Materials
was to identify a number of themes that we wanted to work around and on that could address this plastic waste challenge in many ways.” The themes are linked to the alliance’s founding pillars – in infrastructure, innovation, education, engagement and clean-up. And, as time has passed, it has further identified a number of other important thematic areas too. “The first,” begins Kolesch, “is getting communities on to the waste management hierarchy. This is to ensure solutions or projects make sure plastic waste and other waste is collected. So far this is mainly engaging with cities – improving collection, sanitation and essentials needed to put a waste management system in place. There are a few projects in this area, putting in an integrated waste management system for a specific community.
“We recognise we all have a role to play in addressing the plastic waste challenge. As consumers, we all need to be aware of how we’re interacting with both what we buy in terms of packaging and products, as well as how we treat it when it’s reached the end of its use with us.”
“The second is creating value for recyclates. Specifically, how to drive demand generation for plastic waste, so there is an incentive to effectively get it out of the environment. How to collect and valorise plastic at scale. There will be some announcements in the coming months of new projects that are effectively driving that value for recycling. I think the foundation is the recognition that plastic waste absolutely has value as a waste, and it can be recovered.”
Kolesch calls the next theme ‘advanced recovery and recycling’. As the name may indicate, it’s about looking at technologies that can improve the segregation of the waste. “Plastic waste is collected through advanced recovery, but there’s also chemical recycling or advanced recycling, where different technologies can be deployed to bring value to what would otherwise be seen as very low-value plastic waste. We are looking at a number of partners for this that can implement chemical recycling facilities, as well as those technologies that can be utilised in support.
“The fourth area is improving the ability of plastic waste to be valorised in the future – so really being a participant in the circular economy. This includes the simplification of plastic products, of packaging and more, which can drive and ease recycling.” And
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Kolesch describes the final pillar, “Societal behaviour. We recognise we all have a role to play in addressing the plastic waste challenge. As consumers, we all need to be aware of how we’re interacting with both what we buy in terms of packaging and products, as well as how we treat it when it’s reached the end of its use with us. This is building on the education and engagement pillar of the Alliance, in addition to collaboration with governments and other producers.” It’s a worthy assault on prevailing wisdom.
Plastic misconceptions
Kolesch is under no illusions as to where the biggest challenges are: life-cycle analysis and comparisons or material alternatives. And, perhaps surprisingly, he also continues to see the presence of plastic in the future of packaging, albeit firmly nestled in a proper and effective circular economy. “If we take a very broad view, what is the most efficient and sustainable way to provide goods and services for all people on the planet? Plastic packaging has its place, and is probably the most carbon-efficient method to protect and pack all those goods to fulfil demand.
“The key misconception, mainly among consumers, is that alternatives are better than plastic. Various materials have their place in various applications. I think most of the studies that we have come across – and most of the scientific work – is showing that plastic packaging solutions have the best life-cycle assessment.” It’s a radical, though realistic, perspective. The challenge comes with ensuring the creation of a proper circular economy – and that, by extension, the plastic does not continue devolving into waste.
“When we look at the waste characterisation studies for our projects,” Kolesch continues, “it differs depending on the socio-economic level of the community that you’re engaging with. The reality is that plastic waste is usually about 15– 20% of the waste stream coming out of a typical household. Despite being about a fifth of the actual waste, it is highly visible and leads to the conception that plastic waste is a bigger problem than it is; the reality is there’s a waste management problem.
“What is critical is understanding effective waste management and implementation of end-to-end solutions. That is why there has been a focus in a number of our projects to create a basic level of waste management for a community. Then, we look at how to make use of what we can recover through this system, whether recycled or upcycled, but focus on raising the amounts, and apply these to
Packaging & Converting Intelligence /
www.pci-mag.com
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