• Energy Research

Setting up strategies for a sound management of plastic packaging waste (PPW) is becoming increasingly crucial at many levels of the value chain in Europe. After the very first implementation of an extended producer responsibility scheme in Germany in 1991, many EU Countries followed. This resulted in a complex network of schemes that differ from one member state to another. This paper brings together the three latest studies describing the current flows of PPW across the waste value chain from Austria (reference year 2013), Germany and the Netherlands (reference year 2017). With this aim, the models of the three single studies have been adapted to fit into a common model, allowing to perform a comparative analysis. Although with a relatively comparable product market, the three countries have different management systems (e.g., separate collection systems, target sorting products and treatment of residual waste), reflecting different national strategies to achieve the circular economy targets. Recycling rates (in terms of washed milled goods at the output of the recycling process) for the three countries resulted in 23%, 43% and 30% of the total mass of PPW generated in, respectively, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. The fraction of mixed recycled plastics, relevant for Germany and the Netherlands only, was determined to be one of the major determinants of the differences in recycling rates. Furthermore, the discussion revolves around new political targets that have the potential to contribute to addressing the issue of tradeoff between quantity and quality of recycled plastics placed on the market, with measures such as design-for-recycling and eco-modulation of EPR fees playing a critical role, while also pointing out the aspects that inevitably hinder closed-loop recycling.

In dit rapport worden achtereenvolgens de volgende onderwerpen behandeld: 1) De huidige stand van zaken ten aanzien van het gebruik van verpakkingstechnologieën voor vers vlees, vleeswaar, verse maaltijden, gemarineerd vlees, bewerkt vlees en snacks in Nederland en Europa. 2) Verbeterperspectieven voor 2015, 2020 en 2030 voor bestaande en nieuwe verpakkingstechnologieën, inclusief de kritieke punten, mogelijke barrières en verwachte toepasbaarheid. 3) De energiebesparingsmogelijkheden die innovatie in de productieketens van de vleesverwerkende industrie bieden.

The Dutch deposit-refund system for large (>0.5 l) PET bottles has been analysed in terms of costs, material use and energy use. A process chain analysis has been conducted to quantify the costs, material usage and energy use of all process steps from the beverage industry to the RPET processor and all contributions that are uniquely linked to the deposit-refund system are revealed.

Verpakkingen voorkomen het voortijdig weggooien van producten. Toch zijn ze hét symbool van de wegwerpmaatschappij en milieuverkwisting geworden. Veel producenten geven hun verpakkingsmateriaal daarom graag een groene glans. Imago is daarbij belangrijker dan de milieuprestaties, zegt onderzoeker Ulphard Thoden van Velzen van Food and Biobased Research.

Als resultaat van de samenwerking met de Metropoolregio Amsterdam benoemt Wageningen UR in dit document voor vier kringlopen actuele mogelijkheden en bijbehorende maatregelen om de kringlopen zo goed mogelijk te sluiten. In de vorm van factsheets wordt voor elke maatregel uitgewerkt wat deze oplevert voor de dimensies people, planet, profit en proces en wat de kosten, de risico’s en de randvoorwaarden daarbij zijn. De vier kringlopen zijn fosfaat, water, afval en voedsel.

The current Dutch recycling value chain for plastic packaging waste (PPW) has not reached its full circularity potential, as is apparent from two Circular Performance Indicators (CPIs): net packaging recycling rate and average polymer purity of the recycled plastics. The performance of the recycling value chain can be optimised at four stages: packaging design, collection, sorting, and recycling. This study explores the maximally achievable performance of a circular PPW recycling value chain, in case all stakeholders would implement the required radical improvement measures in a concerted action. The effects of the measures were modelled with material flow analysis. For such a utopic scenario, a net plastic packaging recycling rate of 72% can be attained and the produced recycled plastics will have an average polymeric purity of 97%. This is substantially more than the net packaging recycling rate of 37% for 2017 and will exceed the EU target of 50% for 2025. In such an ideal circular value chain more recycled plastics are produced for more demanding applications, such as food packaging, compared to the current recycling value chain. However, all stakeholders would need to implement drastic and coordinated changes, signifying unprecedented investments, to achieve this optimal circular PPW recycling value chain.