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Gearing product design
towards minimum
plastic waste and
maximum recyclability
EEB – European Strategy on Plastic Waste - EESC - 15/07/2013
What is EEB?EEB: the environmental voice of
European citizens
We stand for environmental
justice, sustainable
development and participatory
democracy.
Our aim is to ensure the EU
secures a healthy environment
and rich biodiversity for all.
EEB – European Strategy on Plastic Waste - EESC - 15/07/2013
What are we talking about?
Moving towards a resources efficient economy=
Decoupling resource consumption and environmental impacts from growth
Question:
How Ecodesign & Extended Producer Responsibility may contribute to
minimum plastic waste and maximum recyclability?
EEB – European Strategy on Plastic Waste - EESC - 15/07/2013
Pacific Gyresix times more plastic
than plankton
Source: European Commission
• Standard waste hierarchy
Moving up the hierarchy-
beyond end of pipe solutions
• Acting upper step
Linking Products & Waste policies
�The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
�80% of the environmental
impacts of products
are determined at design stage
�Possible to optimise end of life
without shifting the burden
to other life stage
�Complementary instruments:
legal requirements + market
instrument
�Synergetic effects:
e.g:reusability/durability save on
waste / reuse & recycling save
on natural resources and CO2
http://media.treehugger.com/assets/images/2011/10/RONA-
product-life-cycle-graphic.JPG
EEB – European Strategy on Plastic Waste - EESC - 15/07/2013
Ecodesign
Ecodesign means simply to integrate environmental concerns as soon as the
design stage of the product…
DIRECTIVE 2009/125/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 21
October 2009 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for
energy-related products (recast)
Ecodesign in Packaging⇒Essential requirements equivalent to ecodesign requirements for packaging
⇒Need to revise the essential requirements …together with P&PW targets
⇒They are now statu quo and hard to enforce
Example of Ecodesign requirements
for plastic recyclability
EEB Ecodesign /EPR for RE RWM Birmingham - 09/2012
Potential Requirement: Minimum threshold of the Recyclability rate index for plastics of the
LCD-TV
The Recyclability rate index for plastics of the LCD-TV shall be higher than 80%.
Verification:
Manufacturer shall provide a declaration of the Recyclability rate index of the product with the
calculation datasheets and additional technical documentation, in accordance with guidance
documents
Source: JRC report N°2 08/2012
EEB Ecodesign /EPR for RE RWM Birmingham - 09/2012
Examples of Ecodesign for packaging
Source: www.cleanproduction.org
Address toxics in plastics
De-toxification of material
Easier and more cost-effective material recycling
Extended Producer Responsibility
EPR is an environmental policy approach in which a producer’s responsibility for
a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of a product’s life cycle (OECD)
It is also a EU Waste policy instrument,
under the spotlight at the moment as
considered a crucial tool to move towards
resources efficiency (= enabling cost
internalisation of end of life externalities).
EEB – European Strategy on Plastic Waste - EESC - 15/07/2012
The role of economic instruments to
enhance ecodesign
Implementing EPR: a matter of national legislationNo EU harmonization => guidance in project on best patterns for ERP schemes
No EU harmonization => complaints by producers about « administrative burden « of variety
EEB – European Strategy on Plastic Waste - EESC - 15/07/2013
Differentiated EPR chargesCharges should reflect the real end of life costs – noticeably in relation to chemical contents or
potential risks linked to environmental impact
PAY-AS-YOU-THROW Schemes
DEPOSIT-REFUND Systems
Taxation
Diversified taxes would help to create more incentives for ecodesign
Differentiated EPR for hazardous substancesThe French example to reward hazardous substances minimization:
modulating the contribution of producers to take back schemes
Brominated FR
NO YES
Brominated FR
Or Hg Lamp
High GWP HFC
1€ 1,20 €
0,3€ 0,36 €
13€ 15,60 €
EEB – European Strategy on Plastic Waste - EESC - 15/07/2013
Examples of possible « mutual
reinforcement » btw Ecodesign and EPR
Ecodesign/Ess Req EPR
3
2
[cm³]goodspackedofvolume
[cm²]packagingofsurface3,2 >
Max ratio btw
pack surface & product volumeDifferentiation
according to
recyclability of plastic
E.g: uniform plastic type/
Hazardous contents
Differentiation
according to
hazardous contents/
Br Flame retardants
Min. Energy efficiency
Max dissassembly time for material
Min. recyclability of plastics
EEB – European Strategy on Plastic Waste - EESC - 15/07/2013
Summary of the main points
1. Plastics MUST be designed with 3 Rs in mind:- reduce, reuse, recycle
2. They MUST NOT contain substances that unduly endanger human health, environment and quality of recycling.
3. Plastic products should include plastic marking, disassembly and recycling guidelines
4. Set a minimum content of recycled plastic (to create a solid market that demands plastic to be fed to recycling plants).
5. Certification for plastic waste recycling facilities to mitigate the trend to exporting to substandard treatment
Thanks for attention
Contact:
piotr.barczak@eeb.org
stephane.arditi@eeb.org
EEB – European Strategy on Plastic Waste - EESC - 15/07/2013
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