On Monday 2nd March the Circular Economy Task Force co-hosted a conference with the Dutch Embassy in London on how to promote the trade in circular economy goods and services between the UK and the Netherlands. The Dutch ambassador Laetitia van den Assum welcomed an expert group of business, policy and academia representatives to a discussion organised around three issues: how policy can support a circular economy, how to deliver a ‘North Sea Resource Roundabout’, and what are the circular economy opportunities for plastics?

1. The Role of Plastics in the Circular Economy
Mr Adrian Whyle
Senior Resource Efficiency Manager
London – 2nd March 2015
Zero-Plastics to Landfill by 2025

2. Role of plastics as user of primary resources

3. 3
Plastic packaging saves resources
Replacing plastics packaging with:
Would lead to…
Substitution model developed by German market
research institute GVM, based on 32 packaging
categories, more than 70 different materials, and a
database containing 26,000 data sets of packaging
materials, sizes, volumes, and masses.
= 20 million more heated homes, i.e
the annual consumption of
Romania’s population!
= 21 million more cars on the
road, i.e. more than the total
CO2 emissions of Denmark!
Source: denkstatt
If no plastic packaging was used packaging
• Mass would increase 3.6 x ,
• Energy consumption would increase 2.2x
• CHG emissions would increase 2.7x

4. Landfilling is still the most common waste treatment
option for Plastics
4
Treatment of post-Consumer Plastic Waste in Europe in 2012:
Treatment for post-consumer plastics waste in the EU27+Norway and Switzerland
RDF Municipal Solid
Waste Incineration
SRF for energy intensive
industrial production,
e.g. chemicals, cement etc.
Source: Consultic2014

5. 5
Plastic waste going to landfill (2012):
above 66%
>50% to 66%
below 10%,
i.e. landfill ban
Landfilling of plastic waste is still a
major option in many countries
33% to 50%
2005
1999+
2006
2004
2006
2009 2005
2016
1996
1997
Date of landfill ban in force
Date of future landfill ban
2016
2014 – Scotland
(dry recyclables)

6. Treatment of Post-consumer plastics
waste 2012 by EU 27 + 2 (in kt)
6
:
2012 Level
2017 Target
Countries
with
landfill
ban

7. Zero Plastics to Landfill by 2025 is challenging
but key to Saving Valuable Resources
= 60 million tonnes of plastics prevented from landfill, equivalent to
>750 million barrels of oil or 37.5 billion* €
MTonnes
* 50 Euro/barrel

8. Recycling of plastic packaging waste
in the main markets
8
Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate
(in %)
Energy Recovery rate (in %)
2006
PL
GB
ES
IT
FR
DE
<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

9. Recycling of plastic packaging waste
in the main markets
9
Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate
(in %)
Energy Recovery rate (in %)
2007
<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

10. Recycling of plastic packaging waste
in the main markets
10
Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate
(in %)
Energy Recovery rate (in %)
2008
<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

11. Recycling of plastic packaging waste
in the main markets
11
Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate
(in %)
Energy Recovery rate (in %)
2009
<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

12. Recycling of plastic packaging waste
in the main markets
12
Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate
(in %)
Energy Recovery rate (in %)
2010
<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

13. Recycling of plastic packaging waste
in the main markets
13
Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate
(in %)
Energy Recovery rate (in %)
2011
<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

14. Recycling of plastic packaging waste
in the main markets
14
Size of the bubbles = total packaging waste generationRecycling rate
(in %)
Energy Recovery rate (in %)
2012
<10% landfilling10-50% landfilling>50% landfilling

15. Collection is key
UK Household Plastics Collection Survey 2013
15
http://www.recoup.org/p/229/2014-uk-household-plastics-collection-survey
Top performing local authorities tend to use comingled collection; collection in a
dry recyclables bin of a combination of some or all recyclable plastic, glass,
metal, paper and card……. WYG Collections Report 2013
56%
Recycling
24%
Recycling
4% Recycling
>70%
Recycling
41%
Recycling
7% Recycling
To Achieve 2017
targets an extra
350k tonnes of
plastic packaging
needs to be
collected for
recycling

16. 16
INNOVATION
…… the key catalyst for future increased resource recovery
1. Recycling and Eco-Design
2. Feedstock recycling

17. Daplen™
Polypropylene with Recycled Content
A new portfolio of polypropylene compound grades
composed of post-consumer recycled (PCR) and virgin
content for the Automotive Industry have been launched
17
• Enhanced product sustainability; improved CO2 footprint
• Product performance / cost similar to virgin polymer.
• For interior, exterior and under-the-bonnet (UTB)
automotive applications.
• 3 new Daplen™ grades with 25-50% PCR content,

18. Innovation - Recycling and Eco-Design
18
Pulse Plastics
Steel Coil Edge protection
100% recycled polyolelfins
Nampak
Milk Packaging
Up to35% rHDPE
Hille
Plastic Seating
100% rPP
GSK
Fruit Juice
100% PET
RPC Group
Paint Pots
25% rPP
Protomax www.protomax.co.uk
Office Furniture
100% Mixed Plastic Waste

19. 19
Plastic packaging;
Contribution to Resource Efficiency
Nampak’s® Infini Milk Bottle
Increasing HDPE Recycled Content in milk bottles.
2010 - 10%
2015 - 30%*
2020 - 50%
• 16% CF reduction per tonne of product since ‘09
• 5% energy reduction achieved in 2013
*2014 - 4 pint bottle 20% lighter 30% recycled contentCourtesy of Nampak
Over 75%
of milk bottles
are recycled

20. Plastic packaging;
Contribution to Resource Efficiency and food Safety
The Co-op food retailer has launched
its roast-in-the-bag chickens across its
the “whole bird” range, providing extra
reassurance to consumers that they
can safely prepare roast chicken in
their own home.
• Enhanced food safety by eliminating the
need for consumers to handle raw meat
• Prevents the spread of Campylobacter
from washing chicken.
• Simplifies preparation and cooking
convenience.
• Bag seals in chicken juices and
improves succulence.
20
http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/press/press-releases/Food/co-op-announces-food-hygiene-and-cooking-convenience-initiative/

21. Innovation:
The road to the plastics circular economy
t
New Detection Systems
- Better Plastics Separation
- Radical Innovations
- Step-Change Innovations
- Incremental InnovationsNew to
Market
Time
Depolymerisation
- Production of Virgin Polymer
Enhanced Digital Imaging
€
$
$
€ $
£
£
Increased use of recyclate
Improved Sorting
£
€
€
$ £
€
$
£
€$
£
Eco-design

22. Project REFLEX:
Increased recycling of flexible packaging
22
Funded by the UK’s innovation agency,
Innovate UK the REFLEX project brings
stakeholders throughout the supply chain from
polymer producers, converters, recyclers and
waste management companies together to
address the challenge of creating a circular
economy for flexible packaging, e.g. detergent
pouches, confectionery and biscuit wrappers
Partners Include:
Axion Ltd, Amcor Ltd, Dow Chemical Company Ltd,
Interflex Group, Nestlé UK Ltd, SITA Holdings UK Ltd,
TOMRA Sorting Ltd and Unilever UK
http://www.axionconsulting.co.uk/pioneering-project-aims-recycle-flexible-packaging

23. Innovation – Feedstock Recycling
OIL
OIL
OIL
OIL OIL
OIL
DEPOLYMERISATION
Plastics to Oil

24. CO2 as a raw material from Flue Gas for Polyurethane Foam
CO2
N
C
O
R
O
C
N
H
O
R'
O
H N
R
N
C
O
R'
O
C
N
R
H H
O O n
H
+
Isocyanate Polyol
Polyurethane
Production of polyol (Precursor for polyurethane foam)
15M Euro German production plant planned in 2016 with
a capacity of 5,000 tons / year polyol production
capturing CO from an RWE chimney
RIGID FOAMS
FLEXIBLE FOAMS
Making products out of hot air (CO2):
The abundant alternative carbon source

25. Whilst the detail is unclear European
recovery rates will increase;
• The increasing focus on the circular
economy provides opportunity to
stimulate research in materials recycling
• Recovery of more embedded resources.
i.e. materials & energy are key in the drive
towards a Resource Efficient Europe
• Advanced thermal recovery has a role
to play for non recyclable materials
• Materials destined for energy recovery will
in the future be increasingly recycled
and this will include “carbon’ recycling

26. 26