Polystyrene End-of-Life Management in Europe Ph.Montagné on behalf of the European PS Producers Save-A-Cup General Assembly London Feb 11, 2010
Contents Polystyrene introduction 3 Plastics waste figures.. 5 Polystyrene waste figures 10 Polystyrene industry vision.... 13 Polystyrene recycling.. 14 Polystyrene recycling in close loop 17 Energy Valorization 21 PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 2
Polystyrene is a Commodity Plastic Worldwide Production Millions tpa 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 PE PP PS PVC PET PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 3
.With Numerous Applications PS applications in EU27 + 2 27% 46% 13% 14% Packaging Construction E&E Other PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 4
Plastic Waste Management All the plastics Export Disposal 11.5 Mt Converter demand of EU27+ N/CH 50 Mt E & E 6% Others 28% Automotive 8% Building & Construction 21% Packaging 37% Consumer demand 40 % short service life and 60 % long 50 % Plastic Waste 23 Mt 47 % 3 % Export 0.7 Mt Import Import 4.5 Mt 20 % Recovery 10.8 Mt 6.3 Mt 27 % Recycling Energy Recovery Source: PlasticsEurope 2008 (2007 data) & GTA Navigator PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 5
Each Country Moving at his Own Pace (data 2007) 20% 80% Recycling Energy Recovery Landfill PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 6
Landfill is Not the Sustainable Answer PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 7
Only 2 Options to Defend and Implement RECYCLING & ENERGY RECOVERY
In Order to Achieve the Full Recovery 1980 2007 > 2020 PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 9
What About Post-Consumer Polystyrene Waste?
PS Waste Management EU PS market Export 50 kt Disposal 900 kt Converter demand of EU27+ N/CH+ 2115 kt reps 30 kt Miscel E&E Construction Packaging Import 250 kt (TV, fridge, printers, airco) Consumer demand 2315 kt Source: 2008 estimations & Global Trade Atlas Navigator 50 kt 3% Recycling 50 % PS Waste 1800 kt 47 % Recovery 850 kt 3 % 800 kt 44 % Energy Recovery Export 50 kt PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 11
PS Waste Management PS applications in EU27 + 2 27% WEEE program 46% 13% 14% Post Consumer Waste Depending on National Waste Management Packaging Construction E&E Other PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 12
PS Post Consumer Recycling PS Industry VISION: All packagings collected at home (no material discrimination) PS, PE, PP, PET, Cardboard, Aluminum, Glass, sorted out to be sent to recyclers either Plastics are washed & re-granulated to be sold to converters, or Plastic Mix are transformed into SRF (Solid Recovered Fuel) German model of post consumer collection to be taken as example Current action with Valorplast in France to demonstrate this is a viable option Recent declaration from WRAP in UK following this vision PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 13
PS is a Very Easy Recyclable Plastic Up to 20 times recyclable without any damage of polystyrene physical properties PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 14
PS Post Consumer Recycling The question of Recyclability depends on: the political will diversion from landfill European Directive 2004/12 setting the goal to recycle 22.5 % of the plastic packaging waste by 2008 the national infrastructures: automatic sorting centers help to recycle more and better the material value: i.e.weee programs are driven by the recovery of non ferrous metals the applications: Yogurt pots (in PP, PS, or PET) are more complex and more expensive to recycle than bottles or TV back-covers Success comes from joint effort from government, national environmental agencies, industry & retailers PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 15
PS Initiatives PS Cups Recycling Stichting Disposable Benelux (since 1991 in NL), Save-A-Cup (since 1992 in UK), Eco-collectoor (since 2008 in France & Benelux) 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 In my first life, I was a cup Made from 7 recycled polystyrene cups PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 16
PS Cups Recycling Back to PS Cups (close loop) Collector/Recycler: know-how in plastic collection and sorting PS cups manufacturer: know-how in PS conversion 3 layer wall A-B-A acceptable for food contact disposable once EFSA (1) certification is given on the recycling process Good option as long as it stays sustainable A B A (1) EFSA: European Food Safety Authorities PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 17
WEEE Consequences rps from Refrigeration to Non Food Applications Sims Recycling Solutions, Coolrec, Veolia Environment, Axion, Vogt Plastics, Robust Recycling are some of the main actors of WEEE programs in Europe Mewa Recycling (Germany): large supplier of dismantling equipment Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) or rps from EU refrigeration [30 40 KT/y] rps coat hangers, CD boxes, flower pots, wood-like plastic benches & decks, cafetaria trays, PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 18
WEEE Consequences rps from TV to TV Recycler: know-how in plastic sorting PS producer: know-how in PS Flame Retardant Compound formulation TV manufacturer: know-how in TV manufacturing VIRGIN PS [10-30%] dilution PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 19
But Recycling has Limits It is not ecologically or economically feasible to recycle everything! PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 20
As Other Plastics, PS Owns an Amazing Energy Value PS supplies far greater heat during its combustion in incinerator than wood of paper PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 21
From PS to Fuel Energy recovery: Waste incineration today is one of the cleanest and most strictly regulated industrial activities, able to produce energy (electricity and/or vapour) as a counterpart of waste elimination Incinerator @ Vienna, Austria Private initiatives to transform PS/PP/PE into fuel for heaters are currently at pilot scale PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 22
Energy Valorisation The energy recovered from the municipal waste of 5 million Parisians allows to heat 200.000 apartments PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 23
Recycling Vs Energy Valorisation For non-recyclable waste, energy valorisation is clearly the environment-friendly complementary solution PS end-of-life management in EU Oct 21, 2009 24
Polystyrene A Material Still Full of Promise