The recycling and recovery of Polyolefins waste in Europe

Identiplast, Madrid, 03 October 2011

Sylvain Lhôte, Borealis Group

• European plastics / polyolefins demand and market segments (2009)

European Polyolefins Industry

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European Plastics Demand by Resin and Market Segments – 2009 (PlasticsEurope PEMRG)

45 MT

The challenges

• Polyolefins are recyclable materials• Some iconic recovery or recycling practices• Large volumes available for collection• Strong demand for quality recyclates...

____________

• Many applications are still seen as non-recyclable...

• ...or are barred from “quotas driven” recycling schemes

• Industry has limited data-based analysis of recycling and recovery in Europe

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The questions

• What are the recycling and recovery rates of rigid PO applications at end of life?

• What factors drive different recovery performances of rigid PO waste?

• How does PO recovery performance fit in a “zero landfill waste” management vision?

4

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The study

• A first comprehensive assessment of rigid PO recovery and recycling in Europe commissioned by PlasticsEurope PO Group to Consultic

• 5 countries analysed in detail for year 2009 EU 27+2 extrapolation

• Focus on rigid PE (all types) and PP in 4 market segments: • Bottles, • Other Rigid Packaging, • Automotive (ELV), • Appliances (WEEE)

FranceGermanyPolandSpainUK

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech R., Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece,

Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,

Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland

The big picture4.7 MT of rigid PO waste, 57% recovery

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rigid PP waste

7

139

231

17

52

204

1.092

191

475

63

132

50

1.600

270

39

175

259

448

1.974

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

France

Germany

Poland

Spain

UK

EU 27 +2RecyclingEnergy RecoveryDisposal

Treatment of rigid PO Waste - 2009 by countries Germany is the country with

the highest recycling ratio of rigid PE and PP waste: ~32%.

UK seconds with ~29%, due to the high volumes of HDPE-bottle collection and recycling.

Poland has the lowest recycling ratio of <10%, as the recycling of plastic packaging is mainly based on PET bottles and PE film.

The national picturesIs zero landfill within reach?

8

115

100

11

30

181

755

71

236

32

78

26

780

117

19

86

145

160

864

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

France

Germany

Poland

Spain

UK

EU 27 +2RecyclingEnergy RecoveryDisposal

Treatment of rigid PE Waste - 2009 by countries UK has the highest recycling

ratio: ~48% due to high collection of HDPE milk-bottles from the households.

France seconds the UK with a ratio of ~38%.

Again Poland has the lowest recycling ratio of rigid PE of <10%.

PE waste treatmentRecycling and recovery on par

9

24

131

6

22

24

337

120

240

31

54

24

820

153

20

89

115

288

1.110

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

France

Germany

Poland

Spain

UK

EU 27 +2RecyclingEnergy RecoveryDisposal

Treatment of rigid PP Waste 2009 by countries Germany shows highest

recycling ratio of rigid PP: ~33%, a result of the dry bin collection system for packaging waste

Automotive (battery cases and bumpers) plays a relevant role in rigid PP-recycling in Germany.

All the other countries are below 13 %.

PP waste treatmentEffective collection unlocks recovery potential

4

75

3

9

6

166

112

177

26

48

18

672

74

3

49

74

217

691

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

France

Germany

Poland

Spain

UK

EU 27 +2RecyclingEnergy RecoveryDisposal

What drives high recovery rates?

10

10

20

2

4

3

67

4

24

4

3

3

65

8

1

8

8

10

55

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

France

Germany

Poland

Spain

UK

EU 27 +2RecyclingEnergy RecoveryDisposal

Treatment of rigid PP-bottle waste... ... and other rigid PP-packaging waste

Recycling Recovery Landfll

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• Some PO fractions are already rather well recycled• Up to >70% for PE bottles in UK, >50% of DE automotive PP waste• With good quality products (e.g. food contact approved HDPE)• Packaging non-bottles (PE & PP) is rather low: 11 – 13% only• WEEE is very low, except in the UK

• Recovery and recycling rates are heavily conditioned by:• The development of more effective collection schemes (FR pilot)• Landfill ban or restriction (DE)• Energy recovery capacities • National / markets specificities

• Milk bottles in the UK• Automotive in DE, ES

What drives high recovery rates?

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Our conclusions (1/2)

• 55-60% of rigid PO waste were recovered in 2009 making a key contribution to plastics recycling and recovery in Europe.

• >1 MT of rigid PO was recycled in Europe in 2009 with clear potential to increase recycling exist in many countries

• As seen in DE, CH, SW, or AT, a “zero landfill” aspiration is possible with combination of recycling and energy recovery

• Demand for quality recycled PP & PE can support a step change in sorting techniques and investments – retailers can exert a strong pull

Our conclusions (2/2)

• A supportive regulatory frame is necessary to maximise PO waste recovery in Europe.

• Such framework should focus on• Restricting (cheap) landfilling• Extending collection to non-bottles rigid packaging • Enhancing and simplifying collection (all “dry” waste in one bin?)• Improving rapid identification techniques and sorting schemes (from

mixed waste)• Addressing with EFSA requirements for streamlined food-contact

approval for recycled polymers

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