The Role of Plastics in the Circular Economy

Mr Adrian Whyle

Senior Resource Efficiency Manager

London – 2nd March 2015

Zero-Plastics to Landfill by 2025

Role of plastics as user of primary resources

3

Plastic packaging saves resources

Replacing plastics packaging with:

Would lead to…

Substitution model developed by German market research institute GVM, based on 32 packaging

categories, more than 70 different materials, and a database containing 26,000 data sets of packaging

materials, sizes, volumes, and masses.

= 20 million more heated homes, i.e

the annual consumption of

Romania’s population!

= 21 million more cars on the

road, i.e. more than the total

CO2 emissions of Denmark!

Source: denkstatt

If no plastic packaging was used packaging

• Mass would increase 3.6 x ,

• Energy consumption would increase 2.2x

• CHG emissions would increase 2.7x

Landfilling is still the most common waste treatment

option for Plastics

4

Treatment of post-Consumer Plastic Waste in Europe in 2012:Treatment for post-consumer plastics waste in the EU27+Norway and Switzerland

RDF Municipal Solid

Waste Incineration

SRF for energy intensive

industrial production,

e.g. chemicals, cement etc.

Source: Consultic2014

5

Plastic waste going to landfill (2012):

above 66%

>50% to 66%

below 10%,

i.e. landfill ban

Landfilling of plastic waste is still a

major option in many countries

33% to 50%

2005

1999+

2006

20042006

2009 2005

2016

1996

1997

Date of landfill ban in force

Date of future landfill ban

2016

2014 – Scotland

(dry recyclables)

Treatment of Post-consumer plastics

waste 2012 by EU 27 + 2 (in kt)

6

:

2012 Level

2017 Target

Countries

with

landfill

ban

Zero Plastics to Landfill by 2025 is challenging

but key to Saving Valuable Resources

= 60 million tonnes of plastics prevented from landfill, equivalent to

>750 million barrels of oil or 37.5 billion* €

MTo

nn

es

* 50 Euro/barrel

Recycling of plastic packaging waste

in the main markets

8

Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate

(in %)

Energy Recovery rate (in %)

2006

PL

GBES

IT

FR

DE

<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

Recycling of plastic packaging waste

in the main markets

9

Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate

(in %)

Energy Recovery rate (in %)

2007

<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

Recycling of plastic packaging waste

in the main markets

10

Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate

(in %)

Energy Recovery rate (in %)

2008

<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

Recycling of plastic packaging waste

in the main markets

11

Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate

(in %)

Energy Recovery rate (in %)

2009

<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

Recycling of plastic packaging waste

in the main markets

12

Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate

(in %)

Energy Recovery rate (in %)

2010

<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

Recycling of plastic packaging waste

in the main markets

13

Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate

(in %)

Energy Recovery rate (in %)

2011

<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

Recycling of plastic packaging waste

in the main markets

14

Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate

(in %)

Energy Recovery rate (in %)

2012

<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

Collection is key

UK Household Plastics Collection Survey 2013

15

http://www.recoup.org/p/229/2014-uk-household-plastics-collection-survey

Top performing local authorities tend to use comingled collection; collection in a

dry recyclables bin of a combination of some or all recyclable plastic, glass,

metal, paper and card……. WYG Collections Report 2013

56%

Recycling

24%

Recycling

4% Recycling

>70%

Recycling

41%

Recycling

7% Recycling

To Achieve 2017

targets an extra

350k tonnes of

plastic packaging

needs to be

collected for

recycling

16

INNOVATION…… the key catalyst for future increased resource recovery

1. Recycling and Eco-Design

2. Feedstock recycling

Daplen™

Polypropylene with Recycled Content

A new portfolio of polypropylene compound grades

composed of post-consumer recycled (PCR) and virgin

content for the Automotive Industry have been launched

17

• Enhanced product sustainability; improved CO2 footprint

• Product performance / cost similar to virgin polymer.

• For interior, exterior and under-the-bonnet (UTB)

automotive applications.

• 3 new Daplen™ grades with 25-50% PCR content,

Innovation - Recycling and Eco-Design

18

Pulse Plastics

Steel Coil Edge protection

100% recycled polyolelfins

Nampak

Milk Packaging

Up to35% rHDPE

Hille

Plastic Seating

100% rPP

GSK

Fruit Juice

100% PET

RPC Group

Paint Pots

25% rPP

Protomax www.protomax.co.uk

Office Furniture

100% Mixed Plastic Waste

19

Plastic packaging;

Contribution to Resource Efficiency

Nampak’s® Infini Milk Bottle

Increasing HDPE Recycled Content in milk bottles.

2010 - 10%

2015 - 30%*

2020 - 50%

• 16% CF reduction per tonne of product since ‘09

• 5% energy reduction achieved in 2013

*2014 - 4 pint bottle 20% lighter 30% recycled contentCourtesy of Nampak

Over 75%

of milk bottles

are recycled

Plastic packaging;Contribution to Resource Efficiency and food Safety

The Co-op food retailer has launched

its roast-in-the-bag chickens across its

the “whole bird” range, providing extra

reassurance to consumers that they

can safely prepare roast chicken in

their own home.

• Enhanced food safety by eliminating the

need for consumers to handle raw meat

• Prevents the spread of Campylobacter

from washing chicken.

• Simplifies preparation and cooking

convenience.

• Bag seals in chicken juices and

improves succulence.

20http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/press/press-releases/Food/co-op-announces-food-hygiene-and-cooking-convenience-initiative/

Innovation:

The road to the plastics circular economy

tNew Detection Systems

- Better Plastics Separation

- Radical Innovations

- Step-Change Innovations

- Incremental InnovationsNew to

Market

Time

Depolymerisation

- Production of Virgin Polymer

Enhanced Digital Imaging

€

$

$

€ $

£

£Increased use of recyclate

Improved Sorting

£

€

€$ £

€$

£

€$

£

Eco-design

Project REFLEX:

Increased recycling of flexible packaging

22

Funded by the UK’s innovation agency,

Innovate UK the REFLEX project brings

stakeholders throughout the supply chain from

polymer producers, converters, recyclers and

waste management companies together to

address the challenge of creating a circular

economy for flexible packaging, e.g. detergent

pouches, confectionery and biscuit wrappers

Partners Include:

Axion Ltd, Amcor Ltd, Dow Chemical Company Ltd,

Interflex Group, Nestlé UK Ltd, SITA Holdings UK Ltd,

TOMRA Sorting Ltd and Unilever UK

http://www.axionconsulting.co.uk/pioneering-project-aims-recycle-flexible-packaging

Innovation – Feedstock Recycling

OILOIL

OIL

OIL OIL

OIL

DEPOLYMERISATION

Plastics to Oil

CO2 as a raw material from Flue Gas for Polyurethane Foam

CO2

NC

OR

OC

NH

OR'

OH N

RN

CO

R'O

CN

R

H H

O O n

H

+

Isocyanate Polyol

Polyurethane

Production of polyol (Precursor for polyurethane foam)

15M Euro German production plant planned in 2016 with

a capacity of 5,000 tons / year polyol production

capturing CO2 from an RWE chimney

RIGID FOAMS

FLEXIBLE FOAMS

Making products out of hot air (CO2):

The abundant alternative carbon source

Whilst the detail is unclear European

recovery rates will increase;

• The increasing focus on the circular

economy provides opportunity to

stimulate research in materials recycling

• Recovery of more embedded resources.

i.e. materials & energy are key in the drive

towards a Resource Efficient Europe

• Advanced thermal recovery has a role

to play for non recyclable materials

• Materials destined for energy recovery will

in the future be increasingly recycled

and this will include “carbon’ recycling

26