Waste as as resource: how to maximize its contribution to sustainable development

Transcription

1 Belgium Indonesia Cleantech Summit March 2016 Waste as as resource: how to maximize its contribution to sustainable development Prof. J. Dewulf Ghent University Belgium

2 Contents 1. Waste as a resource: potential and quantities 2. Strategic importance of waste as a resource 3. Guiding towards sustainable utilization 4. Case studies - Illustration

3 1. Waste as a resource: potential and quantities

4 Already consumed : Aluminum: 7.4 % Copper: 27.0 % Iron: 10.7 % Lead: 16.4 % Zinc: 11.5 % Sources: New Scientist, Gerst & Graedel, 2008.

5 Source: European Environmental Agency, 2016

6 2. Strategic importance of waste as a resource

7 EU Raw Materials Initiative : - Background: EU is very dependent on import of raw materials (e.g. rare earths) - Aim of initiative: securing sustainable supply of raw materials - Launched in 2008, consolidated in Backbone: three pillar strategy: Source: European Commission

8 EU 2014 : List of 14 Critical Raw Materials: Source: European Commission DG Grow

9 EU December 2016 : Circular Economy Package EU "closing the loop" through greater recycling and re-use: benefits for both the environment and the economy. Some particular targets: - Recycling 65% of municipal waste by 2030; - Recycling 75% of packaging waste by 2030; - Reduce landfill to maximum of 10% of all waste by 2030; - Ban on landfilling of separately collected waste; Source: European Commission, 2016

10 3. Guiding towards sustainable utilization

11 A. Guiding at the process level:

12 Assess the thermodynamic efficiency: exergy analysis Entropy prod. Exergy in Exergetic efficiency Waste Resources Exergy out Product Economic sustainabilty and Environmental sustainability Source: Dewulf et al., 2008

13 B. Guiding beyond the process level: sustainability Brundtland, 1987 (UNEP): Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs Elkington, 1997: Triple bottom line/ 3Ps: People (social) Profit (economics) Planet (environment)

14 Make use of the Sustainability Assessment Toolbox today: - Key input: data - Key advantage: avoiding burden shifting Source: Dewulf et al., 2016

15 4. Case studies - Illustration

16 Case studies in collaboration with industry in Belgium

17 Illustration: The Belgian take back scheme of laptops End-of-life laptops Collection Sorting Separation Recovery Secondary raw materials Questions: Performance? Opportunities for improvement? Primary raw material savings?

18 Recovery: - 85% metals - 13% plastics Source: Van Eygen et al., 2016

19 What is the primary resource balance? = Quantification and substantiation of sustainability claims Stakeholders communication

20 THANK YOU Background information: Dewulf, J., De Meester, S., Alvarenga, R.A.F. (Eds). Sustainability Assessment of Renewables- Based Products: Methods and Case Studies, Wiley, Dewulf, J., Van Langenhove, H., Muys, B., Bruers, S., Bakshi, B.R., Grubb, G.F., Paulus, D.M. and Sciubba, E. (2008). Exergy: Its potential and limitations in environmental science and technology. Environmental Science & Technology, 42 (7), European commission, Circular Economy Package, European Commission DG Grow, Critical Raw Materials. European Environmental Agency, Gerst, M.; Graedel, T. In-use stocks of metals: Status and implications. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2008, Van Eygen, E., De Meester, S., Phuong Tran, H., Dewulf, J. Resource savings by urban mining: The case of desktop and laptop computers in Belgium, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 107, 53-64, 2016.