applying circular economy principles to plastic packaging
TRANSCRIPT
APPLYING CIRCULAR ECONOMY
APPROACHES TO PLASTIC PACKAGING
SusanGraffPrincipalandVicePresidentRRS
Preparedfor:2016SustainabilityForumCorporateCitizenshipCenterUSChamberofCommerceFoundation
• TheCircularEconomyinPractice• PlasticPackaging– BenefitsandRisks• CurrentRegulatoryContext&Waste
Infrastructure• WhyIndustry-LedSolutionsareaBusiness
ImperativeforPackaging• ExamplesofCorporateLeadership• ACallforCollaboration
APPLYING CIRCULAR ECONOMY APPROACHES TO PLASTIC PACKAGING
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• Plasticsareoftentheanswer…sometimes theonlyanswer..topackagefood,medicalneeds,andmanyotherproductsefficientlyandsafely
• Driveforefficiency(SustainabilityPrinciple#1– uselessmaterial)hasproducedinnovative,lightweightformats.OneEyeOpen…
• Efficiencygainsarenotenough-SustainabilityandTheCircularEconomyrequireBothEyesOpen…use lessnewmaterial
PLASTIC PACKAGING: BENEFITS & RISKS
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Use less new material in the Circular Economy“Reduce, Reuse, Retool” – Bill Gates
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Reduce
Retool
ReuseorRecycle
https://www.gatesnotes.com/Books/Sustainable-Materials-With-Both-Eyes-Open
• Toshiftfrom“take-make-waste”linearprocesses towardsaclosedloopsystem,wemustkeepthemoleculesinplay…tothegreatestextentpractical.
• Recoveredplasticpackaginghaspotentialvaluefornewproductsorenergy.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PLASTIC PACKAGING?
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WHY PLASTICS RECYCLING IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY GLOBALLY
• 21Megacities:populations13-37Million
• Landfillcrisesorcriticallandfillshortages
• Bigcitieshavebigimpactandtheircrisescatalyzechange
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Ex.JAKARTA• 40%isbelowsealevel;
• Severefloodingsourceofmarinedebris
Globally5-13MMT/yr. ofplasticwasteentertheocean
PERMANENTBRANDEDLITTERASERIOUSRISK
Sources:Transbogor.co,Jan22,2016;Jambecketal,2015)
WE HAVE A WASTE CRISIS IMPACTING CLIMATE, HUMAN HEALTH, MARINE POLLUTION
REGULATORY RESPONSE IS UNEVEN AND SLOW. EU IS REGULATED, AND HAS A NEW CIRCULAR ECONOMY PACKAGEMajorlegislativeupdateonpackaging and waste proposed 12/15
• Containsactionplanand4legislative proposalsonEUwastepolicy,includingthePackagingandPackagingWasteDirective
Objectives• Fullimplementation ofthewastehierarchy• Decreaseabsolute andpercapitawastegeneration• Ensurehighqualityrecyclingandtheuseof
recycledwasteasamajor,reliable sourceofrawmaterials intheEU
• Reinforce EPR
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TheCircular Economyimplies reducing
waste to aminimum.It is notaboutrecycling for
recycling’s sake.
What can a packaging company do to helprealize the circular economy vision?
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1. Continue todrivesourcereductionandwasteavoidance
2. Collaboratewithlike-mindedcompanies around thevalue chain
3. Supportexistingoremergingnationalrecyclingstrategies.IntheU.S.,accelerate market-drivensolutions
INNOVATIVE APPROACHES: AMCOR SOURCE REDUCTION & WASTE AVOIDANCE YIELDS MULTIPLE SUSTAINABILITY BENEFITS
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createscascadingenvironmentalsavings
throughoutthelifecycle
• “Both EyesOpen“approach tosource reduction and recycling
• Publiccommitments ongreenhousegasemissions reduction inEnviroAction program
• Weight reductionresulting fromdowngaugingorvolume reduction
Recycling of packaging - Not an easy equation...
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PACKAGING RECYCLING
Sorting efficiency
and quality
Recycling-ready
packaging design
Competing waste
treatment methods
Collection infrastruc-
ture
End markets for
recyclates
Financing systems Legislation
Alternative treatment methods
End consumers’ attitude towards recycling
Competition from virgin materials
How can the value chain help increase the recycling rates of plastic packaging and the
resilience of the recycling sector?
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INDUSTRY–LED MATERIAL RECOVERY SOLUTIONSValue Chain forms basis for identifying shared interests
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• Wearepassionateaboutpetsandthepeoplewholovethem.Wearecommittedtocontinuousenvironmentalimprovement .Threeplatforms:
• InHouseimprovements:lightweighting,newmaterials,newpackagingconfigurations
• Consumereducation:packagerecyclingtoolonline,How2Recyclelabel
• Helpingtoevolvecommunityrecyclinginfrastructure
• WeusepackagingtoprotecttheproductonitswaytoFidoorFluffy’s bowl.
• Muchofouraluminum,steel,corrugatedandpaperboardistodayrecyclable,butplasticsareaproblem– particularlyflexibleplasticsasyouwillseeinthenextfewslides.
• Wedon’twantlandfillstobeexcavatedin50yearsandourflexibleplasticbags,bearingthePurinaname,showupas“permanentbrandedlitter”.
• Manyoftheotherpartnerorganizationshaveasimilarmotivation,andtheproblemisbiggerthanonecompany,soitmakes sensetoworkinaresearchcollaboration.
• Thisisbreakingnewgroundinthepursuitofaclosedloopsystemforflexiblepackagerecycling.
NESTLE PURINA’S MOTIVATION FOR COLLABORATING ON MATERIALS RECOVERY WITHIN THE VALUE CHAIN
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MAJOREFFORTSINTHEU.S.
6 ELEMENTS OF HEALTHY RECOVERY VALUE CHAIN: COLLABORATE TO ACHIEVE MARKET DRIVEN SOLUTION
• Dow/FPAEnergyBag
• ACC- FFRG• SPIFFBDandRecycling Committee
• APR-FilmCommittee
• SPC– ILC• How2Recycle• ACC/SPC/APR-WRAPRecyclingActionProgram
• SPIRecyclingCommittee andFFBD
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