds of my educational mandate. The authorities are not glad of hobby chemists. So, I only do, what I know, I am allowed to in this country. If I could make a business of refining, it would unfold more possibilities to live refining and even earn money with it. In germany it is forbidden to earn money with a hobby, - then it is no hobby anymore and you have to start a business.

Well, some could say, nobody knows....but I am just too loyal to the laws and I think, who should be, if not a teacher.
 
So you cannot refine gold for your friend, if he gives you a little bit of the gold for going to the trouble to help him out. you do have tough laws in Germany.

I guess if the old farmer neighbor had a cow and you helped him out with the killing, skinning, cutting up of the meat and wrapping it for him, he could not give you a steak for going to all of the trouble to help him out, that would be a tough law.
 
I guess if the old farmer neighbor had a cow and you helped him out with the killing, skinning, cutting up of the meat and wrapping it for him, he could not give you a steak for going to all of the trouble to help him out, that would be a tough law.

Ok, that would be much worse, only a educated butcher is allowed to cut up a cow. Not even a hunter is allowed. Cows are registered and highly monitored in the EU. :)

Well, if you help one time and get no money it is no trade. If you do the same thing again and again and have any profit, money or non-cash benefit from that work, it's a trade. Then you have to pay taxes. But doing chemistry as a trade has to be authorized.
 
I wonder how them type of laws affect small business start ups in your country? Seems kind of counterproductive to small business interest.
 
The german tax law is a monster compared to the rest of the world, but there is a mighty lobby that is profiting from that monster.
 
I remember going around twice a year by Mannheim, Germany (Sandhofen, Lampertheim area) picking up household goods for free. Those were some fun nights.
 
I think many people are cherrypicking bulk garbage, but it isn't legal or at least it isn't legal anymore. In the moment you have placed your bulk garbage at the street to be collected by the city or county, it belongs to the city/county. My heart is aking each time I see an old 486 between the garbage... :cry: ...but just taking it, would be nothing else but stealing.
 
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