Decoupling packaging waste production from economic growth

Jordi Bruno

2nd UPC International Seminar on Sustainable Technology Development

9.06.2009

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Trends – waste generation

Packaging waste generation per capita and by country

Source: EEA

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Trends – waste generation

Average packaging waste generation per capita 1997-2006 (kg/year)

Source: EEA

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Trends – waste generation

Generation of packaging waste and GDP in the EU-15

Source: EEA

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Trends – waste generation

Per capita packaging consumption in EU-15, 1998-2006 (in kg)

Source: EUROPEN, 2009

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Trends – waste generation

Municipal waste generation in Catalonia

Source: ARC

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Trends – waste generation

Packaging waste per capita in Catalonia

Source: Fundació Catalana per a la Prevenció de Residus i el Consum Responsable

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Trends – waste recycling

Progress towards the EU recycling targets (2006)

Source: EUROPEN, 2009

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Trends – waste treatment

Treatment of packaging waste

Source: EEA

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Trends – waste recycling

Energy recovery and recycling rates in EU-27, 2006

Source: EUROPEN, 2009

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Packaging & Society

Factors driving packaging waste

Lifestyles Consumption patterns

Packaging

• Reduction of household average size• Ageing of population• Less time devoted at home• More consumption and specialization

• Reduction of household average size• Ageing of population• Less time devoted at home• More consumption and specialization

• Smaller packaging units• Increase of pre-cooked food•Adapted to old people and children• Consumption outside home

• Smaller packaging units• Increase of pre-cooked food•Adapted to old people and children• Consumption outside home

Social changes Demand of new products

Source: ECOEMBES

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Packaging & Society

Packaging functions

TRADITIONALMODERN

Source: FCPRCR & EUROPEN

• Containment• Protection• Conservation• (transport)

Potential barriers to waste prevention!

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Packaging & Society

Influencing factors when purchasing food products (%)

Source: ECOEMBES – Shopping Basket Study (Nielsen / IRI)

Prize

Trade mark

Amount of product

Recommended

Easy to manage

Easy to storage

Advertised on TV

Packg. material

• Law 9/2008, on waste management• Selective waste collection• Material recovery more important than proximity

• Directive 2008/98/CE, on waste• Waste hierarchy: prevention, preparing for re-use, recycling,

other recovery (i.e. energy recovery), disposal• 50% objective for recycling and recovery in 2020• Follow-up indicators

Legislation & policy

• Objective in PROGREMIC 2007-2012:

• To reach this (in packaging waste):• Encourage the use of products with reusable containers.• Promote the consumption of tap water.• Develop reusable bags.• To avoid the over-packaging.

Legislation & policy

“Prevent waste generation in weight, volume, variety and hazard, decoupling waste production from

economic growth”.

Municipal Waste Planning in Catalonia

Legislation & policy

PROGREMIC – potential reduction of packaging waste

Action Production (kg/inh/yr)

Potential reduction (kg/inh/yr)

Potential CO2 reduction (kg/inh/yr)

Encourage reusable packaging

35 12 7

To promote use of tap water 6 2 4

To develop reusable bags 2 1 2

To avoid over-packaging 107 10 17

150 25 30

• Grants to prevent municipal waste generation (834 projects during 2004-2008; 14M€)

• Dissemination:– Waste Reduction Week

– Awareness campaigns (aquireduim.cat)

– Specific publications on methodologies, guidelines,…

• Studies• Specific projects and collaboration agreements• Awards (Design for recycling)

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Legislation & policy

Actions at the Catalan Waste Agency

Source: ARC