Weekly Bulletin on Circular Waste Management in Africa and G20 countries

South Africa

·?????? Task team established to combat illegal waste sorting by trolley pushers. The Tshwane metro has established a multi-departmental task team to combat illegal waste sorting and dumping across the seven regions. The metro police department?and by-law enforcement officials will form a team that will regularly patrol the hotspots. More to read: https://www.citizen.co.za/rekord/news-headlines/2024/11/25/task-team-established-to-combat-illegal-waste-sorting-by-trolley-pushers/

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·?????? Coal ash liability can be asset for multiple industries. The University of the Western Cape Department of Chemistry’s Professor?Leslie?Petrik?has long worked on proving that the residue from coal?combustion can be used cost effectively to treat acid mine drainage (AMD), manufacture geopolymer-based cement, roof tiles, bricks and paving stones, as well as lintels,?fire-retardant panels and insulation?material. More to read: https://www.miningweekly.com/article/coal-ash-liability-can-be-asset-for-multiple-industries-2024-11-29

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·?????? The article describes a case study of two Disposable Diapers collection models that were tested in low-income subsections of the Langa township in Cape Town. The ‘drop-off’ model, where parents took DDs from home and deposited them at ECDs, performed well at the start, then tapered into a plateau. The ‘pick-up’ model using mobile carts steadily increased collections partly due to additional parents joining in who were not registered with an ECD and took advantage of its door-to-door convenience. Overall, the study confirmed that families in LMIC would separate DDs from other household waste and make them available for collection, particularly if it was made easy for them to do so. Measures that were conducive to this end included sustained motivation and reminders to participate, clear communication of the benefits and aims of the disposal scheme, leveraging trusted branding and the provision of accessible instructions and disposal resources. The study confirmed that DDs are difficult to manage for households living in low-income, high-density areas, and many diapers are dumped due to the unavailability of efficient waste management services. Safety and hygiene concerns, storage challenges, crime and cultural taboos contribute to undesirable disposal practices. The pilot study provides initial evidence that a convenience-based, community-based, and private sector-led collection system can support households (with various financial constraints) in disposing of DD waste responsibly instead of dumping it in open spaces. It indicates how support for diaper disposal systems can be enhanced by involving community institutions, providing viable short-term storage options, harnessing sustainable communication channels and leveraging trusted branding. It is recommended that this pilot study should be followed by a main study extending the geographical scope and time of the interventions. Policy options such as Extended Producer Responsibility] can support municipalities and communities to co-design tailormade options for a cleaner and healthier environment. More to read: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/10/1292

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France

·?????? While everything is ready for Eastman's investment of more than one billion euros for its chemical plastics recycling complex in Normandy, the American group has slowed down the pace of development. Faced with the risk of a European green light for imports of recycled plastics, the economic model is completely called into question More to read?: https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/eastman-pourrait-renoncer-a-son-usine-de-1-milliard-d-euros-pour-le-recyclage-chimique-de-plastiques-en-normandie.N2223052?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=info_la-quotidienne&email=92872352&idbdd=56559

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·?????? A necessary first step in combating plastic pollution. The proposed law aims to ban plastic bottles smaller than 50 cl starting from January 1, 2027. Similar to other measures taken by France to ban certain single-use plastics, this prohibition is part of the trajectory to phase out single-use plastic packaging by 2040, as outlined in the 2020 Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy (AGEC) law. More to read?: https://www.zerowastefrance.org/interdiction-bouteilles-plastique-petit-format/

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·?????? Draft order laying down specifications for PROs, individual systems and coordinating bodies in the extended producer responsibility sector for single-use sanitary textiles referred to in 21° of Article L.541-10-1 of the Environmental Code and falling under category 1° of III of Article R.543-360. More to read: https://www.consultations-publiques.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/projet-d-arrete-portant-cahiers-des-charges-des-a3101.html?lang=fr

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·?????? Accounting for the reuse of packaging in France. Revised Methodologies for accounting for reuse and reuse of packaging. Producers affected by the reuse obligations must monitor their packaging data annually. The study identified?accounting methodologies?that allow producers to?track their packaging data?and calculate their annual proportion of reused packaging placed on the market. More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/economie-circulaire-et-dechets/6120-comptabilisation-du-reemploi-des-emballages-en-france.html

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·?????? EPR tobacco: the Council of State validates the measures to combat abandoned cigarette butts. The Council of State rejects an appeal against the specifications of the tobacco EPR. The State can impose a target for reducing abandoned cigarette butts and the calculation of the costs of cleaning these cigarette butts is justified, according to the High Court. In a decision of 25 November, the Council of State rejected an appeal filed by tobacco producers against the November 2022 specifications of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) tobacco sector. The ministry had the right to set Alcome, the sector's eco-organisation, a target for reducing abandoned cigarette butts, according to the judge (1). And the scale for financing the costs of cleaning up abandoned cigarette butts is also in line with the law. More to read: https://www.actu-environnement.com/ae/news/rejet-recours-cahier-charges-rep-tabac-45136.php4#xtor=AL-68

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·?????? The all-recycling path is "certainly not feasible": masterful demonstration by the SGPE which explains that the reduction of plastic consumption is a "health and economic necessity".? ? The current mechanical recycling capacities are only used at 65%; The maximum collection/sorting efficiency is estimated at 70%, which automatically caps the recycling performance- Several hundred million euros have already been committed by the State to increase capacity by 2030 (chemical and mechanical recycling); Once all these projects are in place, the capacity is estimated at between 1.5 Mt and 1.9 Mt, for a production of 800kt to 1 Mt of MRP. And a clear conclusion: "Any strategy that does not seek to reduce the deposit is costly in terms of investment, in impacts with low chances of success; the best way forward is to reduce the plastic in circulation while optimizing the existing mechanical recycling capacities . More to read: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/floreberlingen_extrait-pr%C3%A9sentation-sgpe-juillet-2024-activity-7266739759530524672-nqFk/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

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·?????? The principles of the European waste regulations are set out in Directive 2008/98/EC as amended by directive 20218/851/EC. They have been transposed into French law, and integrated mainly into the Environmental Code. The principles of REACH are set out in European Regulation No. 1907/2006 and do not need to be transposed into national law. The objective of the REACH regulation is to ensure the control of risks during the different phases of the life cycle (from production to use) of chemical substances. Waste is excluded from the scope of REACH, unless it loses its waste status (exit from waste status) by entering a recovery process, in which case the recovered substance fully reintegrates into the REACH Regulation and its associated obligations. It should be noted that this guide only applies on condition that these materials have been removed from the status of waste). In the absence of a waste status (DSL) end-off, the material remains subject to waste regulations and not to REACH. More to read: ?https://reach-info.ineris.fr/focus/interface-reachdechets

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·?????? The NFU 44-051 standard was created at the end of 1974, and it will be given a facelift to be updated. A short (non-exhaustive) historical tour of this standard and its challenges. This standard is called "Organic Products. Organic amendments. Names, specifications and markings". In particular, it prescribes the levels to be declared and the limit doses for the use of organic amendments with and without fertilisers. In particular, it is mandatory to recycle bio-waste and sell it as organic amendments on the market. More to read: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/la-norme-nfu-44-051-50-ans-hugo-les-d%C3%A9cheticiens-gdebe/

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·?????? In France, 30% less waste in landfills since 2010. The landfilling of French waste is decreasing, the Ministry of Ecological Transition said. This does not mean that there are fewer of them, but that waste is more often incinerated or recycled. More to read: https://www.liberation.fr/environnement/en-france-30-de-dechets-en-moins-dans-les-decharges-depuis-2010-20241003_YGWOHR6ZERGWFNSQDIT6NCKN7I/

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·?????? Moving away from disposable plastic. The law provides for the end of the marketing of single-use plastic packaging by 2040. To achieve this, reduction, reuse, reuse and recycling targets will be set by decree. These objectives are spread over four periods, allowing for a gradual rethinking of the use of single-use plastics: 2021-2025 ; 2025-2030 ; 2030-2035? and 2035-2040. This measure has a profound impact on our consumption patterns, because we very regularly use single-use plastic products: tubes of cream or toothpaste, cans of detergent or household products, shampoo bottles, etc. It is also a strong measure for the industry. More to read: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/loi-anti-gaspillage-economie-circulaire#:~:text=La%20loi%20pr%C3%A9voit%20la%20fin%20de%20la%20mise,r%C3%A9emploi%20et%20de%20recyclage%20seront%20fix%C3%A9s%20par%20d%C3%A9cret.

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·?????? Including Extended Producer Responsibility in the International Treaty on Plastic Pollution. Citeo is continuing its advocacy for the integration of the Extended Producer Responsibility model into this Treaty, alongside nearly 50 PROs around the world. We tell you all about the challenges of this Treaty and our recommendations to fight effectively, and on an international scale, against plastic pollution. More to read: https://cdn.citeo.com/mkt/CITEO_DRI/2024_04_11_EPR_GENERAL_PRINCIPLES_AND_INTERNATIONAL_CASES_PRO_COALITION_CITEO.pdf

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·?????? Fil & Fab est?la filière fran?aise?de revalorisation des?filets de pêche usagés. More to read?: ?https://www.fil-et-fab.fr/

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·?????? EPR sector Building waste: a decree relaxes the take-back obligation of distributors. More to read: ?https://www.banquedesterritoires.fr/filiere-rep-dechets-du-batiment-un-decret-assouplit-lobligation-de-reprise-des-distributeurs.

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·?????? Wood waste represents a key resource for the circular economy in France and can be reused, recycled mainly for the production of panels or recovered into energy in adapted industrial units. In this context, ADEME unveils the results of its new study on "The deposit of wood waste in the wood energy?sector", including a detailed mapping of material and energy recovery flows and potentials. This work is part of an approach aimed at strengthening recycling and the use of available resources, while avoiding landfilling. More to read: https://presse.ademe.fr/2024/11/valorisation-des-dechets-de-bois-un-levier-essentiel-pour-leconomie-circulaire.html

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EU & Other countries

·?????? Interesting report out of the US investigating the current state of PET packaging and polyester textile circularity and presenting scenarios for potential progress until 2040. Total 2022 US consumption of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for packaging and textiles was 9.4 MT, split 40/60 btw. packaging & textiles i.e. polyester textiles. More to read: ?https://www.systemiq.earth/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Systemiq-Transforming_PET_Packaging_and_Textiles_in_the_United_States_EN.pdf

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·?????? Calculate the overall environmental impact of your textile products. according to the PEF method adopted by the European Union for the new Product Ecodesign Regulation* (ESPR). More to read: https://www.glimpact.com/european-global-impact-score

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·?????? Spain to introduce deposit return scheme for plastic bottles. The Spanish government confirmed it failed to meet the 70% separate collection rate for plastic bottles in 2023. It is now mandated by law to introduce a deposit return scheme. More to read: https://www.sustainableplastics.com/news/spain-introduce-deposit-return-scheme-plastic-bottles?utm_source=breaking-news&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20241125&utm_content=article1-headline

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·?????? Untangled The plastics treaty’s critical role in tackling fishing gear Policy briefing for the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee for UNEA 5/14. More to read: https://www.oceancare.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/briefing-untangled-plastics-treaty-fishing-gear_OC_2023_long.pdf

·?????? The?German?Federal?Environmental Agency?(UBA) has?published?its?assessment?of three?chemical recycling?technologies: pyrolysis, liquefaction, and gasification. The report was compiled by researchers at RWTH Aachen University and Hochschule Merseburg, on behalf of the UBA. More to read: https://www.packaginginsights.com/news/plastic-circularity-german-federal-environment-agency-presents-mixed-findings-on-chemical-recycling.html

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·?????? New Joint Research Centre report offers strategies to meet EU food waste reduction targets. The report offers evidence-based strategies to help stakeholders achieve 2030 food waste reduction targets. Drawing on a literature review, survey data on current interventions, and life cycle assessment insights, it provides guidance for designing effective and sustainable initiatives. More to read: https://data.jrc.ec.europa.eu/collection/id-00422

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·?????? Estimating food waste generated and packaging placed on the market at national level. A new report by the Joint Research Centre provides updated estimates of food waste generated in EU Member States at food group level. More to read: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC138277

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·?????? A policy paper. Simpler Recycling revision mandates separate collection of paper and card. New guidance establishes framework for maintaining commingled collections through TEEP assessments while setting four-container approach as default, marking a shift in England's recycling policy. More to read: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/simpler-recycling-in-england-policy-update/simpler-recycling-in-england-policy-update

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·?????? 2024 Recyclability by Design guidance offers new insights into material compatibility, life cycle assessments and product design. RECOUP has announced new updates to its Recyclability by Design?guidelines 2024 in preparation for the compliance and financial impact of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. More to read: https://resource.co/article/recoup-unveils-updated-recyclability-guidelines-ahead-epr-implementation

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·?????? The circular economy in motion. How Multilateral Development Banks are advancing the transition. Multilateral development banks have a key role to play in supporting and financing circular approaches. Recognising this, a group of these banks came together to discuss how to better support the circular economy and promote an exchange of knowledge with the private sector, civil society, and local, regional and national authorities. This report is a result of their work. It presents 20 case studies of from around the world that highlight the kinds of support being offered, such as advisory activities, public-sector lending, private-sector investments and backing to the financial sector. Sharing these experiences is important to identifying and adopting successful approaches that can be replicated and scaled up across the world. More to read: https://www.eib.org/en/publications/20240173-the-circular-economy-in-motion-2024?utm_source=mailjet&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=newsletter-1124&utm_content=20240173-circular-economy&utm_term=na_na&utm_id=2024-11-26_07_en

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·?????? Glass sector smashed by Government. British Glass has today accused the Government of shattering the UK glass sector after a controversial new packaging tax was passed by Parliament. Under the new packaging extended producer (pEPR) scheme, which shifts the cost of collection and sorting from local authorities to producers, heavier containers like glass will incur higher levies, meaning products in glass bottles and jars could be set have an additional cost in excess of 10p whereas products in plastic or metal containers will only have a marginal cost. Glass fees for beverage packaging will be around 49 times higher than other materials, less recyclable materials, leaving brands with no choice but to move away from using 100% recyclable glass products. More to read: https://www.britglass.org.uk/news-comment/glass-sector-smashed-government

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·?????? New Data on upcycling potential of food industry side-streams in Denmark. The latest catalogue explores 13 high-potential side-streams in Danish food production, showcasing how upcycling can reduce food waste, while unlocking economic and nutritional benefits. More to read: https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/food_waste/eu-food-loss-waste-prevention-hub/resource/show/7646

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·?????? Unpacking Reuse in Asia: A BRIEF REPORT FEATURING SELECT CASE STUDIES ON REUSE SYSTEMS FOR PACKAGING. More to read: https://www.no-burn.org/reuse-in-asia/

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·?????? Producer Responsibility for Packaging in Asia: Will It Stop the Sachets Polluting the Seas? Sachets remain a source of considerable plastic pollution in many countries, especially in Asia. ?More to read: https://www.dominichogg.com/hoggblog/epr-india-indonesia-philippines-vietnam-recommedations

·?????? BVRio is pleased to release the consolidated?Circular Credits Mechanism (CCM) Standard and Implementation Guidelines for Socially Inclusive Waste Recovery Activities.? The CCM offers a simple and fast financial mechanism to facilitate payments for environmental services that improve waste recovery and destination while also enhancing the work conditions in the base of the waste sector. More to read: https://www.bvrio.org/circular-credits-mechanism-standard-and-implementation-guidelines-for-socially-inclusive-waste-recovery-activities/

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·?????? On a mission to end ghost fishing and plastic pollution in our oceans, one biodegradable fishing net at a time. Catchgreen, in collaboration with Swedish-based GAIA Biomaterials, has developed a global first biopolymer to replace harmful plastics in the fishing industry. More to read: https://www.catchgreen.net/

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·?????? In UK, the EPR scheme administrator is contacting local authorities to share the Provisional Notice of Assessment and related guidance regarding the approach to adopt for effectiveness metrics in order to assess performance and to evaluate. The Assessment Notification will note the following: ? Indicative payment estimates that authorities should expect to receive in Year 1, When authorities will receive their payment and what the payment covers, The method used to calculate the payment estimate; and? details to enable authorities to contact us regarding the Assessment Notification.?More to read: ? https://www.gov.uk/guidance/extended-producer-responsibility-for-packaging-local-authority-payments

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·?????? Testing finds antimony in common beverages bottled in PET. Study carried out by?Defend Our Health?detects antimony above safe levels in 40% of tested beverages sold in PET bottles; antimony widely used as a catalyst to produce PET; calls on manufacturers to switch to widely available safer chemical alternatives, address the numerous hazardous substances that can migrate from plastics into food, chemical pollution in communities surrounding production sites. More to read: https://foodpackagingforum.org/news/testing-finds-antimony-in-common-beverages-bottled-in-pet

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·?????? Belgian retailers join forces for sustainable reusable packaging project. Albert Heijn, ALDI, Carrefour, Colruyt, Delhaize and Lidl are joining forces with the Reusable Packaging Coalition, a collaboration that will explore further opportunities around the reuse of packaging. In a first pilot project, they are making the switch to reusable packaging for mushrooms in the Mechelen region. More to read: https://www.comeos.be/pressrelease/901733/Les-retailers-belges-unissent-leurs-forces-pour-un-projet-d-emballages-reutilisables-durables

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·?????? Environmental benefits of valorising food waste into bio-based polyols for the production of polyurethane rigid foams. More to read: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352550924002860?via%3Dihub

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·?????? Stagnation in plastic recycling capacities - latest market data shows. The newest data1?points to a slowdown in the growth of Europe’s installed plastics recycling capacity. In 2023, the total capacity reached 13.2 million tons in EU27+32? which marks an increase of only 6% year-on-year, making it the lowest advancement since 2017. Until this point, capacities had doubled in only 5 years with an average growth of 17%, which reflects the sharp decline of the growth. More to read: https://www.plasticsrecyclers.eu/news/stagnation-in-plastic-recycling-capacities-latest-market-data-shows/

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·?????? US joins international agreement at COP29 to lower methane from organic waste. A new declaration builds on existing global methane commitments. Signatories pledged to develop steps to address organic waste as part of their climate action plans, which they will update?next year. Other signatories include Canada, Russia, Brazil, the United Kingdom and South Korea but notably does not include China or India, the world’s two largest methane emitters per the IEA. More to read: https://www.wastedive.com/news/cop29-reducing-methane-organic-waste-finance-agreement/733973/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202024-11-26%20Waste%20Dive%20Newsletter%20%5Bissue:68231%5D&utm_term=Waste%20Dive

·?????? The Norwegian Computing Centre has analysed the amount of plastic material bound and consumed in our current deposit-return system for beverage bottles (the Infinitum system) compared to a system where today's recyclable plastic bottles are replaced with reusable plastic bottles. ? In the current recycling system, deposited bottles are compressed in the reverse vending machine and transported for recycling, where the material is turned into new raw material (recycled PET plastic pellets) used for the manufacturing of new bottles.?In the reuse system, deposited bottles are not compressed in the vending machine. Instead, empty bottles are sorted into crates and trays by store personnel and returned via sorting centres to the beverage producer for inspection, washing, and refilling. Reusable bottles must be thicker than recyclable ones and require crates and trays for transport and storage. ??Key findings include: The reuse system consumes 38% more plastic and binds 4.8 times more compared to the recycling system. ?The recycling system align better with the waste hierarchy, which prioritizes waste reduction, reuse, and then recycling. Recycling plastic bottles consumes less material and, therefore, contributes best to reducing waste. - The reuse system demands significantly more plastic to maintain its circularity. Bound plastic refers to the amount of material that must always be in circulation within the system to keep it operational. This is a good measure of the resources needed to maintain a circular system. More to read: https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/kjell-olav-a-maldum-a6641115_report-calculating-tied-up-and-consumed-ugcPost-7266819718789943296-FuJH/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

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·????? Policy paper Plastic Waste Trade for “Recycling” A Symptom of Plastic Over–Production The Global Plastic Treaty Can Fix This. The brief looks at how plastic waste trade and plastic production are linked vis-a-vis state obligations under the Basel Convention, as well as how the Global Plastic Treaty, currently being negotiated to address the entire life cycle of plastics, should restrict plastic waste exports to meet the shared goals of the Basel Convention and the plastic treaty. The policy brief recommends that the new global plastic treaty lay down a new baseline of obligations to reduce plastic waste trade, which should only be allowed under strict criteria as follows: Plastic waste trade of all kinds is restricted, including those that are not included by HS Code 3915, or Basel listings B3011, A3210 and Y48, and can only take place for recycling only when the exporting country lacks the ability or resources to build its own capacity for domestic recycling. environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of wastes is required for all plastic recycling facilities which includes having official permits, reporting to ensure all waste fractions (inputs and outputs as recyclate or residuals) are accounted for in weight to prevent dumping, installing systems to contain microplastics and VOC emissions, ensuring proper downstream residual waste management, and conserving water. 3. Prior Informed Consent (PIC) is required for all countries and for all plastics as the default trade control procedure. 4. Exports are banned for all plastic wastes moving from Basel Convention Annex VII (OECD members, EC [now EU] and Liechtenstein) to non-Annex VII countries. 5. All plastic wastes are considered as hazardous waste unless it can be demonstrated conclusively otherwise. More to read: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qkj4NMQhSrnw1G4NDUA--hmylVbK6ojU/view

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