PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The management of commercial plastic packaging waste (CPPW) can be improved in the EU. Landfill can be avoided and the resulting social, economic and environmental problems. While there is legislation regulating the appropriate management of CPPW and promoting the end of landfilling and the efficient use of resources, legislative aims are commonly not reached. CPPW accounts for 15-30% of all household waste in the EU. According to PlasticsEurope, 62% of the total EU packaging waste stream derives from households, while the remaining 38% comes from commercial and industrial sources. On average, 30.8% of total post-consumer plastic waste goes to landfill and 39.5% to energy recovery. If CPPW were to be recycled at 80% efficiency, AIMPLAS calculates that the EU plastics market would benefit from more than 820 000 tonnes of recycled material per year, worth around 500 million.
OBJECTIVES
LIFE-RECYPACK aimed at fostering green public procurement (GPP) of CPPW in urban areas. The project aimed to demonstrate that this waste stream is a valuable resource from which new recycled added-value materials and products can be obtained.
The project would evaluate the generation of CPPW by commercial and retail companies in Italy and Spain, focusing on polyethylene (PE), which is the most common type of plastic, and expanded polystyrene (EPS), which is a concern because of its low density.
The project would operate two recycling facilities in Hungary and Spain, which would produce recycled PE and recycled EPS from CPPW. The recycled material would be used to manufacture new plastic products, thereby closing the loop.
The project planned to implement an innovative management model to assist local authorities in decision making, and to provide companies with incentives to participate. The project would also evaluate the potential for replication of its recycling systems at EU level.
LIFE-RECYPACK aimed to be an example of a circular economy business model, contributing to the recycling of plastic waste, one of the priority sectors in the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. The project would also contribute to the implementation of the Waste Framework Directive, the Landfill Directive and the Packaging Waste Directive.
RESULTS
The LIFE RECYPACK project developed four pilot logistic models for managing waste plastic from packaging in order to show that commercial public plastic waste (CPPW) can be managed more effectively. 1. Commercial Shopping Centre (CSC): Innovative model of packaging plastic waste management (i.e. waste separately collected, pressed and stored) 2. Urban stores: Door to door collection system of commercial plastic waste (PE and EPS). 3. Large chain distribution companies: Reverse logistics (transportation of the CPPW ton the logistic centre until treatment) 4. Professionals and SME: Direct deposit with a valuable incentive back
The models, which were demonstrated in Spain and Italy, showed that the complex logistics required to manage this type of waste can be improved. E.g. the second pilot logistic model listed above was tested in the municipalities of Lliria and Mislata (Spain), where 42 shops collaborated with the project, and the associated beneficiary Diputacin de Valencia intends to expand it with some modifications to other municipalities Regarding the third pilot logistic model, 70 Millar electronic stores signed an agreement to provide polyethylene (PE) and expanded polystyrene (EPS) plastic waste. In total, more than 18 tonnes of EPS and more than three tonnes of PE were collected. The analysis of the waste collected showed the material to be of good quality and suitable for recycling (85% efficiency). The associated beneficiary COMELSA is cooperating with recycling company TRAXPO to transform the collected EPS into a commercial product.
The project developed a range of tools to facilitate the replication of the logistics tested. The team published four guidelines designed for the development of the four demo actions tested and a Good Practice Guide for the replication plan has been elaborated as well. Stakeholders in Italy, Spain and Hungary have been contacted for potential replication of the project actions. The project could foster the uptake of Green Public Procurement (GPP) for CPPW in the EU. In this line, the project carried out research to find an eco-label that meets the necessary requirements for the products and drafted a proposal for a technical GPP for the supply of compost bins made of post-consumer plastic.
Collection for recycling of CPPW requires the cooperation of all public administrations that are in charge of the management of this type of plastic waste. The project actions highlighted areas where logistical improvements can be made to ensure efficient collection and treatment of this waste stream. The four demonstration actions showed that it is necessary to develop methodologies that respond to the specific needs of the particular area, although these methodologies are transferable. Replicating the project actions is not only environmentally beneficial, but it also represents a commercial opportunity for enterprising companies with the foreseen creation of jobs.
Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).
