Decoupling packaging waste production from economic growth Jordi Bruno 2nd UPC International Seminar...

Decoupling packaging waste production from economic growth

Jordi Bruno

2nd UPC International Seminar on Sustainable Technology Development

9.06.2009

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Trends – waste generation

Packaging waste generation per capita and by country

Source: EEA

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Trends – waste generation

Average packaging waste generation per capita 1997-2006 (kg/year)

Source: EEA

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Trends – waste generation

Generation of packaging waste and GDP in the EU-15

Source: EEA

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Trends – waste generation

Per capita packaging consumption in EU-15, 1998-2006 (in kg)

Source: EUROPEN, 2009

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Trends – waste generation

Municipal waste generation in Catalonia

Source: ARC

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Trends – waste generation

Packaging waste per capita in Catalonia

Source: Fundació Catalana per a la Prevenció de Residus i el Consum Responsable

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Trends – waste recycling

Progress towards the EU recycling targets (2006)

Source: EUROPEN, 2009

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Trends – waste treatment

Treatment of packaging waste

Source: EEA

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Trends – waste recycling

Energy recovery and recycling rates in EU-27, 2006

Source: EUROPEN, 2009

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Packaging & Society

Factors driving packaging waste

Lifestyles Consumption patterns

Packaging

• Reduction of household average size• Ageing of population• Less time devoted at home• More consumption and specialization

• Reduction of household average size• Ageing of population• Less time devoted at home• More consumption and specialization

• Smaller packaging units• Increase of pre-cooked food•Adapted to old people and children• Consumption outside home

• Smaller packaging units• Increase of pre-cooked food•Adapted to old people and children• Consumption outside home

Social changes Demand of new products

Source: ECOEMBES

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Packaging & Society

Packaging functions

TRADITIONALMODERN

Source: FCPRCR & EUROPEN

• Containment• Protection• Conservation• (transport)

Potential barriers to waste prevention!

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Packaging & Society

Influencing factors when purchasing food products (%)

Source: ECOEMBES – Shopping Basket Study (Nielsen / IRI)

Prize

Trade mark

Amount of product

Recommended

Easy to manage

Easy to storage

Advertised on TV

Packg. material

• Law 9/2008, on waste management• Selective waste collection• Material recovery more important than proximity

• Directive 2008/98/CE, on waste• Waste hierarchy: prevention, preparing for re-use, recycling,

other recovery (i.e. energy recovery), disposal• 50% objective for recycling and recovery in 2020• Follow-up indicators

Legislation & policy

• Objective in PROGREMIC 2007-2012:

• To reach this (in packaging waste):• Encourage the use of products with reusable containers.• Promote the consumption of tap water.• Develop reusable bags.• To avoid the over-packaging.

Legislation & policy

“Prevent waste generation in weight, volume, variety and hazard, decoupling waste production from

economic growth”.

Municipal Waste Planning in Catalonia

Legislation & policy

PROGREMIC – potential reduction of packaging waste

Action Production (kg/inh/yr)

Potential reduction (kg/inh/yr)

Potential CO2 reduction (kg/inh/yr)

Encourage reusable packaging

35 12 7

To promote use of tap water 6 2 4

To develop reusable bags 2 1 2

To avoid over-packaging 107 10 17

150 25 30

• Grants to prevent municipal waste generation (834 projects during 2004-2008; 14M€)

• Dissemination:– Waste Reduction Week

– Awareness campaigns (aquireduim.cat)

– Specific publications on methodologies, guidelines,…

• Studies• Specific projects and collaboration agreements• Awards (Design for recycling)

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Legislation & policy

Actions at the Catalan Waste Agency

Source: ARC