Weekly Bulletin on Integrated Waste Management & Circular Economy in Africa & France #04-2023

France

A technical and economic study of separate biowaste collection. This study provides an overview of local authorities that have implemented separate biowaste collection as of January 1st 2016, in order to determine success factors, watch points and technical and economic impacts on the waste management public service. It also aims at determining success factors and watch points to have in mind when reorganising a waste management public service. This study describes technical schemes chosen by local authorities engaged in separate biowaste collection (pre-collection equipment as well as collection conditions). It provides information about costs and performances depending on technical schemes chosen by local authorities and their context (including housing typologies). Local authorities that have dropped separate biowaste collection have also been interviewed in order to know the reasons. More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/1515/etude-technico-economique-cs-biodechets-201801-synthesis.pdf

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Comparative study of separate biowaste collection practices in urban areas: Feedback from Europe & World – synthesis. With this study, ADEME offers an overview of the separate collection practices of biowaste (more specifically food waste) in 13 large cities in Europe and North America. What are the difficulties encountered, the solutions found, the common points, what success factors, what lessons can we draw from them for French cities? More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/6918/comparaison-pratique-collecte-dechets-urbains-f367_synthese-anglais.pdf

European review of extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for lubricants. This study highlights the different mechanisms chosen by the European EPR lubricant schemes studied: to increase the collection rate, to promote regeneration and control the quality of waste oils, to promote prevention and eco-design, to control costs. After studying 8 EPR schemes, 5 countries were selected for in-depth analysis: Belgium, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/5535/european-review-epr-lubricants-report-2021.pdf and https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/5535/summary-european-review-epr-lubrifiants-2021.pdf

Feedback about implementation of the repairability index. The study focuses on a completely new system never introduced anywhere in the world that had been in force for less than a year when the interviews, focus groups and surveys used for it were conducted. It uses feedback from a wide range of stakeholders: retailers, manufacturers, associations and NGOs. More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/7262/ademe_rex_ir_rapport_ieic_odoxa_report.pdf

As part of its mission of fighting food losses and waste, the French Agency for the Environment and Energy Management (ADEME) led a study entitled, 'Food losses and waste, inventory and management at each stage in the food chain.' The report starts with a definition of food losses and waste, based on discussions that started around the National Pact Against Food Waste and the recent law against food waste. This definition enables us to identify sources of progress for tomorrow's food efficiency. It measures the global amount of food losses and waste generated by 26 food sectors, accounting for more than 80% of products consumed in France and at each step of the food chain. It specifies the estimated commercial value and the carbon impact in t/CO2 of these food products. This overall evaluation, within which we can see the share of each actor, does not only show that it is a shared 'responsibility' but that the actors depend on one another. By looking at the practices and behavior of each actor and the effect of one on another, this study identifies levers of progress and emphasizes individual or collective initiatives on the ground that can inspire each of us. More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/2220/food-losses-waste-inventory-management-2016-summary.pdf

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Packaging recovery in France - 2020 data Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste, as amended. This report presents the update, for 2020, of the data on the placed on?the market packaging?and?the management of packaging waste?as well as?the recycling and recovery rates?within the framework of the Packaging Directive. Indeed, Directive 94/62/EC establishes the EU rules governing the management of packaging. More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/7600/packaging_recovery_france_2020data.pdf

Preventing Waste. Waste prevention is of crucial importance for society. Reducing waste is the responsability of each and every individual, and calls for commitment and action by all.

The French National Waste Prevention Program 2014-2020 was adopted on 18 August 2014. More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/1804/preventing-waste_overview2016_010312.pdf

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VALORMAT. Recycling used mattresses and incorporating the recycled materials into applications with high added value. Project supported by ADEME as part of the circular economy Program (of the Investments for the Future Program - PIA). More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/recherche-et-innovation/2597-valormat-en.html

Innovative selective waste collection systems in dense urban areas. International benchmark study. Dense urban areas in France are currently facing significant challenges pertaining to management of specialised and bulky waste. The current classic system based on waste disposal centres has many limitations and must be reassessed. In particular, densely populated cities must adapt the way they organise waste collection by ensuring greater proximity to users while optimising collection of different types of waste in a limited environment. To enrich and stimulate discussion about possible solutions to these challenges, ADEME has launched research on the experiences of other countries that may be applicable to French situations. Based on an inventory and 12 case studies, the aim of the study is to identify and study the innovative collection facilities in dense urban areas in the industrialised countries in order to assess the possibility of transposing into dense French cities. More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/cadic/2160/innovative-selective-waste-collection-synthesis.pdf

Recycling of coating and adhesion products.?Benchmarking. Chemical products?are subject to an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme since 2012. Significant quantities of coating and adhesion?products such as adhesives, paints, polyurethane foams, varnishes, and coatings are placed on the market. Today, a large proportion of used products from this sector is not recycled but incinerated - with or without energy recovery. The French public authorities would like to see the EPR system for chemical products tend more to the recycling of certain products in order to promote a circular economy approach. Considering these facts, ADEME wanted to conduct?an international search, particularly in other industrialised countries, for existing solutions or initiatives for recycling these products. This international review aims to provide an overview of the spectrum of potentially recyclable products and to draw up a non-exhaustive inventory of the solutions currently in place and their levels of maturity. The study identified?mature recycling initiatives?for water-based paints and for polyurethane foams. The recycling of solvent-based paints is technically feasible with the same type of processes as for water-based paints but is not widely practised for economic reasons. Recycling initiatives identified for other types of used coating and adhesion products (adhesives, sealants, coatings...) only concern production waste for the moment. Within the EPR scheme, this report could be used to guide and support the reflections of public authorities and stakeholders towards increasing and improving the recycling of chemical products. This work could also contribute to future experiments and the development of recycling industrial solutions that are still emerging. More to read: https://librairie.ademe.fr/dechets-economie-circulaire/5967-recycling-of-coating-and-adhesion-products.html#/44-type_de_produit-format_electronique

Textiles waste is relatively small in terms of weight as compared to other waste streams, but it has a large impact on human health and environment, and its rate is increasing due to the ‘fast fashion’ model. In this paper, the authors examine the French national programme for managing post-consumer textiles and clothing through a case study research. France is the only country in the world implementing an extended producer responsibility (EPR) policy for end-of-use clothing, linen and shoes. The case highlights the benefits of using an EPR policy and provides interesting insights about the challenges faced by the textiles waste sector. More to read: https://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/sites/default/files/0734242x18759190.pdf

In the west of France, a start-up named Bysco recovers the waste of mussel farmers and transforms mussel byssus into textile fibers. More to read: https://in.fashionnetwork.com/news/Textile-fibers-can-now-be-produced-from-mussel-byssus,1437999.html

Within the waste hierarchy, the overarching principle behind EU and national waste policies, waste prevention is considered the most desirable option. More to read: https://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/waste/waste-prevention/countries/france-waste-prevention-country-profile-2021/view

Funding of the public waste management service: the tools developed by ADEME and its partners. ADEME and its partners have drawn up several guides dedicated to financing the public waste management service. Overview of the main options offered to local authorities. More to read?: https://expertises.ademe.fr/professionnels/collectivites/integrer-lenvironnement-domaines-dintervention/dechets/maitriser-couts-ajuster-financement/financement-service-public-gestion-dechets-outils-developpes-lademe-partenaires

South Africa

The National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA) in collaboration with the Limpopo Department of Economic Development and Tourism (LEDET)?is set to host an event (07/02/2023) to share the impact that has been made in the past three years through a waste minimization program in the province. More to read: https://www.industrialefficiency.co.za/2023/01/26/invitation-to-limpopo-industrial-symbiosis-programme-lim-isp-impact-sharing-event-2/

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This South African pilot study applied the Pathways tool (The Breaking the Plastic Wave Pathways Tool (“Pathways”) is a free software application that analyzes the movement of plastic throughout the value chain to assess how much of it results in plastic polluting the land or water. Pathways enhances the analytical model behind Pew and SYSTEMIQ’s “Breaking the Plastic Wave” research by increasing its flexibility and analytical capabilities and implementing advanced trade-off analyses) to provide an evidence-based approach to improve plastics management and reduce plastic pollution of the environment. More to read: https://wasteroadmap.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/046-CSIR-Final_Report-Reducing-Plastics-Pollution-Pathways.pdf

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In the world

Renewable energy technologies, such as wind turbines, solar photovoltaic panels and batteries, are essential for Europe’s transition to climate neutrality. Deployment, maintenance and replacement of this infrastructure requires significant resources, including many substances included in the EU list of critical raw materials. Waste arising from end-of-life clean energy infrastructure is projected to grow up to 30-fold over the next 10 years, presenting significant opportunities to reduce consumption of scarce raw materials by recycling metals and other valuable resources back into production systems More to read: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/emerging-waste-streams-opportunities-and/emerging-waste-streams-opportunities-and

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Municipal waste accounts for 27% of total waste generated in the EU (excluding mineral waste). If not managed properly, it can have significant negative impacts on both human health and the environment. The 2020 EU circular economy action plan aims to halve the quantity of municipal waste not recycled or prepared for reuse by 2030, while all EU Member States must recycle or prepare for reuse at least 60% of their municipal waste by 2030. More to read: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/reaching-2030s-residual-municipal-waste/reaching-2030s-residual-municipal-waste

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Rethinking Plastics: Reducing the use of plastic waste in Vietnam and combating marine pollution. Financed by the European Union and the German Government, the project will officially end on 31 October. This regional project was launched in May 2019 and has been jointly implemented by GIZ (China, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand) and Expertise France (Vietnam, Singapore and Japan). The objective was to support the transition towards a more circular economy and the reduction of plastic and marine litter through capacity building activities, exchanges of good practices and by financing pilot projects. More to read: https://rethinkingplastics.eu/media/acfupload/brochure-rethinking-plastics-final-12092022_compressed.pdf

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The project aims to implement advisory services and pilot projects in close cooperation with regional, national and local partners. The project is funded by the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Implemented by (GIZ) and Expertise France, the report examines Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) within the context of the Philippines. In particular it will look at existing legal and policy frameworks and propose EPR options for applicable packaging types. More to read: https://rethinkingplastics.eu/media/acfupload/extended-producer-responsibility-options-for-packaging-in-the-philippines.pdf

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Despite decades of experience with Deposit Refund Systems (DRS) in some countries and sub-national markets, there are only a few instances where DRS is complemented by additional mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) policy instruments within the same sector. In light of increasingly ambitious collection and recycling targets, countries and sub-national governments are considering the use of a DRS for specific products in combination with other mandatory EPR policy instruments. This interplay of a DRS and other mandatory EPR policy instruments can lead to synergies, as it can improve the quality and quantity of recycling, enable reuse systems and incentivise eco-design. DRS also helps to address littering and influence consumer behaviour, which is difficult to address with other mandatory EPR policy instruments. This report identifies key insights that can guide the design and implementation of a DRS and its role in a broader policy mix including other mandatory EPR policies. More to read: https://www.oecd.org/publications/deposit-refund-systems-and-the-interplay-with-additional-mandatory-extended-producer-responsibility-policies-a80f4b26-en.htm