Plastics: Challenges and Opportunities in a Circular Economy

Plastics

Challenges and opportunities in a circular economy Scottish Parliamentary Reception

Event Kindly Sponsored by Angus MacDonald MSP

Scottish plastics and rubber industry Employees by Various Manufacturing Industries (Scotland, 2015)

35

13000 12000

Employees per firm (average)

11000 10000 9000 8000 7000

255

6000 5000

Companies in the industry

4000 3000 2000

ÂŁ1.5 bn

1000

The plastics industry in Scotland includes raw material producers, machinery and equipment suppliers, manufacturers of a huge range of semi-finished and finished goods, and recyclers.

Plastics underpin many sectors in the UK economy, including automotive, aerospace, construction, energy,

PLASTIC SAVES ENERGY

Furniture

Pharmaceutical

Automobiles

Textiles

Paper

Chemicals

Electrical Equipment

Wood

Plastics & Rubber

Oil & Gas

Beverages

0

electrical and electronic, healthcare, agriculture and food distribution.

None of these sectors could function effectively without plastics.

It is for this reason that plastics have a huge multiplier effect on the economy and for every job created in the plastics industry, an additional 1.7 are created in the wider economy.

Without

Industry turnover

8.5% Increase in turnover since 2012

30%

of UK’s polymer production capacity

Recycling just one plastic bottle saves enough energy to power a 60W light bulb for

EPS packaging

energy consumption would double when compared to alternatives

6 hours Insulating foams in buildings saves

2,400 million tonnes

of greenhouse gas globally in their lifetime

To download this document and for a full list of sources visit: www.bpf.co.uk/events/spr

The use of plastic composite panels in Swiss trains has led to a

25% reduction

in weight and consequently significant energy savings

Improving recycling rates

The recycling of PET bottles has increased by 1,900% since 2001

UK recycling trends Quantity collected (tonnes)

Recycling rates in the UK have grown exponentially over the past ten years — but more support is needed to help this trend continue.

500,000 450,000 400,000 350,000 300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000

75% of plastic bottles in Wales are recycled due to a harmonised collection scheme

100,000 50,000

Bottle bring

75% 30%

In the past 5 years, the number of councils collecting PTT has risen from 30% to 75%

Deposit return schemes

Government can support further growth in a number of ways: n Improving the waste management infrastructure and seeking to harmonise collection schemes. n Adopting Green Procurement policies to incentivise the use of recycled materials in products. n Stronger leadership in the introduction of anti-litter measures and campaigns.

PLASTIC SAVES FOOD

Wrapping bananas in a modified atmosphere bag extends shelf-life by

Bottle kerbside

Pots Tubs & Trays bring

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

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Pots Tubs & Trays kerbside

If a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) was to be adopted it is important that all single-use drinks containers are included — cans, glass, cartons and plastic — to make sure we capture all resources for re-use and recycling and items are not being littered. In addition, all materials should be kept in the UK for local reprocessing to maximise the benefits of a local circular economy.

However, there is a lack of robust evidence to support the idea that implementing an expensive DRS for bottles in the UK would be the most effective way to reduce litter and improve recycling.

Germany and Norway have recycling rates of over 95% for bottles.

However, other schemes have achieved more modest recycling rates, e.g. South Australia (64%), Hawaii (60.8%) and Oregon (51.9%). At 61%, the UK already fairs well without a DRS, and it could be argued that the money could be better used to improve the UK’s recycling infrastructure.

Implementing a DRS would also divert valuable plastic bottles from the kerbside collection systems, challenging the viability of our existing recycling infrastructure.

Wrapping a cucumber in plastic film extends its shelf-life to up to

In Europe,

only 3% of all products

14 days

2 – 3 days

delivered to customers are spoilt during transport thanks to packaging – compared to 50% in developing countries

The shelf-life of beef can be extended by 5–10 days when using the most advanced plastics packaging solution

Industry-led initiatives

Consumers, government and industry all have a part to play in protecting the environment and ensuring that the plastic we use, for example, to protect our food and prolong its life, is easily reclaimed for recycling.

We believe that restrictions on single-use items will not solve the litter problem and a broader approach will be more effective at protecting our environment and increasing recycling.

The Plastics Industry Recycling Action Plan The Plastics Industry Recycling Action Plan (PIRAP) is an industryrun initiative to increase the recycling of plastic packaging. It is being implemented by the BPF and PlasticsEurope, and involves companies from across the entire supply chain, including retailers.

Resulting projects aim to increase bottle recycling, explore new markets for recyclate, improve the recyclability of black trays and further promote ‘design for recyclability’ guidelines.

Only 2% of litter consists of plastic bottles

Replacing plastics with alternative materials would quadruple the environmental cost

Scottish local government has adopted the Household Recycling Charter for Scotland, backed by the Scottish Government

The BPF is involved in many initiatives tackling litter including:

Operation Clean Sweep Since 2011, 65 associations in 34 countries have signed up to the Global Declaration for Solutions on Marine Litter, and 260 projects are underway, planned or completed. Operation Clean Sweep® is one of them, aiming to ensure that the plastic pellets, flakes and powders that pass through manufacturing facilities in the UK are handled with the care they deserve and do not end up in our rivers or seas.

In the UK, Operation Clean Sweep has been led by the BPF for the past ten years. European activities are led by PlasticsEurope. In the past two years, due to heightened awareness in the industry, the number of UK companies signed up to the scheme has more than doubled, now representing over 170 sites.

PLASTIC SAVES CARBON

Compared to traditional building bricks, plastic building blocks emit

Recycling 1 tonne of plastic bottles saves

1.5 tonnes of carbon

Over ten years the average weight of plastic packaging has reduced by 28%

95% less CO2

To replace all the plastic bags being used in the EU with paper ones in one year, you would need to cut down an additional

2.2 million trees

which would prevent 2,188 metric tonnes of carbon being absorbed by the trees

The production of 1kg cheese results in a CO2 impact equivalent of 11kg, which is almost

6 times bigger

than the CO2 impact equivalent of 1kg PVC