1

Alexandre Dangis

EuPC (European Plastic Converters)

LABELLING AGRICULTURAL PLASTIC WASTE FOR VALORISING THE WASTE STREAM

2

Workprogramme EuPF AGRI TWG

– Prepare input for EU Commission Labelagriwaste project • Recommendations for legal requirements to EU Commission

– Stimulate local/regional collection systems of plastics agricultural waste

– Define input specifications together with PE films recyclersby working with EuPR Film group

– Maximum 2 meetings/ year

– Participation limited to EU AGRI film producers & recyclers

• Duration 36 months

• Industry leader: spanish company tbc

3

Participants - consortiumIAG's: Industrial Associations/Groupings

CYPANAGROTIKOSPANAGROTIKOS SYNDESMOS CYPRUS 7

FFLCFL FEDERATION LANGUEDOCIENNE DE LA

COOPERATION DES FRUITS ET LEGUMES6

ICONFAGRI-

COLTURA CONFAGRICOLTURA 5

ELPASEGES PANHELLENIC CONFEDERATION OF UNIONS OF

AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES 4

ECICLOPLASTCICLOPLAST 3

BEUPREUROPEAN PLASTICS RECYCLERS

ASSOCIATION 2

BEUPCEUROPEAN PLASTICS CONVERTERS

ASSOCIATION 14

CountryParticipant short

name

Participant namePartic.

no.

4

Participants and consortiumSMES Group

ELPOLYECO POLYECO S.A. MANAGEMENT AND

VALORIZATION OF WASTE INDUSTRY 12

FISUOMENSUOMEN UUSIOMUOVI OY11

IPATI PATI 10

EINSERPLASA INDUSTRIAL SEVILLANA RECICLAJE DE

PLASTICOS S.I. 9

IALFAEDILE ALFA EDILE R.R.L. ECOLOGY DEPARTMENT8

CountryParticipant

short name

Participant namePartic.

no.

5

Participants and consortiumRTD Performers

ELTITANTITAN CEMENT SA19

DUSTUTTUNIVERSITAET STUTTGART 18

IUNIBAUNIVERSITY OF BARI PROGESA DEPARTMENT 17

EGAIKER FUNDACION GAIKER 16

FCEMAGREF CENTRE NATIONAL DU MECHANISME

AGRICOLE, DU GENIE RURAL, DES EAUX ET

DES FORETS

15

ELAUAAGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS 1

CountryParticipant

short name

Participant namePartic.

no.

6

Agricultural plastics

7

Today:

• A large portion of agricultural films are left on the field or

burnt uncontrollably by the farmers releasing harmful

substances with the associated negative consequences to

the environment.

• Aesthetic pollution and landscape degradation of regions

of natural beauty. South Europe… only?

• Safety of the food produced in such fields?

Agricultural plastic wastes

IMAGE ISSUE FOR PLASTICS

8

LABELAGRIWASTE: Objectives (1)

• Develop standardised procedures and integrated methodologies to label the agricultural plastic waste streams in order to facilitate their routing to the best alternative processing and final disposal:

�most environmental friendly and economically valuable and technically feasible solution

9

LABELAGRIWASTE: Objectives (2)

• Transforming used agricultural plastics into a commodity that can be transported across boundaries, traded in the open market and routed to the best alternative processing and disposal.

• Developing a systematic labelling scheme and policy recommendations for the appropriate disposal and/or utilisation of the agricultural plastic wastes. This will support relevant standardisation CEN and/or other legislation activities for cleaner environment and economy of natural resources.

10

LABELAGRIWASTE: Objectives (3)

• Developing farming practices that will improve the quality of the waste

• Maximizing the range of the specs a waste stream should meet to qualify for a processing/ disposal option.

• 5 Work Packages have been set up by the consortium

11

Objectives

AnalyseAnalyse the generation, collection and disposal practices practices of agricultural plastic wastes over Europe.

Identify and analyseIdentify and analyse the technical and economical critical parameterscritical parametersaffecting the quality / value of the agricultural plastic waste stream through the agricultural plastic waste generation-collection-disposal scheme.

DocumentDocument the European, international, national and regional legal legal

frameworkframework concerning several aspects of the agricultural plastic waste management (composition of the waste, agrochemicals, transportation of waste, water and air pollution prevention) and identify the legal differences across national barriers and any conflicts or gaps in legislation.

InvestigateInvestigate analytical methodologies and labelling schemes already already

appliedapplied in other industrialin other industrial sectorssectors that could be adopted in the agricultural plastic waste streams and compatibility/synergetic schemes with other waste streams.

WP 1. Critical parameters and legal framework of

agricultural plastic wastes chain

12

Objectives

Correlate / quantify the qualityCorrelate / quantify the quality of the agricultural plastic waste stream to its initial composition, use, collection/ treatment, storage and composition, use, collection/ treatment, storage and

transportationtransportation in order to quantify the key control parameters and establish the quality assurance system supported by the labelling scheme.

Expand the rangeExpand the range of acceptable material for each disposal option by eliminating technical hurtles and investigating differences between waste disposal plants. Determine the constraints and conditionsDetermine the constraints and conditions to be applied in the form of specifications for each disposal alternative and develop a simple classification methodology of wastes – labelling criteria per disposal option aimed at the environmental safe, technically feasible and cost effective disposal.

WP 2. Pre-normative research aimed at overcoming scientific challenges for consolidation/ validation of

agricultural plastic waste labelling scheme to maximize valorization of the waste stream

13

Objectives

Organize and carry out pilot testsOrganize and carry out pilot tests to implement the results of the previous work package, putting into practice the alternative technical guidelines for the final users.

Evaluate, optimize and validateEvaluate, optimize and validate the collection scheme in the farm, the labelling methodology and the operating range of the disposal processes based on the extended pilot effort.

Get feedbackGet feedback from the SMEs group and the interested parties that will lead to the optimization and enhancement of the entire system.

WP 3. Testing labelling alternatives / evaluation and validation of the

alternatives

14

Objectives

Manage the information flowsManage the information flows between partners and establish establish

the strategythe strategy to disseminate the labelling scheme and the obtained results of the project.

Raise awarenessRaise awareness of the dimensions of the agricultural plastic waste problem and force the creation of a critical mass to solve research issues and technological problems related to the development development

and implementation of legislationand implementation of legislation.

WP 4. Dissemination, Exploitation and Policy Recommendations

15

Objectives

TrainingTraining is the capital element leading to the adoption and adoption and

implementationimplementation in the long run of the labelling scheme.

While the dissemination (WP 4) will focus on why the SMEswhy the SMEs should adopt the proposed scheme (merits of the scheme), the training will focus on how to adopton how to adopt the proposed recommendations.

Training to be conducted mainly by the IAG'smainly by the IAG's, directed firstly to their SME-members: to bring the scientific recommendations to the level of the user and to answer all the questions that arise from the particularity of their members.

Technical assistanceTechnical assistance for the training will be provided by the RTD performers.

WP 5. Training

16

• Films

• Pipes

• Rigid and flexible (High Density Polyetilene)

• Coated Fabrics (i.e. protective plastic for trucks)

• Plastic nets (i.e. birds and insects)

• Plastic pots

• Plastic bags for fertilizers and agrochemicals

• ……………………………..

Articles included in the Project

17

Articles included in the Project

Agriculture ”thick” film Agriculture ”stretch” film

Potato ”thin” film

18

Some information about Spain

• The following charts have been prepared by

Cicloplast (E) and have been provided into

the consortium

• Labelagriwaste is developping similar

information & knowledge about this plastic

market in the EU 27

19

Consumption Agriculture Plastics

Consumption Agriculture Plastics 99-04 (ton)

235.482236.584235.597

230.402

219.142

208.788

190.000,0

200.000,0

210.000,0

220.000,0

230.000,0

240.000,0

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

ton

20

Consumption agriculture by polymers.

Consumption Agriculture Plastics by Polymers ( 2004)

PEBD42%

PEAD15%

PP6%

PVC33%

OTROS4%

21

FILMSMulching

Tunnel

Greenhouse

Silage

OthersMeshes

Agrochemicals Packaging

Others

47%

22%

Pipes 31%

Agriculture Plastics in Spain.

TOTAL 100%

22

Spain vs Europe

EUROPE 2004:

TOTAL PLASTICS CONSUMPTION= 31.400 KT

AGRICULTURE PLASTICS= 850 KT

AGRICULTURE PLASTIC FILMS = 400 KT

SPAIN 2004:

TOTAL PLASTICS CONSUMPTION= =3.749 KT

AGRICULTURE PLASTICS = 235 KT

AGRICULTURE PLASTIC FILMS = 110 KT

Spain represents 28% of the total agriculture plastics in Europe.

Films includes Mulching, Tunnels, Greenhouse and silage

23

50.22113.812115.131TOTAL SPAIN

33.6988.81681.739ANDALUCIA

005.105EXTREMADURA

01047.714CAST la MANCHA

0610CAST y LEON

7.42200CANARIAS

070ARAGON

17404.700NAVARRA

6781571.137CATALUÑA

1200880BALEARES

00530LA RIOJA

000CANTABRIA

000ASTURIAS

01900PAIS VASCO

5.08609.005REGION DE MURCIA

2.5504.0694.042COM VALENCIANA

03980MADRID

49310279GALICIA

GREENHOUSETUNNELSMULCHINGREGIONS

Crops Quantities

24

Mulching quantities.

Total: 115.131 Ha

4.700 ha4.700 ha

1.137 Ha

5.105 Ha

880 Ha

279 Ha

4.042 Ha

9.005 Ha

530 Ha

7.714 Ha

81.739 Ha

25

Tunnel quantities.

Total: 13.812 Ha

7 ha7 ha

157 Ha

398 Ha

10 Ha

4.069Ha

190 Ha

61 Ha

8.816 Ha

104 Ha

26

Greenhouses quantities

Total: 50.222Ha

678 Ha

2.550 Ha

33.698 Ha

7.422 Ha

5.086 Ha

120 Ha

493 Ha

174Ha

27

Main Crop Areas in Andalucia

28

Andalucia Crops

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

ANDALUCIA CROPS(% ha)

MULCHING TUNNEL GREENHOUSE

29

Evolution of Plasticulture in Spain

Evolution of Plasticulture in Spain.

020.00040.00060.00080.000

100.000120.000140.000

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

ha

Mulching Tunnel Greenhouse

30

Farmplastics in the UK*

• Each year about 550,000 tonnes of non-natural wastes are generated on farms in England, of which it is estimated that about 85,000 tonnes is waste plastic.

• Over 90% of holdings produce plastic waste, with packaging waste estimated to be about 21,000 tonnes each year and non-packaging plastic waste estimated at about 65,000 tonnes per year. This latter figure is bolstered by the high levels of contamination (soil and other debris) associated with silage wrap and horticultural films

*Website DEFRA

31

Interesting websites

http://sunfire.aua.gr:8080/law

www.farmsubsidy.org

www.agwasteplastics.org.uk

The website in the UK enables farmers to search for collectors of plastic waste in their area, and for collectors to find suitable processors of agricultural waste plastics.

32

Conclusion

• Via EuPC (EuPF) and EuPR the plastic films extruders & recyclers can influence and/orcontribute to this project. They can furthermoreanalyse together the increasing use of plastics in the agricultural market

• Farmers are eager to find alternative markets forthe use of their products but a lot needs to be doneto communicate with their farmers community onthe responsable use of plastics in order to have a good image for plastics