WASTE PLASTICS RECYCLING A GOOD PRACTICES GUIDE

BY AND FOR LOCAL & REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

Table 15: Distribution of waste plastics: packaging verses non-packaging

Packaging
Non-packaging
Total
kg/inh
kg/inh
kg/inh
Austria

7.0

4.3

11.3

Belgium

9.8

4.2

14.0

Denmark

12.2

4.9

17.1

Finland

4.6

2.5

7.1

France

7.1

1.7

8.8

Germany

7.9

1.1

9.0

Greece

5.2

0.6

5.8

Ireland

8.7

5.6

14.3

Italy

10.3

0.8

11.1

The Netherlands

12.9

4.2

17.1

Portugal

9.6

4.0

13.6

Spain

7.0

0.7

7.7

Sweden

10.6

0.7

11.3

United Kingdom

10.7

2.5

13.2

European Union

8.8

1.8

10.6

Norway

5.6

4.7

10.3

Switzerland

8.4

1.8

10.2

Western Europe

8.7

1.8

10.5

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Source: Taylor Nelson Sofres Data 2000

Packaging represents more than 80 per cent of the collectable waste plastics produced by those
sectors. For packaging, the European average is 8.7 kg/inh/year, with strong variation between
countries. The Netherlands is the highest waste producer for this category with 12.9 kg/inh/year,
while Finland is the lowest with only 4.6 kg/inh/year. The same source indicates that the most common polymers used for these packaging applications are LDHE and LDPE.
Table 16: Polymer types in packaging applications
LDPE/HDPE
PP
Stretch and shrink film for goods

Heavy duty bags

Crates, pallets, pails, boxes

Drums and containers

PS/EPS

Source: Taylor Nelson Sofres Data 2000

38- Includes the data of Luxembourg

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WASTE PLASTICS RECYCLING A GOOD PRACTICES GUIDE

BY AND FOR LOCAL & REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

It is important to note that in contrast to household packaging, commercial/ industrial packaging

has a higher rate of re-use; pallets, crates, drums and heavy-duty bags may all be specifically
manufactured for re-use. In Belgium, it is estimated that for each kg of one-way industrial plastic
packaging, there is an equivalent 3.5 kg of reusable industrial plastic packaging. Reusable packaging
is easier to collect and to recycle than one-way packaging because it:
is homogeneous (and clean flow)
often retains an economic value
remain in the same distribution circuit (no geographical dispersion)
can be recycled for the same applications, which avoids the search of new outlets
However, the material/product which plastic drums and other containers package may prevent the
material from being recycled, i.e. when it is used to package hazardous substances. In such cases,
mechanical recycling is not recommended (and even prohibited in some countries) leaving feedstock
or energy recovery the best environmental option.
Barriers to recycling
The main barriers affecting commercial and industrial waste plastics concern commercial and
distribution films and EPS, as opposed to rigid plastic applications, such as pallets, drums and crates
(with the exception of containers used for the packaging of hazardous substances).
Commercial and distribution films are mainly LDPE (stretch and shrink wrap) and HDPE (bags and
sacks). Barriers towards recycling include:
down-gauging
low weight/volume ratio
The main features that makes the recycling of commercial and industrial films attractive is that the
waste is relatively homogenous, clean and is concentrated amongst a limited number of outlets.
Packaging weight reduction, or down-gauging reduces the thickness and therefore weight of the
film, in order to optimise resource efficiency. However, as the films become thinner, and weigh less,
collection and recycling efficiency may be compromised.
For EPS, the main barriers are associated with the low volume to weight ratio of the material and
the costs involved in collection and transport if efficient systems are not established. Contamination
is also an important issue and usually only clean, dry label-free material is accepted.

Agriculture
The use of plastics in agriculture has grown dramatically in recent years. It has replaced glass in
greenhouses and become the material of choice for many packaging applications; it is also used
widely for animal food conservation (silage) and agricultural (crop cover) applications.
Although agricultural plastics account for just 2.5 per cent , 953,000 tonnes, of the total plastics
consumed in Europe in 2002, they have a pivotal role to play in this sector. Plastics-based irrigation
and drainage systems provide effective solutions to crop growing. For example, in the Almeria
region of Southern Spain, plastics-based irrigation systems, greenhouses and films have helped
boost horticultural output three-fold. Plastics growth between 2000 and 2002 in this sector was 3
per cent.

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