Sustainable Management and Recovery Potential of plastic waste from the commercial and private household sectors

Transcription

1 Sustainable Management and Recovery Potential of plastic waste from the commercial and private household sectors Ingo Sartorius/Joachim Wuttke OECD Global Forum, Mechelen, 25 October 2010

2 Content Introduction Plastics are sustainable materials Life cycle consideration Principles of plastics waste management o o o 3 Options: mechanical, feedstock and energy recovery Cost & environmental aspects Conclusion: Divert from landfill Plastics waste management in Germany The European challenge Conclusion Mechelen

3 Plastics are sustainable materials Building/ Construction Agriculture Packaging Medicine Electrical/ Electronics Automotive Mechelen

4 Plastics material management in products: The use phase dominates cumulated energy demand of large household appliances* Disposal 0,2% Production, Transport 9,8% Product use 90% *) electric stove, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer Mechelen Source: Report ENV Ministry Lower Saxony 4

5 Plastics Value Chain in Europe 2009 data for EU-27 plus CH/NO Export Export Export Industry, Commerce (postindustrial) 55 Mt Production Consumption 45 Mt Consumer demand 4 Mt Waste 28 Mt 24 Mt Import Import Import Household (postconsumer) Mechelen Source: Consultic 5

6 Options for Recovery of Plastics Waste RECOVERY MATERIAL RECOVERY ENERGY RECOVERY = Recycling MECHANICAL RECYCLING (Plastic products) DIRECT INCINERATION (MSWI) FEEDSTOCK RECYCLING (Chemical raw materials) ALTERNATIVE FUEL (cement, power) MSWI = Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Mechelen

7 When to choose which option? Mechanical recycling by remelting and compounding Feedstock recycling by decomposition of polymeric materials e.g. gasification, blast furnace, hydrogenisation, pyrolysis, solvolysis, de-polymerisation Energy recovery by incineration with energy recovery e.g. in MSWI, cement kiln, substitution of oil/coke in power generation Criteria: pure grade, clean mixed or type alike, soiled mixed, soiled Waste quality is decisive Mechelen

8 Mechanical recycling is preferred, if homogeneous, clean waste streams can replace virgin on close to 1:1 basis markets exist or can be developed when specifications are met PET flakes from sorted packaging waste PET bottles Prerequisite for recyclates: PE recyclate Mechelen HIPS recycling pellet PP recyclate mixed plastics recyclate Technical qualities have to be fulfilled to be competitive on the market; therefore products containing recyclates usually go in other applications than the original one PVC recyclate

9 Feedstock recycling and energy recovery Feedstock recycling Principle: conversion of organic waste into hydrocarbons and feed them into plants of chemical industry Technology examples: Depolymerisation Gasification Pyrolysis Metal smelters Blast furnace Energy recovery Principle: utilising energy resources from organic waste by direct incineration via co-combustion or substitution of fuel (e.g. SRF) Technology examples: Modern incinerators (>65% eff.) Cement kiln Power plants Pulp & paper industry Mechelen

10 Feedstock recycling and energy recovery Feedstock recycling Principle: conversion of organic waste into hydrocarbons and feed them into plants of chemical industry Blast furnace of voestalpine/linz, AT Technology examples: Depolymerisation Gasification Pyrolysis Metal smelters Blast furnace Energy recovery Principle: Characteristics for both recovery options: Suitable for mixed, laminated or soiled plastic wastes utilising energy resources from organic waste by direct incineration via co-combustion or substitution of fuel (e.g. SRF) Technology examples: Modern incinerators (>65% eff.) Cement kiln Power plants Pulp & paper industry MSWI plant Spittelau/Vienna, AT Secured emission control and plant safety due to strict permit law Often in an existing large industrial installation under market conditions Mechelen

11 Key factors to an optimised sustainable waste management Waste quality Environmental effects Costs Amounts for scale-up Competitive technologies available in the market Demand for products of waste recovery operations Regional infrastructure Legal frame conditions Mechelen

12 Life Cycle Assessment for Recovery Routes of Plastics Packaging Energy Savings compared to Landfill Energy in MJ/kg recovered plastic Input bottles, films -40,1 Bottles -31,5 Films Mechanical Feedstock Energy Recovery -54,8 Pipes Input mixed plastics Palisades -34-7,1-5,2 Base of hoardings Blast furnace -29,3-28,6 Thermolysis Gasification Co-Combustion Drum bed incineration Cement kiln Source: Ökobilanz der Verwertungswege 1995 Mechelen Hyde/Kremer, LCA-Documents ,9-13,4-29,8-15,9 1. Recovery is better than disposal 2. No single option can be assigned as best -26,4-28,1 Landfill

13 Waste Management Options Economics Euro / t mixed, complex waste industrial film Landfill Energy recovery Energy recovery Feedstock recovery Mechanical recycling waste incineration power station, cement kiln synthesis production of postconsumer waste (Auto, EE, packaging) Mechelen Source: tecpol, UBA 13

14 Landfill is the least preferred option Large quantities of Greenhouse Gas emissions (food, bio waste) Waste of material and energy resources (metals, plastics ) Consequently: Extend the recovery of material and energy is key (recycling, composting, energy recovery) Mechelen

15 Plastics value chain in Germany ,0 Mt Export Industry, Commerce (postindustrial) Production Consumption 10,7 Mt Export Consumer demand Export >99% Recovery 0,9 Mt Waste 4,9 Mt Import Import Import 4,0 Mt >97% Recovery Household (postconsumer) Mechelen Source: Consultic

16 Different qualities of waste Plastics waste from commercial end-user collection Plastics waste from private end-user collection Mechelen

17 Plastics waste management in Germany today Bi-annual statistics by independent external institute with reputation to e.g. UBA: CONSULTIC GmbH, Alzenau/Germany 5.000kt 4.000kt 3.000kt 2.000kt 1.000kt 0kt Plastics waste management in Germany total divert from landfill recovery landfill Amount of recovered plastics waste raised from 1,4 mio t ( 94) to 4.8 mio t (2009) Recovery market under competitive environment Recovery technologies and routes for plastics waste have been established Recovery of plastic rich waste streams from 50% (1994) to 97% (2009) 9 dual systems for packaging (all types) collection from households Mechelen

18 Post-consumer plastics waste managm t in Europe (EU-27 plus CH/NO) 2009 Europ. average: 54% recovery 46% landfill Better than average: (9 c tries) Central Europe + FR, NO, SE Below average: outer regions > 80% recovery > 50% recovery > 20% recovery < 20% recovery Mechelen

19 The comprehensive view: plastics are sustainable materials High recyclability (Metals dominate) Past Target: Safeguard functionality Low recyclability (complex products lead to high expenditure by dismantling) Goal: Sustainability of products along its life cycle Future Target: Optimal mix from - Functionality - Price - Safety, comfort - Saving of fuel & Emissions Mechelen

20 Knowledge Transfer Project of PlasticsEurope Contribute to sustainable waste management of end-of-life products containing plastics by utilising its material and energy resources Focus on countries with window-of-opportunity by identification via country assessment Todays focus is France, Poland, Spain and UK, while further countries emerge Use the know-how about plastics waste management and make it effective locally - Establish relationships with stakeholders in value chain - Support to dialogue and networking - Contribute to information and education - Use communication channels (conferences, media, publication etc) - Provide technical support For discussion: interest and further support and development by OECD? Mechelen

21 Mechelen Joachim Wuttke Umweltbundesamt Tel Ingo Sartorius PlasticsEurope Tel