Working towards Circular Economy

and Zero Waste in EuropeFrom a global vision to local practice:

approaches and results

Enzo Favoino

Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza

Chair, Scientific Committee, ZeroWasteEurope

CE and Zero Waste: the global role

Zero Waste a strategy intended to maximise short- and long-term efficiency in resource management

The CE Package proposed in July 2014 sub-titled “A zero waste programme for Europe”

A codified, peer-reviewed Zero Waste Hierarchy is kept by ZWIA (Zero Waste International Alliance)

Ongoing recognition/certification programmes for ZW Communities and ZW businesses. Minimisation of residuals (kgs/person.year) the key goal / metrics for performance

Why a “material recycling society”?

Environmental benefits

Economic benefits

Occupational implications (green jobs)

Supply of raw materials

Proposed Circular Economy Package (Jul 14):

Recycling and preparing for re-use of municipal waste to be increased to 70 % by 2030;  

Recycling and preparing for re-use of packaging waste to be increased to 80 % by 2030, with material-specific targets set to gradually increase between 2020 and 2030 (to reach 90 % for paper by 2025 and 60% for plastics, 80% for wood, 90% of ferrous metal, aluminium and glass by the end of 2030);

Phasing out landfilling by 2025 for recyclable (including plastics, paper, metals, glass and bio-waste) waste in non hazardous waste landfills – corresponding to a maximum landfilling rate of 25%;

Measures aimed at reducing food waste generation by 30 % by 2025;

Establish separate collection of organics by 2025

(…) We are also proposing to withdraw the existing proposal on the circular economy,

to make way for a broader and more ambitious approach that can be more

effective. We want to look beyond the narrow focus

on waste and to 'close the loop' of the circular economy, for example by

addressing recycling in product design and creating a market for secondary raw

material.

Question 1:

Is zero waste possible?

Historical trend – a clear direction

Early recycling schemes (1980): glass, paper 15-25 % Bellusco (1993): first kerbside scheme with separation of

organics 60-65% Carnate (1995): transparent bag to collect residuals 70-75% Torre Boldone, Comuni dei Navigli (1997): PAYT 80-85% ZW Municipalities: continued re-design - hitting the high 80’s,

90% in some cases

“Zero waste is more the journey, than the destination”

Question 2:

results?

Ljubljana – 1st EU capital to declare ZW in Europe

Present and future plans in Ljubljana

Current situation: Separate collection rate: 61 % Amount of residual waste: 110 kg / person / year

Commitments: Separate collection rate by 2025: 78 % Separate collection rate by 2035: 80 % Amount of residual waste by 2025: 60 kg / person / year Amount of residual waste by 2035: 50 kg / person / year

• Residual waste in Contarina• (2 sub-districts, 50 Municipalities, pop. 530.000)

• (kg*inhabitant/year)

• SOURCE• dati Contarina 2014 (Media annuale aggiornata a Giugno), • Rapporto Rifiuti ISPRA 2014 (dati 2013 Italia); Relazione Rifiuti Urbani ARPAV (dati 2013 Veneto)

• mid-term goal: - 80% Residual• Waste by 2023

Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza

The principles of Zero Waste:

the 4 “R”s

• Reduce

• Reuse

• Recycle

• Re-design

Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza

A ZW plan

• Kerbside collection – include the organics!• Waste prevention practices in the remit of

Community Responsibility• Pay-as-you-throw• Check composition of residual waste • Redesign collection and management for

improvement• Feed back to producers in order to

address non-reusablle/recyclable materials

The key role of organics

• QUANTITATIVE: fundamental to achieve highest material recovery rates

• OPERATIONAL: minimising organics in residual waste makes it possible to shrink collection rounds – cost-optimisation

– further driving effect for increased separation of dry recyclables, too)

• QUALITATIVE: reducing organics in residual waste makes it less “dirty”, remarkably more “workable”/recyclable

Dedicated collection of foodwaste at high-rises

.

Cost optimisation (Lombardy, pop. 10M, 1547 Municipalities)

Cost of collection (green bars) and cost of treatment/disposal (blue bars)

•Eu

ro/p

ers

on collection

Treatment + disposal

‘Green jobs’ after rolling out curbside collection in Treviso (pop. 80.000)

Total costs(management + disposal)

Staff

2013 20140

25

50

75

100

2013 201455

65

75

85

95

105

58

84

• %

Source: Eurostat 2012

Source: Eurostat 2012

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Landfill Incineration Recycling Composting

Denmark Poland0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

DisposalRecycling/composting

Denmark Poland0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

DisposalRecycling/composting

700 kgs/person.yr 350 kgs/person.yr

A comparison

60% incinerated = 420 kgs/person.yr

25% slags/ashes= 105 kgs/person.yr

85% recycled Residual waste = 50 kgs/person.y

Committed to reduce residuals by a further 80%

= 10 kgs/person.yr (before processing)

Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza

Thanks for your attention

Enzo Favoino

Scuola Agraria del Parco di Monza335.355446

favoinoenzo@gmail.com

3

• Separate collection rates in Provinces

ITALY Separate collection rates:

Around 1000 Municipalities above 70% Around 300 Municipalities above 80% A few above 90%

The new metrics! Minimised residual waste in kgs/person.year Hundreds Municipalities below 100 kgs 310 Municipalities below 75 kgs Many below 50 kgs Lowest ones around 20 kgs