Managing Post
Managing Post--Consumer
Consumer
Plastics Packaging
Plastics Packaging
Plastics Packaging
Plastics Packaging
Separate Collection:
Separate Collection:
the COREPLA Experience
the COREPLA Experience
Luca
Luca StramareStramare –– R&D ManagerR&D Manager COREPLA (Italy) COREPLA (Italy)
2 Sustainability Sustainability Environmental Viable Bearable Economical Social Viable Fair
“Meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
3 Plastic Packaging Plastic Packaging Protection Protection Information Information Convenience Convenience Producer Producer Consumer Consumer Transport Transport Marketing Marketing
4 The
The ProblemProblem BeginsBegins at the End (at the End (ofof Life)Life)
Plastics demand in Europe 2011: 47 million tonnes
Packaging is main use for plastics, with 39%
The total amount of household plastic packaging waste
generated by the EU 27 + 2 in 2010 was 15 million tonnes
Packaging accounts for 62% of household plastic waste
Sources: Plastics Europe - EPRO
Source: Wikipedia
Once the benefits of plastic packaging have been exploited, then blaming begins…
Plastic packaging is not responsible for littering Consumer behaviour is
The environmental impacts of plastic packaging
cannot be separatedfrom the ones of the product it protects
5 Instruments to make Plastic Packaging
Instruments to make Plastic Packaging more Sustainable more Sustainable Reduce Reduce Reuse Reuse Waste Hierarchy Extended Producer Responsibility Principle Waste Prevention Reuse Reuse Recycle Recycle Recover Recover Landfill Landfill Separate Collection Responsibility Principle Recycling Targets Design for Recycling
6 Italy, the CONAI System
Italy, the CONAI System
COnsorzio NAzionale Imballaggi COnsorzio NAzionale Imballaggi (National Packaging Consortium) (National Packaging Consortium)
No profit organization established in 1997, following the implementation of the European legislation on recovery and recycling of packaging waste from “public surfaces” (household waste collected by municipalities)
Operating according to the Extended Producer Responsibility principle Operating according to the Extended Producer Responsibility principle
(EPR). Companies pay a fee (“Contributo Ambientale Conai”) for each tonne of packaging material manufactured or imported
The fee changes according to the material
Each packaging material (steel, aluminum, paper and board, wood, plastic and glass) is managed by a specific supply chain consortium
Business activities are directly responsible for managing the packaging waste they generate (waste from “private surfaces”)
7
RICREA - Consorzio Nazionale Riciclo e Recupero Imballaggi Acciaio (steel)
CIAL – Consorzio Imballaggi Alluminio (aluminum)
Comieco – Consorzio nazionale recupero e riciclo degli imballaggi a base cellulosica (paper and board)
RILEGNO – Consorzio nazionale recupero e il riciclaggio degli recupero e il riciclaggio degli imballaggi in legno (wood) COREPLA – Consorzio per la
raccolta, il riciclaggio e il recupero degli imballaggi in plastica (plastics)
CoReVe – Consorzio Recupero Vetro (glass)
8 The CONAI
The CONAI--COREPLA systemCOREPLA system
Manufacturer
Manufacturer -- ImporterImporter
of plastic packaging Packaging fee Consumer Consumer Separate collection Separate collection Compensation for collection Red: financial Blue:materials
Yellow:area of COREPLA ownership
Municipality Municipality Sorting Center Sorting Center Recycling Company Recycling Company Converter Converter Energy Energy Recovery Recovery Plant Plant Compensation for sorting Waste packaging sale
9 Household Plastic Packaging Waste Collection
Household Plastic Packaging Waste Collection
8 10 12 14 500 600 700 800 Total Collection Kg/Person 2012 693000 tonnes 11.6 Kg/Person
Collection (Ktonnes) Kg/Person
0 2 4 6 8 100 200 300 400 500 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 1998 110000 tonnes 1.9 Kg/Person
10 The Sorting Challenge
The Sorting Challenge
Household plastic packaging waste is a mix of different articles and polymers
Sorting by polymer and/or article is a
challenge for COREPLA
The technology is there: 94% of plastic packaging waste managed by COREPLA is
automatically sorted Manual sorting
Detector Detector (NIR or visible) (NIR or visible) Positive Selection Positive Selection Moving Moving belt belt Light source Light source Negative Selection Negative Selection Air blow Air blow Moving Moving belt belt automatically sorted Automatic sorting
11 COREPLA “Products”…
12 Sorting (2012 Figures) Sorting (2012 Figures) 29% 40% PET By-products PRODUCT Tonnes PET containers 187000 HDPE containers 62000 10% 7% 14% 40% Mixed Polyolefins HDPE Film Total: Recycling 60% Energy Recovery 40% Total: Recycling 60% Energy Recovery 40% Film 43000 Polyolefins 89000
13 Post
Post--Consumer Plastic Packaging Recycling Consumer Plastic Packaging Recycling -- ItalyItaly
500 600 700 800 36.8% Recycling Rate ktonnes 0 100 200 300 400 500 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 COREPLA (Household) Other Operators (Business) Total Recycling Italy
14 The Recycling Chain is as Strong as its Weakest Link The Recycling Chain is as Strong as its Weakest Link
Sorting Sorting Center Center Converter Converter Recycling Recycling Company Company Manufacturer Manufacturer Importer Importer Municipalities Municipalities Citizens Citizens Center Center Separate collection Separate collection Company Company Bales
Bales Flakes Flakes -- PelletsPellets
Importer Importer
Ensure that every stakeholder is
Ensure that every stakeholder is involvedinvolved and and committedcommitted
Articles Articles Plastic Plastic Packaging Packaging
15 Ensuring involvement and commitment
Ensuring involvement and commitment
Corepla is an EPR no-profit organization
Board Members (elected every 3 years): Plastic packaging materials producers Plastic packaging converters
Recycling-Recovery companies
Association of Italian Municipalities Association of Italian Municipalities
Accordo quadro ANCI-CONAI (framework agreement) Collection
Expected quality Compensation
Associations of Sorting Companies
16 Fairness, Transparency, Accountability, …
Fairness, Transparency, Accountability, …
Industry
No profit organization
Sustainable packaging fee (currently 110€/tonne, same for all plastics)
Municipalities
Nationwide agreement (> 90% municipalities, > 95% population) Compensation for separate collection based also on quality
Sorting Centers Sorting Centers
Sorting contract and product specifications Clear separation of non-COREPLA materials Resident inspectors (periodical rotation)
Routine analyses on incoming waste, products and by-products
Recyclers
Online auctions for products sale Sales specifications
17 Keep the System as Simple and Effortless for
Keep the System as Simple and Effortless for Consumers as Possible
Consumers as Possible
The average consumer is not a packaging expert
Single collection stream: plastic packaging waste Municipalities decide their preferred way of separate collection (street or door-to-door) COREPLA manages plastic packaging sorting
The lower the effort/knowledge required, the The lower the effort/knowledge required, the higher the chance of cooperation
Thank
19 Bring the Key Message:
Bring the Key Message:
Plastic is Too Valuable to Become a Waste Plastic is Too Valuable to Become a Waste
“While we can set a price for everything we need, It is far more difficult to set its value”
20 Thank You for Your Attention!!!!