Plas%c Pails: Steps to Increase Recycling

Transcription

1 Plas%c Pails: Steps to Increase Recycling Pa5y Moore Moore Recycling Associates Inc PSCI Annual Mee-ng ~ March 22, 2009

2 Overview Why should you care? What are the elements needed for successful plas%c recycling? History and status of rigid plas%cs recycling Barriers and steps needed for successful plas%cs recycling for nonbo5le rigid plas%cs and pails

3 NLC: Principles for Product Stewardship WHEREAS, solid waste, packaging materials, and the transporta%on of products and product materials contribute to greenhouse gas emissions; and WHEREAS, an average of 254 million tons of trash are produced each year in the United States; and WHEREAS, over 75 percent of consumer waste consists of products and packaging which contains, for example, acids, plas%cs, petroleum by products, mercury, and other heavy metals that undermine public health and the environment when not properly disposed; and WHEREAS, marine debris, such as the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch, comprised of plas%c bags, bo5les and cans, bo5le caps and lids, and cigare5e filters, enters our waterways because of limited recycling op%ons and mismanagement and prolifera%on of plas%c products and packaging; and WHEREAS, local governments across the na%on are adversely affected by the rising costs of ensuring the safe management, recyclables, and disposal of consumer waste; and WHEREAS, manufacturers and others along the product chain are able to reduce the environmental impact of their products and reduce the amount of trash directed to landfills by crea%ng and financing take back programs, reducing packaging, and designing products to be less toxic and easier to recycle; and WHEREAS, state and local governments have adopted principles of product stewardship and developed agreements with industry and environmental groups to reduce adverse health and environmental impacts from consumer products; and WHEREAS, to ensure the well being of the public and the environment, an increasing number of states are exploring extended producer responsibility framework legisla%on in an effort to relieve local governments of growing waste management costs. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Na%onal League of Ci%es (NLC) urges Congress to protect and support the ability of local and state governments to establish producer responsibility legisla%on. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NLC urges Congress and the Administra%on to adopt the following principles of product stewardship so as to guide federal policy and support

4 Stewardship Ontario Fees 4

5 Extended Producer Responsibility Product Stewardship Product Stewardship involves consumers, government agencies and product manufacturers sharing the responsibility of reducing the impact of product waste on our environment. It is analysis and understanding of a product s lifecycle and its long term effect on our world. Quite simply, recycling is only part of the solu%on. CA Product Stewardship Council Extended Producer Responsibility is a government strategy to place responsibility for end of life management of products and associated packaging on producers and consumers rather than on taxpayers, ratepayers or local governments. Product Policy Ins-tute 5

6 Elements Needed for Successful Plas%c Recycling Like all manufacturing, Plas%cs Recycling must: Have enough good raw material ABract investment Have technology Have profitable products Source: Dave Cornell

7 History and status of rigid plas%cs recycling

8 Plas%c Bo5le Recycling

9 HDPE Bo5le End Use

10 PET Bo5le End use

11 Non Bo5le Rigid Plas%cs!"#$ %&'($)"* +,$-.#/"*01($0 7()#8,/" ($0 6#3#*#!""# $%&'$%!'&((!!%')*!'#(# %)"'&&+')(&!""&!"*'"*"'""" $!$'*""'""" %!+'**"'"""

12 Non Bo5le Rigid Plas%c: Resin Specific Bale Categories Injec%on Plas%cs (aka Bulky Rigid Plas%cs) primarily PE/PP Electronic Housings HIPS ABS PC All Bo5les & Containers (aka ): primarily packaging Mixed Rigid Plas%cs (aka 70 30): all resins

13 2008 Categories of Non Bo5le Rigid Plas%c

14 2008 Resin Categories

15 100 Ci%es Survey 28 of the 100 largest US ci%es collect rigid plas%cs 11 are California ci%es 60 million people

16 California Survey: Communi%es Over 62% of Californians have access to curbside collec%on of rigid plas%c containers

17 Non Bo5le Rigid Plas%c Consumer Categories All Household Containers 1 7 All Bo5les and Containers 1 7 All Plas%c Containers All Rigid Plas%c Containers Plas%c Tubs and Bo5les Plas%c Food and Beverage Containers (bo5les and tubs) Rigid Plas%cs with the Recycling Numbers 1 7 All Bo5les and Containers Labeled #2, 4, or 5 All Clean Plas%c Plas%cs Labeled 1 7 All Plas%c Bo5les, Tubs and Lids

18 Non Bo5le Rigid Plas%cs Outreach findings: Inconsistency Contradic%on in Descrip%ons Ambiguous language

19 Barriers and steps needed for successful plas%cs recycling for non bo5le rigid plas%cs and pails

20 Have enough good raw material ABract investment Have technology Have profitable products

21 Enough Raw Material

22 Enough Raw Material 400 MM pounds iden%fiable Unknown Loca%on and nature of current supply (?) Known Collec%on 325 MM lbs non bo5le 830 MM lbs film and bags 2410 MM lbs bo5les

23 Enough Raw Material Issues: Interest in expanding plas%c recycling collec%on Export market dominates current market For non bo5le rigid plas%c: Lack of bale specifica%ons No communica%on standards PIPs data needs addi%onal non bo5le categories For plas%c pales: Genera%on data (?) Lack of communica%on and specifica%ons

24 Barriers A lack of enforceable reclaimer generated bale specifica%ons for non bo5le rigid plas%cs Pressure on MRFs to Divert materials as inexpensively as possible coupled with their ability to ship lowquality, mixed resin bales to China with no consequences A lack of consistent and clear educa%on to consumers about recycling non bo5le rigid plas%cs

25 Mixed Rigid Plas%c Bale Defini%ons

26 Technology Most technology home grown Limited R & D budgets Inconsistent technology development in US & Canada Next step up s%fled by insecure supply

27 Products Most end use is gated by reclama%on If you build it, will they come? Higher costs for those users augmen%ng with PCR, i.e., not using it as primary feedstock Design for Recyclability guidelines for pails (?) Quality inconsistent due to inability to control specifica%ons

28 Investment Exis%ng reclama%on business model is tenuous, limi%ng access to capital Most orders month to month, no long term contracts Resin segment has no vested interest Lack of clear market signals from Public Sector: no clear public policy on PCR use, thus Converters and Brand Owners have demonstrated inconsistent support Aforemen%oned Supply and Technology issues

29 Have enough good raw material ABract investment Have technology Have profitable products

30 Thank You! Ques%ons?