Weekly Bulletin on Circular Waste Management in Africa and OECD countries #19-2024

South Africa

·?????? Circular South Africa (CSA) organized the Circular Finance Dialogue promoting financial mechanisms conducive to green and circular business models, coinciding with the unveiling of CSA’s new website. Fetola led a discussion on Finance for Green and Circular Business Models in South Africa, offering valuable insights into the financial landscape, and a detailed overview of various green and circular impact funds and support services available through the organization, providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of available resources and opportunities in the sector. More to read: https://circularsouthafrica.co.za/csa-library-item/summary-report-circular-finance-dialogue-and-website-launch/

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·?????? Webinar on Showcasing technologies to address mine water challenges. More to read: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J2jRCLVFTduF3kQHY1EqeQ#/registration

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·?????? There is a need for representative national food waste studies according to UNEP Food waste index report. More to read: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/45230

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·?????? WWF South Africa commissioned a report to find out exactly what those socio-economic impacts might be, and contrary to popular perception, the results showed major benefits. More to read: https://www.wwf.org.za/our_research/publications/?46782/Plastic-bans-and-phase-outs-in-SA

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France

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·?????? France and its circular economy and fight against waste law has established several funding mechanisms to finance the repair activities of different products such as E products, toys, sports and leisure items and Do it yourself and garden items, textiles and footwear sector, and the furniture. These funds contribute to extending the lifespan of products and are thus part of a circular economy logic, allow reduce waste production, limit resource consumption and participate maintaining and developing local jobs. The funds are financed by a portion of the extended responsibility of producers. The objective of the repair fund is, for a broken product outside of warranty (HG), to reduce its repair cost; cost borne by the user, encouraging the latter to favor the repair of the product, rather than its abandonment for waste collection and its possible replacement. In order to benefit from assistance from the fund, the consumer must pass by a repairer certified by the sector's PROs. More to read: https://www.actu-environnement.com/media/pdf/news-38076-etude-ademe-fonds-reparation.pdf

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·?????? the sustainability index will be rolled out to two product categories: TVs and window and top washing machines. For these categories concerned, it will replace the repairability index. The calculation of the sustainability index for each product model is based on?two families of criteria: One relating to the?repairability?of equipment, which takes into account the accessibility of technical documentation, the ease of disassembly, as well as the availability and price of spare parts; The other relates to the?reliability?of the equipment, which takes into account in particular resistance to stress and wear, ease of maintenance and servicing, as well as the existence of a commercial guarantee and a quality process. The sustainability index is calculated from these two scores, and is expressed as an overall score, from 0 to 10. The information will be made available to the consumer by the seller at the time of purchase and, if they are not the same, by the manufacturer on request, for each model concerned. More to read: https://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/indice-durabilite

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·?????? International, national or regional organizations recommend prioritizing the secondary mine (valorization of the metal resources contained in discarded products) over the primary mine (valorization of the metal resources contained in the ores). In this context, the secondary mine and associated concepts are regularly presented as an alternative model to maintain current socio-economic paradigms while reducing resource consumption and the associated environmental footprint. This volume evaluates this assertion in light of the?realities of secondary value chains?(reuse, remanufacturing and recycling)?and waste management measures?(hierarchy of R, including reduction). The effectiveness of these sectors and measures in terms of reducing environmental impacts and in terms of "circularity" is analysed in order to discuss the merits of prioritising them in relation to the primary mine. This study also describes the technical and economic factors that explain why secondary supply is currently insufficient to meet metal demand and highlights the?levers that could be activated so that?the latter trend is reversed in the future, i.e. secondary?mining accounts for a substantial share of metal production. More to read: https://www.systext.org/node/2064

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·?????? Free take-back of waste collected on construction sites: launch of the ACTION study . The OCAB, the coordinating body of the PMCB EPR sector for which 4 eco-organisations (Ecomaison, Ecominéro, Valobat, Valdelia) are approved by the public authorities, launched an experiment called "Action Study" at the beginning of 2024. The objectives?of the action study are: To measure the effectiveness of the free take-back system from the sites according to the characteristics of the sites; To deduce, where applicable, the relevant thresholds of eligibility for the free take-back of waste from the sites according to the characteristics of the sites; Calibrate the means of its implementation according to local practical realities. More to read: https://oca-batiment.org/actualites/reprise-sans-frais-des-dechets-collectes-sur-les-chantiers-du-batiment-lancement-de-letude-action/

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·?????? The government has recently presented to the primary stakeholders four?policy options?to improve collection and recycling performance. Bonuses and penalties could apply to local authorities and/or PROs. Currently, PROs and local authorities are linked by a standard collection and sorting contract, based on a downstream financing support system defined by specifications. As part of this system, communities are supported to each ton recycled (via a unit rate support in €/t oriented towards recycling), so as to cover 80% net costs of an optimized collection and sorting system. The current system also provide for a complementary support based on the recycling performance with the aim of financially rewarding more efficient communities that exceed an average recycling rate. The four possibilities discussed are (i) Addition from 2024 of a new financial support system to support communities who engage in performance improvement actions, (ii)? From 2025, introduction of penalties on collection performance, (iii) maintaining the framework relating to bonus support for recycling performance (Spr) of communities and (iv) Incentive measures for PROs. More to read: https://dechets-infos.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Emballages-orientations-cadre-incitatif-avril-2024.pdf

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·Located in Kedange-sur-Canner, in Moselle, the family-owned Semin group has announced the launch of its new insulation called Bref. It is aimed at plasterers. What makes it special? "Our desire with this insulation was above all to offer an eco-sourced, efficient and durable insulation," explains Caroline Semin, the manager of the industrial company with 900 employees and a turnover of 250 million euros. The insulation is made from recycled, 100% recyclable plastic bottles that are sorted, washed and then flakes. From these, polyester fibers are made which are transformed into polyester wadding. It is precisely this wadding that is the insulator Bref. According to Semin, it would take 20,000 recycled plastic bottles to insulate a 120-square-meter home. More to read: https://enviropro-salon.com/fr-fr/nancy/actualites-le-groupe-Semin-lance-son-nouvel-isolant-a-base-de-bouteilles-en-plastique-recyclees

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·?????? Elevator manufacturer KONE wants to systematize reuse; Growing demand in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. The world of elevators, automatic doors and escalators is playing the circular economy card, to reduce its impact on resources and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Among the pioneering companies, KONE France launched its first action in 2023 around non-destructive dismantling and reuse. Today, its spare parts sales platform offers several references of reused components. For the past four years, the French subsidiary of the Finnish elevator manufacturer KONE has been making a major shift in its business: favouring modernisation rather than the complete replacement of equipment, when possible. In other words, replace old or worn parts and components and leave what works in place. To date, a quarter of the lifts in France are over 40 years old. In this case, they are most often completely replaced by less energy-consuming equipment. The rest of the fleet is eligible for the modernization and reuse of certain parts. At the end of an experiment on several sites . More to read: https://lecho-circulaire.com/lascensoriste-kone-veut-systematiser-le-reemploi/

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EU & Other countries

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·?????? Policy interventions to improve pricing transparency in recycled plastics markets: Considerations on a country level. This article is the last of our five-part series, and discusses the effectiveness of policy interventions in improving pricing transparency in four countries’ recycled plastics supply chains. More to read: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/policy-interventions-improve-pricing-transparency-recycled-juline-lew-kf0pc/

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·?????? France is the biggest contribution to this EU contribution based on non-recycled plastic waste (almost 4% of the 2022 EU budget). Since 1 January 2021, each Member State has paid an additional contribution of around EUR 0.80 per kg of non-recycled plastic. It is not, strictly speaking, a tax, as each Member State is free to create its own instruments to collect the amount of this contribution. In its 2018 project, the European Commission estimated the annual envelope generated by this resource at EUR 6.6 billion, with France being one of the largest contributors (EUR 1,3 billion/ year). A flat annual reduction is granted to 17 countries with per capita GNI below the European average in 2017. More to read: https://www.touteleurope.eu/fonctionnement-de-l-ue/budget-europeen-quelles-ressources-propres-pour-l-union-europeenne/

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·?????? The report?Plastic Treaty Futures?provides negotiators with a comprehensive analysis of distinct scenarios for the legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. Through detailed modelling, it illustrates the?environmental and economic ramifications of varying levels of intervention and the stark contrast between action and inaction. The findings reveal that comprehensive measures spanning the?full plastic lifecycle, supported by international collaboration,?are not only essential for significantly reducing mismanaged plastic waste and greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, but also economically advantageous. The report advocates for a balanced approach that addresses the need for both environmental stewardship and economic efficiency, aimed at lighting a path towards meeting the objective of?ending plastic pollution?set by United Nations Environment Assembly Resolution 5/14 and?ensuring a sustainable future. More to read: https://www.systemiq.earth/reports/plastictreatyfutures/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=Circularity&mkt_tok=MjExLU5KWS0xNjUAAAGTASLdjGTdddHO8tHlngnxH8toepGUngqFrdeMFOBZ7vVPa6-SINCmKAJN6qt-90hTEaSlXuqwIoHq7WDzMCRpBKaoM5pQy_KLUI8tIK7kV-rGDdg

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·?????? Dutch tech research institute TNO has developed a new method it says could drastically transform the landscape of electronics recycling. With an increasing trend towards integrating electronics with plastics across various sectors, from automotive components to household appliances, the challenge of recycling and repair has become more complex. But TNO says it now has found a solution which is based on an innovative disassembly technique. Electronics can be detached from their carriers at the end of a product’s life cycle, facilitating ‘efficient’ recycling and repair processes. TNO’s ‘breakthrough’ hinges on the use of a water-based layer that facilitates the disassembly of printed electronics. Applied between the electronic circuitry and the outer plastic layer during manufacture, this solution withstands rigorous testing conditions and demonstrates resilience against humidity and high temperatures. Moreover, the flexible nature of the water-based layer ensures the safe removal of plastics without compromising the integrity of the electronic components. More to read: https://recyclinginternational.com/commodities/plastics-recycling/scientists-claim-breakthrough-separating-plastics-from-e-scrap/56913/?utm_source=nieuwsbrief&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=05/06/2024&utm_source=Eisma+Industriemedia&utm_campaign=f006e063cb-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_04_24_12_20&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_978429473f-f006e063cb-[LIST_EMAIL_ID]&goal=0_978429473f-f006e063cb-223538096&mc_cid=f006e063cb&mc_eid=161eac9929

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·?????? Recommendation of the Council on Transparency and Integrity in Lobbying and Influence. The purpose of this Recommendation is to set out principles on transparency and public integrity at the interactions between government and lobbying and influence actors in democratic systems, and provide guidance on how governments can restrict undue influence on government policies and increase equity in stakeholder participation, by building or strengthening a coherent, comprehensive, effective and enforceable transparency and integrity system in public decision-making processes, and ensuring effective implementation and compliance. It does not cover influence activities exercised by foreign governments through formal diplomatic channels, communications between public authorities, as well as the provision of legal advice and representation by lawyers or any other professionals when advising clients about administrative or judicial proceedings. More to read: https://legalinstruments.oecd.org/en/instruments/OECD-LEGAL-0379

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·?????? Food Waste Index Report 2024. Think Eat Save: Tracking Progress to Halve Global Food Waste. More to read: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/45230

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·?????? As of 1 January 2021, a contribution based on the non-recycled plastic packaging waste is introduced as a new revenue source to the 2021-2027 EU budget. A uniform call rate of €0.80 per kilogram will be applied to the weight of plastic packaging waste that is not recycled, with a mechanism to avoid excessive contributions from less wealthy Member States. The French contribution was about 1,3 billion in 2023 (700 million from non-recycled plastic packaging. More to read: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/eu-budget/long-term-eu-budget/2021-2027/revenue/own-resources/plastics-own-resource_en

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·?????? According to the?ENB summary report?of the meeting, key areas of divergence related to the scope of the agreement, provisions on primary plastic polymers, how to address chemicals and polymers, and how to address linkages to existing processes. Financing and extended producer responsibility (EPR) were also among contested issues. Delegates worked in five Subgroups throughout the seven-day period, basing their negotiations on a Revised Draft Text compiled after their deliberations at INC-3. At this meeting, some areas of convergence, or “low hanging fruit,” emerged, including on provisions addressing plastic waste management and just transition.? More to read: https://sdg.iisd.org/news/future-treatys-scope-emerges-as-the-most-intractable-issue-at-inc-4/

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·?????? Packaging waste from the Norwegian fishing industry in washing up on the Thai beach of Koh Samui. It is estimated that the Norwegian fish exporters produce 65 million Styrofoam boxes every year , and the fact that many ends up in Thailand has made big environmental organizations speak out. “It is a shame that Norwegian companies, which like to appear sustainable, contribute to worsening the plastic pollution in other countries,” secretary general of the WWF World Nature Fund, Karoline Andaur told NRK. “It is not the responsibility of Thai waste workers to clean up after Norwegian seafood exporters.” https://scandasia.com/norwegian-trash-on-thai-beaches/

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·?????? Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR)after the ok of the EU Parliament. The Ecodesign Regulation introduces eco-design requirements and minimum standards for durability, repairability, energy efficiency and recycling of goods, tackling premature obsolescence practices. The digital product passport was also created as a tool for transparency and traceability. The reg ?expands the scope of products to which it applies (before it was focusing on energy-related products), in order to improve their circularity, energy performance and other aspects of environmental sustainability. It also facilitates the tracking of substances of concern along the supply chain. Ecodesign requirements should improve the following aspects of the product: durability, reliability, reusability, upgradability, repairability, possibility of maintenance and renovation, presence of substances of concern, energy use and energy efficiency, water use and water efficiency, resource use and resource efficiency, recycled content, the possibility of remanufacturing, recyclability, the possibility of recovering materials, environmental impacts, including carbon footprint and environmental footprint and the expected generation of waste. ?The reg will prioritise the following product groups: iron and steel, aluminium, textile products, in particular clothing and footwear, furniture, including mattresses, tyres, detergents, ?paints, lubricants, chemicals, energy-related products and information and communication technology products and other electronic devices. More to read: https://economiacircolare.com/regolamento-ecodesign-cosa-prevede-ok-parlamento-ue/

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·?????? As it stands, roughly 15% of all food produced is wasted at the farm stage, according to WWF’s recent? Driven to Waste?report. For farmers, this has meant the immediate loss of profits and reduced productivity in farmland over time. WWF’s Food Loss & Waste team is launching a new study that examines the early results of producers’ transition to regenerative practices on local ecosystems, farm profitability, and in-field food loss. With the support of The Kroger Co. Zero Hunger, |Zero Waste Foundation, WWF and partner researchers will explore regenerative farming techniques and their impact on yield rates and cost savings over the next two years. By analyzing the efforts among farmers pioneering the transition to regenerative, WWF will delineate the impacts of circular farming for growers interested in making the shift. Regenerative agriculture has the potential to revitalize ecosystem services and help reduce on-farm food loss and waste. To date, there has been limited research into how the farming methods associated with regenerative agriculture can reduce these adverse effects – and WWF aims to fill this gap. ?More to read: Embedding Circularity in the Path to Regenerative | Blog Posts | WWF (worldwildlife.org)

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·?????? The integration of Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) materials in product packaging. More to read: https://meyers.com/meyers-blog/pcr-cosmetics-packaging-examples-trends/ ?and Meyer E book on EPR: https://meyers.com/extended-producer-responsibility-ebook/

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·?????? Chemists can now separate four common plastics at once. Will it work as well outside their lab? A new process for breaking down mixed plastics at the molecular level shows promise, but other researchers and health advocates remain skeptical. More to read: https://www.ehn.org/plastic-chemical-recycling-research-2668087986.html?vgo_ee=y4ItpXf4NmyiyGMp8wlvOOIOMrfSvGQtvMgo57zkL%2BP9MpN5YRQ4%3AtQO7bIeUZggyG%2BZAGNik%2B9aru9sLX1Fj

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·?????? Circularity Gap Report 2024 levels up with two policy briefs. Explore strategies for unlocking?circular jobs?in Europe and policies tailored for low- and middle-income countries to foster sustainable development. More to read: https://www.circle-economy.com/resources/circular-jobs-can-boost-a-just-transition-in-europe?mc_cid=46481322bc&mc_eid=166600fe42