Plastics Strategy City of Aarhus - Aarhus Universitet · 2019. 11. 13. · oceans by 2050 • every year, Europeans generate over 25 million ... collaboration with citizens and Clean

Plastics Strategy City of Aarhus 2020-2025 PROPOSAL

Contents

ContentsIntroduction ....................................................................................................................................................................................3

Strategy..............................................................................................................................................................................................4

The focus of the strategy .......................................................................................................................................................5

Specific initiatives in the strategy ...................................................................................................................................6

Catalogue of initiatives .......................................................................................................................................................8

List of players ........................................................................................................................................................................... 30

Financial breakdown ............................................................................................................................................................ 31

Appendices

Appendix 1: Reader guidance to the catalogue of initiatives ...................................................................32

Appendix 2: Analysis ..............................................................................................................................................................34

Appendix 3: References ...................................................................................................................................................... 40

Prepared by the Department of Technical Services and Environment, City of Aarhus. Version 1, June 2019.

3

PROPOSAL

The Plastics Strategy supports an attractive, sustainable framework for life in Aarhus and helps to make Aarhus a good city for everyone.

In connection with the budget deal for 2019, the signatory parties to the agreement, consisting of the City Council groups of the Social Democratic Party, the Liberal Party, the Socialist People’s Party, the Social Liberal Party, the Danish People’s Party, the Alternative and the Conservative Party, decided that the City of Aarhus must prepare a plastics strategy.

Among other things, the Plastics Strategy must include initiatives for reducing the use of plastic, using sustainable alternatives and creating new opportunities for green growth for businesses in the City of Aarhus.

The need for a plastics strategy is due in part to the focus on plastic and the waste problems generated by plastic. Plastic is a valuable material that can be recycled. However, when plastic ends up as waste, the resources in the plastic are not utilised to the full and, in the worst case, they end up in the environment.

According to the European Commission1,

• every second, 700 kilos of plastic waste ends up in our oceans

• if we do not rethink the way we produce and use plastic, there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050

• every year, Europeans generate over 25 million tonnes of plastic waste.

Prevention and reduction of plastic waste is consequently an important focus area – globally, in the EU, nationally and in the City of Aarhus.

Strategic focus on plastic is also a natural extension of the green transformation in Aarhus and social trends relating to plastic. Aarhus is a university city with many young people, and in recent years there has been particular focus on climate change and sustainability. For companies in the City of Aarhus, a local initiative relating to plastic can be a catalyst for green growth.

The Plastics Strategy for the City of Aarhus must support consumption and recycling of plastic that is beneficial for the world. We call this smart, sustainable use of plastic. We must support the courage and determination to change the course of development for the better.

This will be implemented in practice via initiatives throughout the City of Aarhus designed to minimise unnecessary use of plastic and ensure better recycling of plastic. Many players will be involved in the strategy, both locally – through volunteers, businesses, educational institutions and the local authority itself – and nationally, in the form of interest groups, knowledge institutions and companies.

The strategy is a dynamic tool that will need to be regularly adjusted in the period 2020-2025 in order to keep pace with a focus on sustainability that is undergoing rapid development – in terms of both technology and attitudes.

Introduction

Introduction

3

4

Strategy

With this Plastics Strategy, the City of Aarhus will work towards smart, sustainable use of plastic by citizens, companies and the local authority itself by minimising unnecessary use of plastic and supporting better recycling of plastic. The future stringent requirements that will be set by legislation at both EU and national level will underpin this goal.

It can be seen from the analysis (see Appendix 2) that there is still great potential in collecting and recycling more plastic. Most types of plastic can be recycled several times, thus reducing the need for new plastic. In this connection, it is important to focus on the kind of plastic recycling that maintains or enhances the value of plastic as a raw material.

The City of Aarhus is already making good headway with the collection of plastic household waste. We must now focus on the collection and recycling of plastic from other places such as our own buildings and institutions and on preventing plastic waste from polluting the rural and urban environment, for example, through teaching and through community engagement. We must also work proactively

to support a move towards smarter plastic consumption in large and small businesses – with associated opportunities for green growth.

The Plastics Strategy must contribute to the implementation of the Danish National Plastics Action Plan, the aim of which is that more plastic should be recycled, less should go to waste and less end up in the environment. So the initiatives in the Plastics Strategy of the City of Aarhus will underpin relevant initiatives in the National Plastics Action Plan, as well as being concrete initiatives that will hopefully inspire other local authorities and businesses.

The City of Aarhus will support smart, sustainable use of plastic by taking the lead and setting a good example. This applies to the purchase and use of plastic as well as to sorting and recycling. Consequently, the Plastics Strategy requires us to enter into partnerships with community groups, the business community, knowledge institutions and interest groups. The strategy emphasises the fact that the initiatives will generally be carried out across a variety of target groups and players.

Effects of implementing a plastics strategy for the City of Aarhus

Direct effects

• Minimising unnecessary use of plastic• Better recycling of plastic

Indirect effects

• Community engagement• Learning/knowledge of plastics• Commercial potential

Strategy PROPOSAL

5

Strategy

The focus of the strategyThe initiatives in the strategy focus on the following:

• Purchasing and supply in the City of Aarhus

• Single-use plastics

• Community engagement and learning

• Collaboration and potential in companies

The individual focus areas are briefly described below.

Purchasing and supply in the City of Aarhus

The local authority’s own use and handling of plastics is one of the areas addressed by the Plastics Strategy. This will be implemented through increased focus on our purchasing of plastics and the roll-out of waste sorting in our own buildings and institutions.

Single-use plastics

Single-use plastic packaging is one of the types of plastic that most often ends up in the environment and therefore requires special focus. Some of the single-use plastic will disappear as a matter of course as a result of legislation in this area. Other types of packaging will continue to exist and these are among the objects of this focus – for example in connection with events in Aarhus.

An important area of this focus is how we set the parameters for less use of single-use plastic and more waste sorting and recycling in connection with these events. In addition, in collaboration with Aarhus Water,

we will develop mobile water fountains for use at events. A concrete initiative concerning alternatives to disposable plastic coffee cups will also be presented.

Community engagement and learning

An important focus area of the strategy will be community engagement and learning. We will therefore also focus on preventing and reducing plastic waste through voluntary initiatives, collaboration with citizens and Clean City. There will be a separate initiative targeting children and young people, which will concern teaching about plastic and how it can be used smartly and sustainably without ending up as plastic waste in the rural or urban environment.

An opportunity for different and innovative input from university students will also be created through participation in Aarhus University’s case competition in autumn 2019 with the Plastics Strategy as a real case.

Collaboration and potential in companies

Collaboration and potential in companies will be realised via the Plastics Strategy, with projects in which knowledge institutions, companies and the City of Aarhus will work together on waste prevention and plastic as a driver for growth.

Among other things, focus will centre on the Port of Aarhus, sustainable plastic in the construction industry and specific pilot projects in collaboration with players such as Aarhus School of Architecture, Per Aarsleff A/S, A. Enggaard A/S, the Danish Technological Institute, Aage Vestergaard Larsen, Sekretariatet for Klima og Grøn Omstilling (Go Green with Aarhus), AVA-Green, Properties in the City of Aarhus and others.

6

Strategy

Specific initiatives in the strategyThe specific initiatives are:

• Smart procurement and more recycling• Water without plastic• Events• Reusable coffee cups• Clean City and community engagement• Knowledge about plastics among children and

young people• AU Challenge• Focus on Port of Aarhus• Green growth and plastics• Plastic in the construction industry• From plastic waste to construction components

The individual initiatives are described in more detail in the catalogue of initiatives. Here it is also possible to go into effects, duration, finances, target group and players in greater detail.

At the very back is an overview of the players involved in the initiatives and an overall financial breakdown. Appendix 1 is a readers’ guide to the catalogue of initiatives.

Microplastics

Specific initiatives targeting microplastics have already been rolled out in the City of Aarhus. Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic below 5mm in size and usually not visible to the naked eye. A large amount of microplastics result from the fragmentation of larger pieces of plastic waste, car tyres, detergents, personal care products, paints, rubber coatings, etc. There are concerns about the effects of microplastics on the environment and human health.The focus in Denmark is currently on developing and standardising methods of measuring microplastics, carrying out research into health risks and mapping the sources of microplastics. Aarhus Water is continuously monitoring this development. There are indications that the majority of microplastics are currently trapped in the sewage sludge and are therefore not found in the immediate outflow from treatment plants.In connection with the laying of artificial turf pitches, there is a requirement in the City of Aarhus to establish measures that will help to reduce the spread of microplastics, cf. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency Guidelines on Artificial Turf Pitches (2018). Another aspect of microplastics is road runoff, and Aarhus Water is also monitoring developments in this area.

CityShark

There are plastic initiatives already in place in various parts of Aarhus. One example is CityShark – a drone for combating oil and plastic in the Port of Aarhus. The drone will be put into use in the course of summer 2019 and is an ITK City Lab project in collaboration with MTM.

7

Strategy

Catalogue of initiatives

8

Focus on the buying and sorting of plastics will ensure plastic-conscious purchasing and environmentally-friendly recycling in institutions and buildings in the City of Aarhus.

Smart procurement and more recycling

Every year, the City of Aarhus spends a great deal of money on purchasing. This includes products made of or containing plastic. The City of Aarhus wishes to encourage the trend towards smart, sustainable use of plastics through responsible purchasing of plastics and more waste sorting.

Waste sorting in local authority institutions and buildings will be phased in during the period 2019-2022 and, at the same time, purchasing and waste sorting will be linked to enable the sharing of knowledge concerning plastic products, including with respect to what products may be difficult to recycle after final use.

Among other things, the City of Aarhus will collaborate with Aarhus University Hospital, where they have been working on reducing material flows, with particular focus on plastics. We will also seek inspiration from Partnerskab

for Offentlige Grønne Indkøb (POGI) (Partnership on Green Public Procurement) and the Danish Plastic Recycling Network (the Danish Plastics Federation).

The first stage of this initiative will be an analysis of the plastic waste generated by institutions and buildings in the City of Aarhus. This may also involve supplier screening and an analysis of the effects of changing over to greener purchasing practice. In addition, we will draw up general rules of thumb for purchasing plastics and other products.

It is anticipated that a basis for decisions on the extent and consequences (e.g. financial) of a change in purchasing practice will be drawn up on the basis of this analysis. However, the roll-out of a change in purchasing practice is not one of the initiatives in the first stage but will be decided later.

0 - 1 year 3 - 5 years

Minimising unnecessary use of plastic

Better recycling of plastic

Community engagement

Learning/knowledge of plastics

Commercial potential

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Citizens

Companies

9

PROPOSAL

City of Aarhus

City of Aarhus, The Mayor’s Department

City of Aarhus, Department of Technical Services and Environment

Aarhus University Hospital (AUH)

Partnership on Green Public Procurement (POGI)

Danish Plastic Recycling Network

1 - 3 years

Effects

Duration

Target groups Players

* The funding required for this initiative includes approx. DKK 300,000 for a waste analysis under the tariff-financed area. The remaining funding relates to the manhour consumption of internal players in the City of Aarhus.

450 - - - - 450

150 - - - - 150

Financing*

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total

Tariff-financed (DKK ‘000)

Tax-financed (DKK ‘000)


10

Varighed

The CO2 emissions resulting from the production of one litre of tap water are about 750 times lower than for one litre of spring water in a plastic bottle. In Denmark, our tap water is often purer than spring water in plastic bottles, so tap water is the green and sustainable choice.

In the City of Aarhus our goal will be to provide good Aarhus tap water – without plastic or other packaging – wherever this is possible in terms of practicality, logistics and need.

A pilot scheme has been set up in the City Hall, using 10-litre containers for dispensing tap water, with glasses provided.

The Plastics Strategy supports this pilot scheme and recommends that in 2020

• the pilot scheme at the City Hall should be evaluated,

• a brief memorandum should be drawn up, suggesting ideas on how tap water can be made available (without plastic or other packaging) in other areas for which the City of Aarhus is responsible – in canteens and kitchens, and at meetings and events. The memorandum should also include information on practicalities, environment and financing relating to a potential tender for recyclable water bottles for employees and users and also recommend a specific product.

The City of Aarhus takes the lead by saying no to plastic we do not need.

Water without plastic

1 - 3 years 3 - 5 years

Players






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PROPOSAL

City of Aarhus

Citizens

Target groups

0 - 1 year

Effects

* Initiative funded within the existing appropriation in the Department of Technical Services and Environment.

Duration

0 - - - - 0

0 - - - - 0

Financing*



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total

Aarhus City Council, Department of Technical Services and Environment


12

Every year, Aarhus hosts a large number of events, all of which leave rubbish in the city’s litter bins, market places and squares. At present, the rubbish collected usually goes to energy production rather than recycling.

Sustainability is increasingly important if the city is to attract major national and international events, and there is a demand from organisers for solutions that can make events greener.

We wish to support this, so we will make it easier for event organisers to address the problem of the rubbish they produce, minimise the quantities and facilitate more waste sorting.

Ways in which this can be done include:

• charting the organisers’ ‘journey’ through the licensing system ‘Use Aarhus’ and ‘Organiser in Aarhus’ and adjusting the system to make it easier to think in terms of rubbish. (DKK 150,000)

• developing and adapting the digital application platform ‘Brugaarhus.dk’ to give citizens and companies a simple system for planning and implementing waste handling/sorting. (DKK 150,000)

• offering event organisers an opportunity for waste guidance and brainstorming sessions early in the planning phase. (DKK 450,000)

• charting the opportunities for offering the loan of sorting solutions, including charting existing sorting solutions, primarily for smaller events, and the possible development, purchase and operation of sorting bins for a trial period in 2020-2021. (DKK 250,000)

• drawing up tenders for access to five mobile drinking water fountains and drawing attention to the permanent drinking water fountains in the local authority area in collaboration with Aarhus Water. (DKK 250,000)

• testing out specific measures at a major international event in Aarhus. (DKK 250,000)

The City of Aarhus will focus on preventing plastic waste at events.

Events

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PROPOSAL

Companies City of Aarhus

Citizens

3 - 5 years

Effects


* A financial breakdown is provided in the description on page 12. All the subsidiary initiatives are planned for start-up in 2020.

0 0 0 0 0 0

700 250 350 100 100 1.500

Financing*



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total


Aarhus Vand A/S

City of Aarhus, Department of Culture and Citizens’ Services


14

The people of Aarhus use a great many disposable cups when they grab a quick coffee at their local cafés and petrol stations. Single-use cups are usually made of plastic, rarely re-used, and take up a lot of space in public litter bins.

For this reason, a number of players in Aarhus have joined forces to develop “the Aarhus cup” – a reusable cup made of sustainable materials that will encourage the people of Aarhus to use far fewer disposable cups.

The idea is that, instead of just buying coffee, the customer will also buy the reusable coffee cup. The next time the customer wants a coffee he/she will hand over the Aarhus cup to have it refilled. Using the Aarhus cup will trigger a discount on the coffee and, if required, the offer of a clean cup.

The companies behind the project are Europa Aarhus (Cafe Europa), Ken Storkøkken A/S and A. Enggaard A/S, who together have created the non-profit association “Aarhuskoppen”. These players were all involved in the establishment of the new City of Aarhus office building ”Blixens”.

In 2019, the association is working on finding a sustainable cup. The project is expected to start during 2020 and the aim is for as many as possible of the cafés in Aarhus to adopt the Aarhus cup. AffaldVarme Aarhus is advising the association on the choice of cup with regard to both production and waste.

The idea of sustainable reusable cups is to get the people of Aarhus to reject single-use cups when buying coffee.

Reusable coffee cups

Duration







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PROPOSAL

City of AarhusCompanies

Citizens

3 - 5 years

Effects


* Finansieres indenfor eksisterende ramme i Teknik og Miljø.

0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

Financing*



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total

Foreningen Aarhuskoppen represented by:

• Europa Aarhus (Cafe Europa)• Ken Storkøkken A/S • A. Enggaard A/S.



16

Plastic makes up a large part of the discarded waste that currently ends up in the urban environment and the green areas in Aarhus. Through Clean City Aarhus, the City of Aarhus is collaborating with associations, companies and private individuals in order to stamp out litter and have a cleaner city.

The Alliance for the Cleanest City in Scandinavia was established in collaboration with the Aarhus City Associa-tion. The purpose of the Alliance is for the City of Aarhus, together with the business community and local citizens, to come up with completely new solutions to the problem of waste and create lasting changes in behaviour and attitudes. We must think in a radically different way, put an end to the traditional distribution of roles and set new standards for collaboration between the City of Aarhus, the business community and local citizens.

Specific activities, including those relating to plastic, will be planned within the framework of the Alliance.

The first goal of the journey will be the ‘Explore the World with Aarhus’ event opening on 31 May 2019. Specific solutions will be presented at the Aarhus festival of culture and shopping, which has the UN Sustainable Develop-ment Goals as its theme for 2019. These ambitious goals for a more sustainable world are the springboard for our presentation of and commitment to our proposed soluti-ons. The solutions that we have jointly identified will have one thing in common – our intention that cooperation will make Aarhus the cleanest city in Scandinavia.

The Alliance for the Cleanest City in Scandinavia.

Clean City and community engagement

Duration







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PROPOSAL


Citizens

Effects*

* Direct effects await specific activities being planned under the framework of the Alliance. ** This initiative is being financed under a separate proposal for Clean City.


- - - - - -

** ** ** ** ** **

Financing**



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total


Citizens, traders and organisations, including:

• The Alliance for the Cleanest City in Scandinavia • Waste Hunt• The Danish Society for Nature Conservation

3 - 5 years


18

Children and young people are the consumers of the future, but they are also the present-day agents of change. Teaching them about plastic as a material, its use and re-use, will give them an understanding of the significance of plastic for the environment and guide their action patterns, and they will take new knowledge and a desire for change with them into their families. Children and young people are therefore key players in the long-term change in our consumption of plastic.

The initiative builds on existing collaboration between the AffaldVarme Aarhus (AVA) Visit Service, the Green Guides for Children and Young People and Nature Co-operation, as well as the project ‘Fremtidens grønne borgere’ (Green Citizens of the Future). In addition, we are introducing a new collaboration with Aarhus University on the project ‘Hovedet i havet’ (The Head in the Sea).

This initiative will create a link between the teaching in schools on sustainability, climate change and the environment and the practical actions in the form of waste sorting both at school and at home, and it includes:

• The production of materials for use in primary schools and day care centres for teaching about waste sorting, including plastics; for example, producing a small picture book and training litter agents.

• The existing teaching initiative in AVA’s Visit Service and Nature Co-operation will be adapted to focus more on plastic and made more visible to schools.

• Development of training courses. AVA’s Visit Service is developing a new training course for pupils in their last three years of compulsory education, in which they will use innovative working processes to help them find solutions to the problems caused by plastic in the community.

• Collaboration with Aarhus University on the project ‘Hovedet i havet’, in which AU is creating a broader initiative for pupils in their last three years of compulsory education in the City of Aarhus on the subject of plastic pollution in the sea.

The City of Aarhus wishes to ensure a long-term change in our understanding and use of plastics through an initiative aimed at children and young people.

Knowledge about plastics among children and young people

Duration








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19

PROPOSAL

City of Aarhus

Citizens

3 - 5 years

Effects

* The funding for this initiative includes approx. DKK 50-100,000 from the tax-financed area for teaching primary school pupils through ”Hovedet i havet”. The remaining funding relates to internal manhour consumption for teaching courses evenly distributed between the tariff-financed and the tax-financed areas during the period in question.

400 400 400 400 400 2.000

400 400 400 400 400 2.000

Financing*



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total

City of Aarhus, Department of Children and Young People


Aarhus University via ’Hovedet i havet’


20

If we seriously intend to overcome the plastics problems we have to find new and different ways of tackling the challenge. Involving university students creates an opportunity for different, innovative input into the Plastics Strategy.

One of the themes of the AU Challenge – a case competition at Aarhus University in November 2019 – will be Aarhus’ new Plastics Strategy.

The students will be introduced to the challenges facing the City of Aarhus and asked either to suggest new ideas for initiatives or to come up with creative proposals for one of the initiatives already described. For example, this could be initiatives relating to community engagement, Clean City or packaging. At the same time, the focus will

be on young people as future agents of change, and they will have the opportunity to put forward suggestions aimed at young people as a target group.

Participation will also draw young people’s attention to the Plastics Strategy and the City of Aarhus – as a sustainable and attractive workplace, local authority and city. It is anticipated that there will be media coverage of the AU Challenge and consequently media focus on the Plastics Strategy.

Representatives of the City of Aarhus will be among the judges for the Plastics Strategy case. If it is relevant, the team responsible for the winning idea will be able to continue the work at AffaldVarme Aarhus as a student job.

University students provide creative input for the Plastics Strategy.

AU Challenge

Duration







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PROPOSAL

Citizens


1 - 3 years

Effects


* The funding for this initiative in the period 2020-2021 comprises further development of the winning idea via a student job with AffaldVarme Aarhus.

100 50 - - - 150

0 0 - - - 0

Financing*



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total

Aarhus University



22

If we seriously intend to achieve the full potential of using plastic in a smarter, more sustainable way, broad collaborations and innovative companies will be required.

Together with a number of other players, the Port of Aarhus, the City of Aarhus and Aarhus Water have launched a collaborative partnership that will support the port companies in developing solutions in the fields of circular economy and improved energy efficiency.

The aim is to make the use of energy and resources more efficient by establishing industrial symbioses and new partnerships between companies. These could, for example, be projects for reducing microplastics to a minimum, assessing the effect of converting plastics into energy or oil, or something quite different.

Projects that cannot be realised at present because of legislation or framework conditions will be of interest,

as the project will help the Port of Aarhus to become a regulatory free zone.

All participating companies will be offered a free course, in which the potential for symbioses of energy and resources – including plastic – will be identified. Where possible, the basis for a decision on implementation will also be drawn up.

In parallel with this there are plans for identifying a number of industries and value chains that are relevant to the area and using company data and courses to develop green initiatives relating to plastics and energy. The results of the project will be widely disseminated, including being made available to students, for example those on Aarhus University’s entrepreneurship course.

There will be focus on 15 potential projects, but it has not been determined how many of these will focus on plastic.

New innovation platform for circular economy and partnerships at the Port of Aarhus supports sustainable use of plastic.

Focus on Port of Aarhus

Duration







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City of Aarhus

Citizens

23

PROPOSAL

Companies

1 - 3 years

Effects

* This initiative will be funded exclusively in the form of manhour consumption at AffaldVarme Aarhus. The project has also received funding from the Danish Business Authority (DKK 700,000) and is part-funded via Sekretariatet for Klima og Grøn Omstilling through Climate Plan 2016-2020.


0 0 0 - - 0

150 100 50 - - 300

Financing*



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total


Businesses in the Port of Aarhus


24

Company courses for SMEs, focusing on creating sustai-nable solutions – including on the use of plastics.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may need help to develop their operations in a greener direction. At the same time it is essential that SMEs also convert to a smarter, more sustainable use of such things as plastics.

The City of Aarhus is therefore engaged in a project offe-ring SMEs courses on which they will be able to develop green business plans. The companies will be screened for their potential for sustainable development, with focus on energy and resource flows.

Plastic, in particular plastic packaging, will be included in the screening – partly to see if it would make sense to change design, and partly to establish whether the use of plastic can be reduced to a minimum or more can be recycled.

Themed networks and further training will also be set up, where companies can meet to share knowledge and find inspiration, for instance in the area of plastics, via portals such as Cirkla (Academy of Plastic Recycling).

Some 30 companies in Aarhus are expected to complete the course, which will be facilitated by the City of Aarhus.

Company courses for SMEs, focusing on creating sustainable solutions – including on the use of plastics.

Green growth and plastics

Duration







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25

PROPOSAL

Citizens


1 - 3 years

Effects

* Funding relates to manhour consumption at AffaldVarme Aarhus and courses with Cirkla for relevant companies. The project is part-funded via Regional Fund allocations (DKK 700,000) and via Sekretariatet for Klima og Grøn Omstilling through Climate Plan 2016-2020. The role of operator in relation to Regional Fund allocations is shared by Ringkøbing-Skjern, Skive and the City of Aarhus.

0 0 0 - - 0

250 200 150 - - 600

Financing*



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total


Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the City of Aarhus

Cirkla (Academy of Plastic Recycling)



26

It is estimated that Danish businesses produce 245,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year. A considerable part of this is produced by the construction industry. With an estimated recycling rate of 35% in business, there is still great potential for recycling plastic from the construction industry and others.

Consequently, in collaboration with a number of players from the private sector, knowledge institutions and the local authority itself, the City of Aarhus intends to map the quantities and types of plastic used in connection with

specific construction projects. On the basis of the findings, we will analyse how the use of plastics can be phased out or reduced to a minimum and optimise the handling of plastic waste so that it can be recycled.

The economic aspect of reducing the use of plastic to a minimum and optimising waste management will be an important focus area. The potential will be mapped and publicised, as it can be a real driver for growth for individual companies and inspire other companies to focus more on plastic.

Mapping the use of plastics in local construction projects will lead to smarter use and less plastic waste.

Plastic in the construction industry

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PROPOSAL

Citizens

Companies City of Aarhus

1 - 3 years

Effects

* The initiative will be funded exclusively in the form of the manhour consumption of players internally in the City of Aarhus.

0 0 0 - - 0

250 150 100 - - 500

Financing*



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total


Per Aarsleff A/S

A. Enggaard A/S

Danish Technological Institute



28

The City of Aarhus has previously collaborated succes-sfully with both companies and knowledge institutions on projects intended to support the green transformation. Experience has shown that collaborations of this kind create development while also creating growth through the knowledge and expertise shared across the collabora-ting parties.

These collaborative projects also inspire other companies to work together with different industries, areas of experti-se and types of company – in both the private and public sectors.

This makes them an important tool for creating green growth and laying the foundations for a more circular economy.

‘From plastic waste to construction components’ is an out-

line for a collaborative project between the Aarhus School of Architecture, Aage Vestergaard Larsen A/S (AVL), CLEAN and AVA-Green/City of Aarhus recycling centres.

The purpose of the project is to test out the possibilities of using plastic waste for components in the construction industry as a substitute for virgin plastic or other materi-als. New digital manufacturing techniques for construction components are also expected to be tried out as part of the project.

Recycled plastic will be supplied by AVA-Green/City of Aarhus recycling centres, processed for trial at AVL and tested for construction components via digital manufacture and design at the Aarhus School of Architecture.

CLEAN will be involved as facilitator and fundraiser for the project. Fundraising will start during 2019.

Cross-company collaborations and innovation as a driving force for increased plastic recycling and growth.

From plastic waste to construction components

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PROPOSAL

Citizens


1 - 3 years

Effects


* The initiative will be funded exclusively in the form of the manhour consumption of players internally in the City of Aarhus.

0 0 0 - - 0

50 50 50 - - 150

Financing*



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total

Aarhus School of Architecture

Aage Vestergaard Larsen A/S

CLEAN


List of players

30

List of players• A. Enggaard A/S• Aage Vestergaard Larsen A/S• City of Aarhus• Aarhus University• Aarhus University Hospital• Aarhus Vand A/S• The Alliance for the Cleanest City in Scandinavia• Aarhus School of Architecture• Cirkla• CLEAN• The Danish Society for Nature Conservation• Europa Aarhus (Cafe Europa)• Ken Storkøkken• Danish Plastic Recycling Network• Partnership on Green Public Procurement• Per Aarsleff A/S• The Danish Plastics Federation• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Aarhus• The Danish Technological Institute• Businesses in the Port of Aarhus• Waste Hunt

PROPOSAL

Financial breakdown

31

Financial breakdown

Tariff- financed

(DKK ‘000)

Initiative/Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total financing

Smart procurement and more recycling 450 - - - - 450

Water without plastic 0 - - - - 04

Events 0 0 0 0 0 0

Reusable coffee cups 0 0 0 0 0 04

Clean City and community engagement - - - - - 01

Knowledge about plastics among children and young people 400 400 400 400 400 2.000

AU Challenge 100 50 - - - 150

Focus on Port of Aarhus 0 0 0 - - 02

Green growth and plastics 0 0 0 - - 03

Plastic in the construction industry 0 0 0 - - 0

From plastic waste to construction components 0 0 0 - - 0

Total financing 950 450 400 400 400 2.600

Tax- financed

(DKK ‘000)

Initiative/Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total financing

Smart procurement and more recycling 150 - - - - 150

Water without plastic 0 - - - - 04

Events 700 250 350 100 100 1.500

Reusable coffee cups 0 0 0 0 0 04

Clean City and community engagement - - - - - 01

Knowledge about plastics among children and young people 400 400 400 400 400 2.000

AU Challenge 0 0 - - - 0

Focus on Port of Aarhus 150 100 50 - - 3002

Green growth and plastics 250 200 100 - - 6003

Plastic in the construction industry 250 150 100 - - 500

From plastic waste to construction components 50 50 50 - - 150

Total financing 1.950 1.150 1.100 500 500 5.200

Total financing (Tariff- and tax-financed)

for Plastics Strategy

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total financing

2.900 1.600 1.500 900 900 7.800

1) This initiative is being financed under the auspices of Clean City2) The project is subsidised by the Danish Business Authority and part-funded through Sekretariatet for Klima og Grøn Omstilling3) The project is part-funded through Regional Fund allocations and Sekretariatet for Klima og Grøn Omstilling4) Funded within the existing appropriation in the Department of Technical Services and Environment

31

PROPOSAL

Reader guidance to the catalogue of initiatives

The initiatives are structured in the form of cases describing what the initiative concerns, why it has been chosen and how it is to be implemented. The description is supplemented by five key indicators illustrated with graphics. These concern: the effect of the initiative, its duration, financing, target groups and players.

DurationThis indicator shows the expected duration of each initiative. There are three periods of duration:

• 0-1 year• 1-3 years• 3-5 years

The relevant option for each initiative will be clearly highlighted, while the other options will be greyed out.

Financing reflects only how each initiative is expected to affect the local authority’s finances with regard to an assessment of anticipated expenditure. The expenses incurred by the other players in the individual initiatives have thus not been taken into account. The expenditure can be financed in two ways and is given in Danish kroner (DKK ‘000):

• Tariff-financed: expenditure will be financed from tariff payments to AffaldVarme Aarhus• Tax-financed: expenditure will be financed via the local authority’s tax revenue, funds allocated according to the

Extended Total Balance Principle (DUT) or any sums raised via applications to foundations etc.

The expenditure will be spread over the period 2020-2025, during the years in which the initiative in question is expected to be implemented. At the very back of the Plastics Strategy is a summary of the total financing for all initiatives, broken down by tariff-financed and tax-financed initiatives.

A number of initiatives are expected to contribute income in the form of lower expenditure on waste handling and greater opportunities for selling waste for recycling. For companies, there is a possibility of profits through increased focus on sustainability as a catalyst for innovation, branding and new business opportunities – and consequent green growth. As it is not immediately possible to estimate income, income is not included in the Plastics Strategy.


EffectsThis indicator shows the expected direct and indirect effects of each initiative. The effect will be measured in relation to the status quo in the area in question. The indicator bar will be filled with dark blue according to the expected effect in each category. Effects are divided into five categories: two direct effects and three indirect effects. These are:

Direct• Minimising unnecessary use of plastic • Better recycling of plastic

Indirect• Community engagement• Learning/knowledge of plastics• Commercial potential

There are three levels of effect for each category: small, medium and large.It is not currently possible to make a quantitative assessment of effects due to the lack of base data for plastic. Assessment of the effect of each initiative will therefore be qualitative. When the individual initiatives are implemented, it will be possible to determine more precisely an actual quantitative effect for them.

Financing

There will be three main target groups.

• Citizens• Companies• City of Aarhus (as a business)

The target groups that are relevant to each initiative will be clearly highlighted, while the others will be greyed out.

This indicator covers which players are involved in each initiative.

The main player(s) will appear(s) at the top.

32

Appendix 1






Dire

ct In

dire

ct

33

Companies

PlayersTarget groups

Effects

Citizens

City of Aarhus

3 - 5 years0 - 1 year 1 - 3 years

Duration

* Other comments

33

450 - - - - 450

150 50 - - - 200

Financing*



2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Total

Main player

Subsidiary players

PROPOSAL

34

Appendix 2

There is still great potential in being able to collect and recycle more plastic from both private individuals and companies.

Denmark is the country in Europe that produces the most waste per inhabitant – on average 781 kg per year2. Plastic makes up about 340,000 tonnes of the total annual amount of waste, which is about 11.5 million tonnes in Denmark.

It is therefore not the biggest proportion of waste in terms of quantity (approx. 3%)3, but on the other hand, plastic plays a big part in the negative impact on the climate and the environment. In addition to the plastic that ends up in our waste system, a large amount of the world’s plastic is not collected and ends up in the environment instead. As a result, plastic pollution is a problem that puts a strain on ecosystems and nature, both locally and globally.

There is great potential in increased re-use of plastics in the EU, in Denmark and in Aarhus. Up to 95% of plastic can be recycled – depending on the type and quality of the plastic.

The new EU packaging directive will come into force in 2021, introducing extended packaging and packaging waste responsibilities for producers. Also in 2021, selec-ted single-use plastic products will be banned and pro-ducer responsibilities will be introduced on other types of single-use plastic products. Tightened requirements will be introduced in several areas in subsequent years.

The initiatives that will be supported in any event once the new regulations come into force from 2021 have consequently been deselected in this Plastics Strategy for the City of Aarhus for the period 2020-2025. Instead, the strategy focuses on initiatives targeting the plastic fractions that can be either omitted or meaningfully reduced and initiatives aimed at increasing collection and recycling of plastic.

The initiatives will take the form of collaborative, demonstration and pilot projects across the local authority, its businesses and citizens. Another key focus area is initiatives that can support community engagement, learning and green growth opportunities for businesses in the City of Aarhus.

Every year, AffaldVarme Aarhus collects about 1,100 tonnes of plastic for recycling from citizens in the local authority.

I. At EU level, 24-63% of plastic waste is being recycled, depending on country.II. ”The New Plastics Economy”, report from McKinsey & Innovation Fund Denmark. The report estimates the total volume of plastic waste at

350,000 tonnes. According to DAKOFA, households account for 30% of all plastic waste, and businesses for 70%. Denmark recovers energy from approx. 60% of plastic waste.12

III. Estimated recycling rate according to DAKOFA. IV. The volume of plastic waste in Aarhus has been estimated on the basis of the total volume of plastic waste in Denmark. It is assumed that the

volume of plastic waste per capita in Aarhus is the same as for Danmark.V. In 2018, Aarhus collected 1,100 tonnes of plastic from households. The scheme for collection of waste such as plastic from households was being

rolled out in 2018. The recycling rate for sorted fractions in the City of Aarhus ranges from 65-95%, depending on plastic type, and has been calculated at the second stage of the process, i.e. when any volumes of incorrectly sorted waste have been separated at the receiving station.

VI. The recycling rate for the City of Aarhus is expected to be the same as for Denmark.

2018 Estimated volume of plastic waste (tonnes/year) Estimated recycling rateEU Households and Businesses 25,000,0004 40%I

DenmarkHouseholds 105,000II 31%III

Businesses 245,000II 35%III

AarhusHouseholdsV 6,200IV 31%VI

Businesses 14,400IV 35%VI

AnalysisPROPOSAL

35

We must make smarter use of plastics – both as waste and as a resource. In recent years, this topic has been featuring prominently on the agenda – internationally, in European countries and for the Danish authorities.

A large number of new European and national measures have been implemented in order to strengthen a more circular and sustainable approach to the use of plastics, reduce plastic consumption and ensure that the plastic waste produced is dealt with properly. At international level, the UN Global Goals have been the catalyst for how together we can support more sustainable development.

On the following pages we will examine the most impor-tant strategies and legislative changes that are expected to set the agenda for the coming years.

The UN Global Goals and plasticsIn 2015, the UN adopted the Global Goals with the backing of all 193 member states. In total, there are 17 Global Goals and 169 sub-goals related to solving many of the world’s greatest challenges by 2030. This is the most important plan of our generation as, if we are willing, together we can influence global development to make it more sustainable and thus reduce some of the most serio-us global challenges. Because we are all bound together, this will require initiatives at both local and global level.

Smarter, more sustainable use of plastics has a part to play in several of the UN Global Goals. This concerns such considerations as:

The UN Global Goals also support growth through sustai-nable development and collaboration for those who join in taking up the challenge. This can be seen specifically in:

In addition, if we work proactively with them, the Global Goals can create opportunities for economic growth, a greener profile and gaining a branding advantage from taking responsibility for the planet we share.

EU strategies and directivesPlastics now feature as a prominent agenda item for the EU with two packages on circular economy, the most recent of which also resulted in a definite plastics strategy.

EU circular economy strategy

In 2015, the EU published a Circular Economy Package,5 which led to a number of changes to European waste legislation in 2018.

In 2018, there was a package containing a number of initiatives, in which the first European strategy for plastic was also introduced6. The 2018 package contains a number of other initiatives, including better interaction between various areas of legislation, reduction of single-use plastic, requirements and guidelines for waste sorting and a revision of the packaging directive.

EU Plastics Strategy

The EU Plastics Strategy from 2018 focuses on four areas, in particular:

1. Improving the economics and quality of plastic recycling,

2. Curbing plastic waste and littering,3. Driving investment and innovation towards circular

solutions,4. Harnessing global action.

Parts of the strategy have recently been embodied in a draft directive on single-use plastics and a requirement on extended producer responsibility in a new revision of the packaging directive.

Strategies and legislation require local authority action

Appendix 2

Denmark does not have producer responsibility for packaging and packaging waste. Implementation is therefore expected to have great importance for the future handling of waste. The implementation of the directive has not been finally clarified.

36

In 2021, a directive will come into force that bans selected plastic products and extends producer responsibility for other products.

Ban on selected single-use plastic products and extended producer responsibility

The directive7 bans selected types of single-use plastic products where alternatives are readily available and affordable. One of the consequences is a ban on the sale of single-use cutlery, plates and straws, as well as cups and food containers made of expanded polystyrene, already from 2021. It also means that extended producer responsibility must be established from 2025 for products such as cigarette filters and single-use cups, cutlery and plates – in some cases also litter. The directive also stipulates that national initiatives must lead to a significant reduction in the consumption of selected forms of food containers, including for takeaways.

The revised packaging directive

The new requirements and targets in the directive8 concern prevention, collection, reuse and recycling of packaging waste. They include direct requirements concerning continued efforts to reduce both the weight and volume of packaging and to design packaging in such a way that it is easier to reuse or recycle. The directive requires 50% of all plastic packaging to be recycled in 2025 and 55% in 2030. As already mentioned, the directive also introduces extended producer responsibility for packaging and packaging waste. Accordingly, from 2025, producers of selected packaging products will be responsible for the correct collection and treatment of the packaging.

National strategiesCircular economy and plastics are also focus areas for the Danish government. In September 2018, Denmark thus launched a circular economy strategy9, which was followed by Denmark’s first plastics action plan10 in December 2018. The plan was adopted as a cooperation agreement in January 2019.

Denmark’s first plastics action plan

The overall vision in the plastics action plan from 2018, ’Plastic without waste’, is to create a more circular consumption of plastic. Plastic products should not contain harmful chemicals and should be designed so that they can be reused and recycled. The action plan thus stresses the fact that plastic is a highly practical and, in many cases, indispensable material, but that it must be used more sustainably.

Among the 27 initiatives that make up the plan, one of the key elements is the establishment of a national plastics centre. Other initiatives include the launch of a national information campaign aimed at reducing waste in nature, a ban on thin plastic bags with a handle, and plans to standardise the collection and sorting of plastic waste by Danish local authorities.

In January 2019, the plan was followed up by a cooperation agreement signed by all the parties in the Danish Parliament. The agreement adds 11 new initiatives. These initiatives include the introduction of cross-sector cooperation within the restaurant industry, focusing on reducing the use of single-use plastic packaging, and setting up a platform for dialogue with the players in the plastics industry11.

Denmark’s Strategy for Circular Economy

In 2018, the Danish Government launched its Strategy for Circular Economy – a strategy developed jointly by the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs and the Ministry of Environment and Food, focusing on:

1. Enterprises as a driving force2. Data and digitalisation3. Design4. New consumption patterns5. Waste and recycled raw materials6. Buildings and biomass.

This is embodied in 15 initiatives, including:

• Promoting circular procurement• Increasing focus on total cost of ownership in public

procurement• Promoting more harmonised collection of household

waste.

So the focus is on buyers, in particular, selecting more circular solutions and businesses being urged to re-design products with a view to minimising waste.

The future Danish waste planDenmark’s coming waste plan is expected to be published for consultation in early 2020. It has been delayed pending the new European waste directives. However, the Government has made it clear that one of the key initiatives in the coming waste plan will be to standardise sorting and collection criteria for household waste.

The requirement concerning separate collection of paper, glass, plastic and metal remains unchanged, but the exceptions have been restricted to reduce the impact on the environment. The EU is currently negotiating the final interpretation of the provisions. The Danish waste plan will form the basis for the next waste plan of the City of Aarhus, for 2020-2025.

Many businesses already collect packaging waste and manufacturing waste and return it to the recycling streams.

Appendix 2

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37

Appendix 2

38

We are surrounded by plastic everywhere, because plastic has countless uses and can be produced with exactly the properties we need. Plastic is therefore a completely natural part of our everyday lives, and it is hard to manage without it or replace it with other materials.

On the following pages, we list the most important types of plastics and how we currently use and recycle them.

Where does the plastic come from?Oil-based plastics

Around 99% of all plastic production is based on crude oil from the subsoil. A variety of substances are added during the manufacturing process, depending on the properties the plastic material must have, such as hardness, elasticity, colour etc. There are many different types of plastic with different material properties. Most oil-based plastics can be recycled.

Bio-based plastics

Bio-based plastics are made from bio-based materials such as corn and sugar or agricultural or forestry residues such as straw and bark. It is important that products that could have been used as food are not used to produce bio-based plastics.

Plastics made from corn, sugar and similar are therefore referred to as 1st generation biological materials, and straw, bark and similar as 2nd generation biological materials. 2nd generation bio-based plastics are better for the environment as they are derived from residual products rather than products that could have been used as food. Bio-based plastics can be recycled with oil-based plastics – provided the types of plastic are the same.

Biodegradable plastics

Biodegradable plastics are made from either oil-based or bio-based materials, often a mixture of the two. Today, biodegradable plastics cannot degrade in nature or the oceans, only in industrial composting plants under specific conditions.

Biodegradable plastics are difficult to recycle. If they end up in the recycling stream, they may make the other plastics impossible to recycle. Denmark has only a single plant that can break down biodegradable plastics, recycling them into compost and biogas.

Recycled plastics

Recycled plastics may derive from both oil-based and bio-based plastics. They may have the same properties as new plastic – depending on the quality of the plastics that are recycled. The number of times different plastic types can be recycled varies depending on the type of plastic, as the building blocks of the plastic are subjected to “wear and tear” during the recycling process. Plastic can generally be recycled 5-15 times. It will often be necessary to add large or small quantities of virgin plastic during production.

OIL-BASED

BIO-BASEDBIO-DEGRADABLE

PLASTICS

ENERGY UTILIZATION BY INCINERATION

RECYCLED

Production and recycling of plastic

Appendix 2

39

Depending on plastic type and quality, up to 95% of the collected plastic can be recycled.

The cleaner the plastic, both in terms of impurities and type of plastic, the easier it is to recycle.

How do we recycle as much plastic as possible?Packaging accounts for roughly 60% of all plastic waste. Plastic collected from households consequently usually consists of packaging from food and other household products and is typically of high quality. The quality of plastic from the City of Aarhus’ own institutions is very similar to the plastic from households and can be managed in the same way. The challenge presented by recycling plastic from households is that it is often contaminated – both by residue from the original packaging contents and other types of plastic. This makes the plastic difficult to recycle as it needs to be treated before it can be used in new products.

Similarly, separating non-rigid plastic for recycling can be difficult, partly because of the many different types and potential contamination of the plastic. In order to make the plastic sellable, it needs to be relatively clean.

In the City of Aarhus, rigid plastic from households is collected from the individual household. Approx. 65%13 of this plastic is processed at sorting facilities in Denmark. The plastic is subsequently sold as a raw material, mainly in the European market. Both rigid and non-rigid plastic can be disposed of for recycling at the City of Aarhus’ recycling stations or bulky waste scheme. The remaining plastic is mixed in with the residual waste, and energy is recovered to produce heat and power.

Besides packaging, plastic from businesses may consist of manufacturing residues and similar. A large proportion of this plastic is already being re-used, but there are still areas in which more plastic could be separated for recycling. Businesses in the local authority, including our own institutions, must separate recyclable waste, including plastic.

The processing of the collected plastic is currently undergoing major development. Sorting facilities are becoming better and more flexible, and producers are becoming better at using recycled plastic in production.

Use

mor

e fro

m th

e bo

ttom

and

less

from

the

top

Bio-based recyclable plasticsPlastics based on 2nd generation biological material

that can be recycled with oil-based plastics.

Oil-based recyclable plasticsHigh-quality plastics such as PET, PE and PP.

Biodegradable plasticsRecyclable under specific conditions. Must not be mixed with other types of plastic

as they can contaminate the recycled plastic.

Non-recyclable plasticsE.g. composite materials and composite products that cannot be separated.

Plastic pyramid. If plastic has to be used, the plastic pyramid can be used as a guide to identify the most recyclable and least environmentally harmful plastics.

Appendix 2

40

Appendix 3

References1 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-%2F%2FEP%2F%2FTEXT%2BCRE%2B20180117%2BITE

M018%2BDOC%2BXML%2BV0%2F%2FEN&language=EN&query=INTERV&detail=3-377-000 (viewed 11 April 2019)

2 https://www.altinget.dk/miljoe/artikel/for-tiende-aar-i-traek-danskerne-er-europas-affaldskonger (viewed 10 April 2019)

3 https://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publikationer/2018/06/978-87-93710-39-9.pdf s.10 (viewed 10 April 2019)

4 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/pan-european-factsheet.pdf s. 1 (viewed 17 April 2019)

5 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:8a8ef5e8-99a0-11e5-b3b7-01aa75ed71a1.0001.02/DOC_1&format=PDF (set d. 10. april 2019)

6 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:2df5d1d2-fac7-11e7-b8f501aa75ed71a1.0021.02/DOC_1&format=PDF (viewed 10 April 2019)

7 https://mfvm.dk/nyheder/nyhed/nyhed/overfloedig-engangsplastik-bliver-forbudt-i-hele-eu/ (viewed 25 April 2019)

8 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DA/TXT/?qid=1530703198046&uri=CELEX:32018L0852 (viewed 10 April 2019)

9 https://mfvm.dk/miljoe/strategi-for-cirkulaer-oekonomi/ (viewed 10 April 2019)

10 https://mfvm.dk/miljoe/plastikhandlingsplan/ (viewed 10 April 2019)

11 https://mfvm.dk/nyheder/nyhed/nyhed/bred-enighed-om-samarbejde-paa-plastik-omraadet-1/ (viewed 10 April 2019)

12 https://www.plasticseurope.org/application/files/5715/1717/4180/ Plastics_the_facts_2017_FINAL_for_website_one_page.pdf (viewed 11 April 2019)

13 The figure comes from AffaldVarme Aarhus. See table on page 32.

14 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/pan-european-factsheet.pdf (viewed 25 April 2019)

41

Documents

Plastics Strategy City of Aarhus - Aarhus Universitet · 2019. 11. 13. · oceans by 2050 • every year, Europeans generate over 25 million ... collaboration with citizens and Clean