Food SCP Circular Economy Report Feb 2018

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European Food

Sustainable Consumption
& Production Round Table

ENHANCING THE CONTRIBUTION


OF THE AGRI-FOOD VALUE CHAIN
TO THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Version 1.0
19 February 2018
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Introduction and General Messages . . . . . 5

Success stories: how is the Circular


Economy implemented in the sector? . . . 7
1. Suppliers to agriculture 7
2. Farmers and agri-cooperatives 12
3. Food and drink industries 16
4. Packaging 20
5. End-of-life 26

How to further boost the circular


economy in the agri-food value chain. . . . . 30

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FOREWORD

The European Food Sustainable Consumption and Production Round Table (Food SCP RT) is
an international initiative whose vision is to promote a science-based, coherent approach to
sustainable consumption and production in the food sector across Europe, while taking into account
environmental interactions at all stages of the food chain. A key principle is that environmental
information communicated along the food chain, including to consumers, shall be scientifically
reliable and consistent, understandable and not misleading, so as to support informed choice.

Currently, the European Food SCP Round Table is composed of the following members:

Co-Chairing Organisation

European Commission

Supporting Organisations

EEA - European UNEP - United Nations


Environment Agency Environment Programme

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Members

ACE - The Alliance for COPA-COGECA ECPA EXPRA


Beverage Cartons and the European Farmers The European Crop Extended Producer
Environment and European Agri- Protection Association Responsibility Alliance
cooperatives

EUROPEN FEFAC FEVE


The European Organization European Feed The European Glass
for Packaging and the Manufacturers Federation Container Association
Environment

Flexible Packaging Europe Fertilizers Europe FoodDrinkEurope PFP


European Fertilizer European Primary Food
Manufacturers Processors Industry
Association Association

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INTRODUCTION AND
GENERAL MESSAGES

A sustainable, low carbon, resource efficient and competitive economy is a priority for Europe.
All this can be achieved with a more circular economy where the use of products, materials and
resources is optimised and the generation of waste is minimised. This would contribute to a
continuous positive development cycle to preserve and enhance our natural resources, optimise
them and minimise our risks.

The members of the Food SCP RT recognise the importance of the circular economy for the agri-
food value chain across Europe and are fully committed to facilitate this transition towards more
resource efficiency and the use of secondary raw materials.

The purpose of this report is to explain what the Circular Economy means for the agri-food value
chain by showing real examples, identifying barriers and challenges to further boost the circular
economy in the value chain, and to formulate recommendations for both sector operators and
policy makers.

The key issues where the agri-food value chain can make a difference in the circular economy include
the following:

∞∞Circular economy: Strengthening an existing concept in the agri-food value chain


Water, nutrients, soil or energy are key factors of production in the agri-food value chain. Fostering
the circular approach by enhancing productivity, while making efficient use of available natural
resources, brings about significant economic benefits. Indeed, the circular economy is about
optimising production and consumption systems and not only about reducing waste.

Any action from our sector to move towards a circular economy must not be at the expense of
food safety and food quality. The high and rigorous EU food and feed safety standards will remain
a priority for business operators and will not be compromised for the benefit of environmental or
economic gains.

∞∞Circular economy: An opportunity to enhance our innovation and competitiveness by


creating new business models
A focus on optimisation and reuse of resources allows new business models to emerge and
enhance the competitiveness of the EU agri-food value chain. For instance, the prospect of
using the residues from initial harvesting activities or co-products from primary raw material
processing in other business activities is promising and should be promoted. Circular economy is
a real opportunity to develop and efficiently manage alternative processes and products as well
as gain access to new markets.

Agri-food value chain operators are making efforts to implement applied research and to facilitate
the transfer of knowledge.
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It works effectively at every scale. Therefore, such an approach must also become attractive for
small and medium-sized businesses in order to make the most of their innovation potential to find
outlets for co-products and by-products. This would enable them to become more competitive,
maintain employment and create jobs to generate growth.

Research and innovation boost the circular approach by generating new ideas and by scaling
up existing ones. Hence EU legislation should promote further investment by EU and national
research, and innovation programmes.

∞∞Circular economy: An opportunity to further prevent and reduce food wastage


Preventing avoidable food losses and food waste at all stages of the supply chain is a key priority
for the members of the Food SCP RT and forms an important part of delivering a Circular Economy.
Food SCP RT members are committed to supporting the implementation of the UN Sustainable
Development Goals 12.3 to halve food waste by 2030. According to available estimates,
approximately one-third of all food produced in the world intended for human consumption is
1
lost or wasted . Food waste hence represents a missed opportunity to feed the growing world
population, a major waste of resources and a needless source of greenhouse gas emissions
that impacts climate change. Wasting food also means wasting resources and efforts put into
improving the sustainability of food production.

RT members are actively working to reduce food losses and waste in their operations and along
the food chain most effectively through innovative supply chain partnerships. RT members
therefore supports the EU Food Loss and Waste Platform for further identification of best
practices across the food supply chain which are crucial for its long-term sustainability and
contributes towards more sustainable food systems. Also, many good practices already exist (i.e.
the development of new outlets for some co- and by-products, campaigns addressing consumers
to better understand date marking, or in the packaging sector) and should be further promoted.

Moving forward the food supply chain has been calling for, amongst others, a supply chain
approach, the need for a measurement framework, raising awareness of information for
consumers and for food redistribution channels.

This report identifies further opportunities across the food supply chain to prevent food waste
and in doing so it aims to contribute towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals to halve
food waste by 50% by 2030.

∞∞Circular economy: Promoting continuous improvement of the environmental


performance of food and drink products
Environmental assessment tools, such as Life Cycle Analysis, play a crucial role in increasing the
efficiency of resources along the supply chain. The agri-food value chain is investing in finding
ways to streamline, harmonise and simplify eco-design and life cycle assessment for food and
drink products, such as the ENVIFOOD Protocol, which was developed, tested and validated by
the Food SCP Round Table. Currently, significant efforts are being devoted by food chain operators
2
to the Commission’s Environmental Footprint Pilot Tests , which includes a number of different
food and drink product groups, to test the practicability and possible uses of the environmental
footprinting approach.

1 FAO, 2011. Global Food Losses and Food Waste


2 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/ef_pilots.htm
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SUCCESS STORIES: HOW IS
THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY
IMPLEMENTED IN THE SECTOR?

1. SUPPLIERS TO AGRICULTURE
Introduction
The input industries that supply farmers with the nutrients, resources and energy that make
agricultural production possible are at the very beginning of the agri-food value chain. These inputs
come from a variety of sources and have gone through very different production cycles. Getting
the input dosage right is the first objective. A farmer, whether in arable or livestock production,
should receive the closest to the minimum required inputs that allow for an optimal agricultural
performance, in terms of production, food safety, and environmental impact. Resource efficiency is
an integral part of the circular economy strategy of supplier industries to agriculture. Secondly, the
strength of a supplier industry often lies in its ability to turn secondary raw materials into resources
that are at least of equivalent quality of resources resulting from primary production. Not letting
any resource go to waste in the fertilizer, food and feed chain is a strength that deserves more
recognition, as it is the essence of a sustainable bioeconomy.

Case studies

The fertilizer sector is at the forefront of the Circular Economy


The fertilizer sector, since its very beginning in the 19th century, has always been circular and based on
re-use and recycling, even if this has been forgotten over the years. Modern fertilizer industry started
indeed with the use of the by-product ammonia and has continuously incorporated a vast range of
by-products from various other processes during the past 100 years. For fertilizer manufacturers,
the principal objective of industrial recycling and symbiosis is to improve the production system
by optimizing resource use, closing material loops and minimizing emissions, thereby reducing
and possibly eliminating the dependence on non-renewable energy sources. This can be achieved,
for example, through focus on industrial networks, both local, regional and on a European level.
The fertilizer industry is therefore a highly circular economy, which is clearly illustrated by the re-
use of industrial by-products like ammonium sulfate (a co-product from the production of nylon)
and sulfur (a co-product created by refining oil and gas). These materials alone amount today to 10
million tonnes of materials annually, which are being re-injected in the fertilizer production – thus
avoiding the creation of new waste streams.

The recovery and re-use of nutrients from various waste streams is another major focus area of
the fertilizer industry. Recovered materials are injected back into the economy as ‘secondary raw
materials’ that can be traded and shipped just like primary raw materials. European fertilizer

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manufacturers in Europe are
playing an active role in research
and innovation to recover
and recycle valuable mineral
components from organic waste
streams and to integrate them
into their production processes.
Substantial research and testing is
being carried out to find new ways
to recycle nutrients, especially
phosphates, from waste streams
into high quality mineral fertilizers.

1. One such way is the crystallisation of struvite at wastewater treatment plants. Struvite contains
phosphate which is soluble in ammonium citrate, but not in water. For technical and quality
reasons, struvite cannot fully replace other sources of phosphate in industrial production, but it
can act as a secondary source.
2. Under certain conditions, ash from waste can also be used as a secondary source of phosphate.
Most promising is the use of ash from incinerated meat and bone meal. This ash is rich in
phosphates, is of high quality and can readily replace or be mixed with phosphate rock.

Crop protection measures to reduce quantitative and qualitative losses


There is a public perception that food wastage occurs only at consumer level, whereas in reality food
wastage consists of two types of wastage: food losses and food waste. According to the UN Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO): “Food losses refer to the decrease in edible food mass throughout
the part of the supply chain that specifically leads to edible food for human consumption. Food
losses take place at production, postharvest and processing stages in the food supply chain”.

Crop protection products and other plant science innovations boost crop yields, minimise pre-
and post-harvest losses and improve the efficient use of natural resources such as land, water and
energy. These products ensure that healthy, high quality, and affordable food reaches the consumer,
and that health and the environment are safeguarded.

Elements to be considered:

Pre-harvest Post-harvest

• Yield losses quantitative losses


• Storage non-perishable crops
(covered)
• Shelf-life perishable crops
• Qualitative losses (blemishes,
• Processing
mycotoxins etc. impacting post-
harvest performance)
Insects, molds/fungi, rodents/birds, bacteria
PPP contribution to reduce losses
PPP solutions include:
• Dusting, fumigation, spraying
• Seed treatment
• Enhancing crop quality (no blemishes,
increasing shelf-life)
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Another example of how the Crop Protection Industry enhances the contribution of the agri-food
value chain to the Circular Economy is its stewardship programme on container management in
Europe and in many other regions in the world.

Pesticide packaging plays an essential role in ensuring that crop protection products are safely
delivered to the farmers. Once the product is used, empty packaging becomes waste and needs to
be carefully managed to protect the health and the environment from unnecessary exposure. The
industry is taking its responsibility and has established various programmes promoting a life-cycle
approach to product management across all stage from product development to use and ultimately
appropriate management of empty containers.

Good container management includes:


∞∞the development of innovative packaging and container design to reduce packaging weight and
improve their emptying, rinsing and recycling. All of this without compromising the packaging’s
safety performance.
∞∞training of the farmers in their usage use like appropriate rinsing, storage and safe recovery
of the containers. Proper emptying and rinsing of containers is a crucial step of container
management as it allows the removal at the source of over 99.99% of the product before the
container becomes a waste. Rinsed pesticide containers are managed as non-hazardous waste
in most countries in Europe.
∞∞Collection of packaging waste in dedicated collection and recovery schemes. The industry has
established schemes in over 18 countries Europe and in 40 countries worldwide.
∞∞Recycling into safe applications for construction and industrial use, or, when no safe recycling
is locally not available, co-incineration in high-temperature facilities with energy recovery (e.g.
cement kiln).

Some of these collection and recovery schemes have extended their collection and recycling
activities to other plastic wastes from the agricultural sector, such as plastic films from mulching,
greenhouse and silage or plastic bags for fertilizer and seeds, providing another opportunity for
farmers in Europe to be active actors of the circular economy.

The Crop Protection Industry fully support the EU approach to circular economy and an enabling policy
framework that allows further development of these collection and recovery programmes without
impeding the recycling of the collected polymers into safe and controlled end-use applications.

Keeping food losses in the food chain through the feed use former foodstuffs
The compound feed industry has a tradition of using co-products that result from other industrial
processes, such as oilseed meals, beet pulps and brewer’s grains. In the last decade, there has been
a strong increase in the uptake of processed former foodstuffs. Former foodstuffs are foodstuffs
which were manufactured with the intention of being sold on the human consumption market,
but for commercial or logistical reasons are deviated to animal feed. The foodstuff can be broken,
incorrectly flavoured or shaped and often it concerns surplus production after certain festive seasons
(sports events, Christmas, etc.). Typical foodstuffs used are bread, biscuits, crisps, chocolates and
confectionary. In terms of animal nutrition, processed former foodstuffs can be considered to be a
fat-fortified version of common cereal grains thanks to the generally higher fat content while having
comparable starch content. In the formulation of complete feeds, where there are sometimes

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difficulties in handling fats and mixing them with other ingredients, and processed former foodstuffs
represent a valuable processing advantage given that the lipids are already part of the matrix. Also
the previously heat-treated (or cooked) starch can be speculated to be of relatively high digestibility
quality, which is of particular interest due to the limited capacity of piglets to digest raw starch.

The use of former foodstuffs in compound feed production brings down the reliance on feed
ingredients that require additional land, thereby also reducing the environmental footprint of
animal products. Food manufacturers are enabled to keep their food losses in the food chain through
feed for food-producing animals, preventing food waste. In this process, the food manufacturer
will ensure that surpluses still suitable for human consumption are also offered as donation to
food banks. Due to the irregular streams of food types and the fluctuating volumes, some former
foodstuff processors actually have food banks who face logistical challenges as suppliers. In former
foodstuff processing, the first priorities will always been feed safety and traceability, making clear
that environmental or economic gains can never be the leading factor.

Challenges and Recommendations


∞∞Clarify the non-waste status of materials like feed materials or industrial by-products
In compound feed production, a lot of co- and by-products from other industrial processes are used
e.g. soybean meal, citrus pulp and former foodstuffs. There are cases in EU Member States where
competent environmental authorities consider this type of resources to fall under the scope of the
Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC. Clarification that these materials are not ‘waste’ and
legislation on feed hygiene, marketing and traceability prevails would increase the legal certainty of
circular economy activities by the feed sector. The same uncertainty exists in the fertilizer sector, where
some industrial by-products are considered as waste in one EU Member State, but not in another
one. Only a clarification by the European Commission would facilitate the transition to the Circular
Economy, as well as the cooperation with the competent authorities at local, regional or national level.

∞∞Ensure consistency between EU policies on circular economy and renewable energy


Circular economy thinking is reflected in the EU policy on renewable energy production, however
when deciding over what feedstocks are eligible as an advanced biofuel, the legislator should
ensure this does not distort existing markets for feed. The feed market for former foodstuffs has
seen unduly subsidised competition from anaerobic digestion in the past, as part of stimulation
policies on advanced biofuels. Consistency across the policies would ensure food and feed outlets of
resources are not hindered.

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∞∞Reauthorise food-grade ruminant gelatine in feed for food-producing animals
The current prohibition on the use of ruminant gelatine in feed for food-producing animals prevents
the valorisation of ruminant gelatine containing former foodstuffs, such as sweets as certain pastry.
The reauthorisation could allow to further increase the amount of former foodstuffs processed into
animal feed.

∞∞Establish feed as a solution in the fight against food waste


Feed production makes a positive contribution to food waste reduction, given that safety is
guaranteed. In the methodology of food waste measurement, it should be highlighted that food
business operators can reduce the occurrence of food waste by opting for feed valorisation of their
feed-eligible former foodstuffs.

∞∞Nutrient recovery and re-use can only be successful with clear safeguards
The European Commission’s new Regulation on CE-marked fertilizing products aims at extending
the unrestricted movement of recovered nutrients on the internal market. The fertilizer industry
welcomes this approach as alternative sources of nutrients, especially phosphate, are welcome.
However, the agronomic efficacy of the secondary raw materials must be ensured. This means that
the use of recycled products as a component of a fertilizer should not be allowed if the nutrients
included in this recycled material are not available for the plant. The ultimate goal should be that
farmers in Europe always have access to high quality fertilizers, being composed of secondary
raw materials or not. In addition, the right balance should be struck as far as limits for organic
contaminants and pathogens are concerned, in order to guarantee soil health and food safety.
The legal requirements for contaminants must thus be based on science-based findings and a
comprehensive impact assessment.

∞∞The recycling potential of secondary raw materials should not be overestimated


3
Recent studies on major organic nutrient waste flows in the EU suggest that the scope for nutrient
recovery and re-use (NRR) is substantial. Large-scale RRN ventures based on nutrient waste
streams that are typically highly diverse, bulky, very diluted and geographically-dispersed, pose
major logistic, technical, HESQ (health, environment, safety and quality) and economic challenges.
Therefore, European decision-makers should agree on clear, harmonised legislation regarding the
use of ashes and struvite, and swiftly develop uniform End-of-Waste criteria.

∞∞Establish a harmonised methodology to measure environmental performance


The drive to foster circular economies should also lead to a business environment where sustainable
production initiatives can be measured and compared to each other with the help of a harmonised
environmental footprinting methodology and up to date data on feed formulations. It is important
to acknowledge the resource efficiency of state-of-the-art compound feed producers who compose
feed diets out of many different co- and by-products.

∞∞Circular economy is about more than recycling


A circular economy (for nutrients and other resources) begins by making sure that nutrients and
other resources are used efficiently, by limiting wastage and by avoiding leakages. The mineral
fertilizer industry is already strongly engaged in this process, aiming at an industrial symbiosis.
Ultimately, it is a challenge for the whole society, and other sectors producing waste streams (like
the livestock sector) should make similar efforts too.

3 2016 Report of the RISE foundation: http://www.risefoundation.eu/images/files/2016/2016_RISE_NRR_Full_EN.pdf


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2. FARMERS AND AGRI-COOPERATIVES
Introduction
Agriculture and forestry are based on natural cycles. Water, nutrients, soil, biomass, wind, and
solar energy are key factors for production. Indeed, fostering the circular approach by enhancing
productivity while making efficient use of available natural resources brings about significant
economic and environmental benefits.

The circular economy is a real opportunity to develop and efficiently manage alternative processes
and products as well as gain access to new markets. Practices can indeed be diversified and links to
new sectors and businesses can be established.

Farmers and agri-cooperatives in Europe want to actively contribute to further move towards a
more circular economy by integrating circular activities and natural cycles into existing and new
practices.

Case studies
Farmer’s sustainability interests will de facto have an effect on their choices – a farmer has no reason
to discard a product that has a value. This is why, adapting to market requirements, products that
do not meet the standards set out by legislation
or by the market and which cannot be used
directly for human consumption are used for
food processing. If that is not possible, they are
used for animal feed, for bio energy purposes or
for incorporation in the soil to increase the soil’s
organic matter content.

For farmers and agri-cooperatives, it is also


essential to make the most of their innovation
potential and seek outlets for co-products and
by-products. This in turn enables us to be more
competitive, maintain employment and create
jobs to generate growth in rural areas.

Feed: an example of a sector with a long tradition on the use of co-products and by-products
The animal nutrition has a long tradition and experience to use and valorise co-products and by-
products from many agri-food sectors (i.e. pulps, peels, seeds…) as feed ingredients i.e. pulps and
peels from the fruit and vegetables sector, seeds, molasses
and beet pulp beer grain. This is indeed a very good example
of good synergy between crop and livestock farmers,
cooperatives and other industrial processes showing the
value of producers closely connected to share the benefits of
resource-efficient activities.

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Fertilisers: another example of synergies to valorise and use co-products and by-products from the
agricultural sector
The use of agricultural by-products and co-products as organic fertilisers is also a very good example
of synergies between producers of different sectors to close the natural circle and enhance the
circular functioning of agriculture (i.e. Beet vinasse, vinasse from wine, manure, etc.).

Dairy cooperatives: how to valorise a dairy by-product and find new markets with the support of
research and innovation
A more recent and innovative example is the use and valorisation of whey, a dairy low value by-
product in the past. With the support of research and innovation, some dairy cooperatives (i.e.
Carbery, Naturmælk) started to produce drinks based on whey targeting a new consumer segment
(athletes, joggers) looking for a healthy and natural protein product. This helped the cooperative to
find a new market segment and as a result, it increased revenues.

Whey, together with other natural ingredients including for instance an interesting mix of foraged
and botanicals has also been used recently to handcraft Irish milk gin.

Synergies between different operators to further enhance circular economy


Synergies are key to further promote circular economy. This is for example the case of the
collaboration between Novamont and Italian farmers to develop biodegradable lubricants. In
Umbria, sunflowers with a high oleic content are grown to produce bio-based and biodegradable
lubricants for agricultural purposes. There are strong links between agriculture and green chemistry,
and these sectors cooperate closely in synergy with the local biodiversity and territorial resources.
Farmers are active partners throughout the entire production process and their role is not merely
confined to the upstream part of the value chain, simply as biomass suppliers.

Another example of circular economy is the Bazancourt Pomacle biorefinery, where farmers invested
in the industrial process of their crops through cooperatives (beet, cereals and alfalfa). In 1953, they
began with a sugar beet refinery that today is one of the most efficient in France. In 1992, they
simultaneously invested in a wheat refinery and in constructing a building for their joint research
centre, ARD, which was created in 1989. The aim was to find new outlets for their crops outside of
conventional food outlets. This marked the beginning of the biorefinery as such. The complex was
completed in 2007 with the ethanol plant Cristanol.

Maximising potential by investing in renewable energy


To stabilise revenues and maximise the potential of farms, some farmers have also invested in
renewable energy plants using for instance manure from the farm to generate biogas and electricity.

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Challenges and recommendations
∞∞It is essential to insist on the circular economy principle because new business models
which enhance the competitiveness of farmers and agri-cooperatives can be created by
optimising the use and reuse of resources.

∞∞Further optimisation has huge potential in the current context of specialisation of both crop
and livestock production.

∞∞Integrated farming systems that allow for the reduction of external inputs such as energy are
important for farmers and their cooperatives.

∞∞Precision technology is an important tool that needs to be supported to implement the


circular economy approach with a focus on making more efficient use of resources.

∞∞The responsible use of water, including water recycling, as well as the efficient on-farm use
of manure and by-products are important aspects that must be promoted further.

∞∞Using synergies beyond farm level through collaboration between crop and livestock
farmers in order to optimise the use of organic fertilisers or to diversify production, significantly
contributes to reducing environmental impacts while at the same time lowering production costs.

∞∞Another important aspect that we also focus our attention in the context of circular economy is
consumer education.

∞∞The increasing urban population lacks an understanding of natural processes. This, along
with predefined ideas of product quality (e.g. shape, colour and size), contributes to the
phenomenon of food wastage. There are opportunities across the food chain to reduce food
wastage, from the farm through processing and retail. For example, an information campaign
to improve consumers’ ability to understand the dates used on food products would help reduce
the amount of food thrown away unnecessarily.

∞∞The CAP plays an important role in promoting a more bio-based economy as an


important part of the circular economy and supporting a more circular approach. Both
in the agriculture and forestry sectors, new business models are being created by optimising
the use and reuse of resources.

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∞∞The prospect of using harvest residues and co-products from processing as raw materials in
other business activities is promoted under the CAP. Measures under the rural development
policy that supports investments, advisory services and knowledge transfer as well as
cooperation through the whole value chain are important and should be further promoted.

∞∞The circular economy approach must also become more attractive for small and
medium-sized businesses in order to make the most of their innovation potential to find
outlets for co-products and by-products. This in turn will enable them to be more competitive
and sustainable, maintain employment and create jobs to generate growth in rural areas.

∞∞Investments must focus not only on further developing current businesses but also on
implementing new business ideas. Investment measures to improve the overall performance
and sustainability of agricultural and forestry holdings are and must continue to be one of the
main instruments of the rural development policy. Investments are crucial to help farmers
improve their economic and environmental performance, support farm modernisation,
and promote the sector’s uptake and use of new technologies in order to increase productivity,
to contribute to a more efficient use of resources and to move towards a more circular economy.

∞∞Research and innovation and targeted advisory services play an important role in boosting
the circular approach in the agricultural and forestry sectors by generating new ideas and by
scaling up existing ones.

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3. FOOD AND DRINK INDUSTRIES
Introduction
Circular economy for the food and drink industry means an efficient use of resources (water, energy,
raw materials), from the sourcing of agricultural raw materials to the consumption of our products,
including the need to prevent food losses and wastage at each and every stage wherever possible.
Through continuous improvement and product innovation, many food and drink manufacturers
have developed by-product and co-product lines to maximise the use of raw materials and minimise
4
food waste. The website Ingredients for a circular economy presents through concrete examples what
manufacturers do to move towards a more circular economy; for instance, through preventing food
waste and striving to preserve the value of resources such as water, energy and materials.

Food and drink manufacturers work continuously to preserve the value of resources that go into
producing food and drink products during the manufacturing process.

Case studies
FoodDrinkEurope’s commitments on food waste prevention and supporting the implementation of the
United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3:
In June 2013, FoodDrinkEurope launched the joint food waste prevention
5
campaign and declaration entitled ‘Every Crumb Counts’ (ECC).
Signatories involved stakeholders across Europe’s food supply chain such
as European Federation of Food Banks (FEBA), Sustainable Restaurants
Association and European Fresh Produce Association (Freshfel) and
is supported by UNEP and WRAP. It calls for, amongst others; a supply
chain approach, raise awareness of information to consumers and of
food redistribution channels.

As part of its Every Crumb Counts commitments, FoodDrinkEurope published an industry food
6
prevention toolkit aiming to help food and drink manufacturers prevent food wastage within their
own operations and across the supply chain. It includes advice for finding alternative channels,
such as food banks or markets, for safe food products that are not suitable for distribution through
normal channels i.e. food which is occasionally damaged (creased or torn packaging during the
production process).

Furthermore, FoodDrinkEurope assessed the uptake of its industry toolkit (November 2014) and
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launched a progress report entitled ‘Preventing food wastage in the food and drink sector’ . This
progress report is based on an internal member survey and highlights industry progress, actions,
and recommendations.

In 2016, FoodDrinkEurope alongside the European Food Banks Association (FEBA) and with the
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support of EuroCommerce launched joint food donation Every Meal Matters guidelines . The
guidelines outline a simple framework of practical steps that can be undertaken to help food and
drink manufacturers anticipate and prepare for any potential surplus that may arise in the business.
They have been developed as a continuation and reinforcement of the food and drink industry’s
broad commitments to tackle food waste.

4 Ingredients for a circular economy: http://circulareconomy.fooddrinkeurope.eu/


5 Every Crumb Counts: http://everycrumbcounts.eu/
6 Food Wastage Toolkit: http://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/our-actions/maximizing-resources/
7 Preventing food wastage in the food and drink sector: http://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/uploads/publications_
documents/Preventing_food_wastage_in_the_food_and_drink_sector.pdf
8 Every Meal Matters guidelines: http://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/uploads/publications_documents/6194_FoodDrink_
Europe_Every_Meal_Matters_screen.pdf
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Industry pledges to cut food waste 20% by 2025:
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The UK’s resource efficiency charity WRAP unveiled a new commitment in March 2016 that has been
signed by over 100 organisations including Nestlé, Unilever and Coca-Cola. New targets include a
20% reduction in food and drink waste and a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of
food and drink consumed in the UK by 2025, as well as a reduction in impact associated with water
use in the supply chain.

PEPSICO: 93% of total waste put to beneficial use


PepsiCo continues to make investments to conserve energy and raw materials, reduce waste in its
facilities, recycle containers, use renewable resources and optimize packaging design to use fewer
materials. Globally, 22 of PepsiCo’s manufacturing facilities have achieved the goal of zero waste
sent to landfill, of which 16 facilities in Europe. 16 other facilities in Europe have achieved near-zero
waste sent to landfill. In 2013, nearly 93% of total waste generated by more than 280 company-
owned manufacturing facilities was put to beneficial use, such as recycling or reuse; only 7.2% was
disposed of through more traditional methods, such as landfills. This has been delivered through
effective measurement systems, developing solutions to eliminate waste and strong engagement
with employees. Beyond the production process, PepsiCo is always looking for innovative ways to
cut packaging waste as part of its Global Sustainable Packaging Policy.

Edible non-sellable food is redistributed to feed people:


Kellogg Europe committed to diverting edible non-sellable food to people
Since 2013 when Kellogg launched Breakfasts for Better Days, a global programme to provide food
for communities in need, Kellogg’s European operations have committed to diverting edible non-
sellable food to people. Ke llogg developed a new set of product donation guidelines which has made
the donation of food easier. Kellogg has also committed to helping European Food Banks improve
their capacity by making cash donations to support their growth and is also working with food
banks to overcome some of the local barriers to food redistribution. During 2015 Kellogg operations
in Europe donated 1110 tonnes of food to food banks and food redistribution charities in 15 European
countries. Kellogg also made cash donations to the Belgian Food Bank, the Tafel in Germany and to
the pilot phase of a new food bank in Sweden.

Innovative new products are made from food and ingredients that are left over from
production and still edible:
Potato processors find many uses for potato cut-offs
Most potato processors use cut-offs of potatoes to make potato flakes or purées. Possibilities for
future innovation from cut-offs and shredded potatoes include hash browns and other formed
products. The wet starch by-product from the cutting process also finds other uses as in many cases
it goes to potato starch industries or is being used to produce bioplastics.

By-products are used as inputs for other industries, including animal feed:
Nordic meat producer finds many uses for inedible animal parts
Nordic meat producer HKScan has been putting into place different measures to increase industrial
symbiosis. Food industry manufacturing processes are optimised and surplus food is redirected to
feed people or animals to prevent food wastage. Meanwhile, the parts of the animals that are not

9 WRAP Commitment to cut food waste 20% by 2025: http://www.wrap.org.uk/content/courtauld-commitment-2025

17
sold as food are used for pharmaceuticals, food ingredients, animal feed, pet food and biodiesel for
renewable energy. Wastewater sludge and cow stomach content are turned into biogas, resulting
in renewable energy for car fuel, electricity and heating and nutrients for soil improvement and
organic fertilizers.

Waste from production and factory canteens can be turned into fertilizer and energy:
Mars turns wastewater into biogas
10
As part of its ‘Sustainable in a Generation’ Plan Mars has installed a ground-breaking wastewater
treatment site at its Veghel (Netherlands) factory, which produces biogas from the waste water
while purifying the water to 99% purity. Similar technology is also in place at Wrigley factories in
Poznan (Poland), Porici (Czech Republic) and Biesheim (France). Using the biogas helps reduce the
Veghel factory’s annual CO2 emissions by 1,5kton and energy consumption by 25,4 TJ.

Innovative packaging design contributes to reducing packaging waste and it helps improve
the overall environmental footprint of the product:
Unilever reuses transport packaging for food products
A Unilever tea factory in Brussels is promoting greater reuse of transport packaging by modifying
the packs so weaker postage tape can be used on the inbound packaging, thus making it easier to
reuse the packaging and save resources. The supplier’s delivery trucks pick up the packs and enable
reuse of packaging for the next load.

Food and drink manufacturers help consumers to prevent food wastage by raising
awareness and providing clear storage, freezing and preparation instructions:
French food and drink manufacturers help consumers reduce food wastage
To help raise awareness about food wastage, the French food and drink
industry association (ANIA) has developed an interactive consumer-facing
online game about food wastage reduction on its website (JEUX NE GASPILLE
PAS!). It includes tips for consumers about where to store food in the fridge
to keep food at its best. http://jeuxnegaspillepas.ania.net/

Challenges and Recommendations

Challenges
11
∞∞Clarifying EU legislation to facilitate food donation will further help food and drink
manufacturers maximise the resource efficiency benefits of redistribution of foods when
surpluses cannot be avoided.

∞∞Clarify the rules on by-products to facilitate industrial symbiosis in the proposed revised
EU Waste Framework Directive (WFD) as well as in the proposed new Fertilizer Regulation.
This should help to allow more materials to remain product or be classified as by-product and
thereby protect their value.

10 Mars Sustainable in a Generation Plan: http://www.mars.com/global/sustainable-in-a-generation


11 See guide on food donations at http://www.fooddrinkeurope.eu/uploads/publications_documents/6194_FoodDrink_
Europe_Every_Meal_Matters_screen.pdf

18
∞∞Promote a legislative environment in the WFD prioritising the classification of
substances as products and not as waste, deviations should be allowed where justified by life
cycle thinking.

∞∞The sustainable production and consumption of food is a process of continuous improvement


of environmental performance, social/ethical circumstances and economic welfare,
throughout the food manufacturing process and throughout the food supply chain. Any policy
assessing the environmental performance of food and drink should reflect this improvement-
driven approach, take into account overall sustainability performance and be set on an
objective, scientific basis and take a whole life-cycle approach. A robust and science-based
environmental assessment methodology applicable to food and drink products, such as the
12
ENVIFOOD protocol , should be employed when developing such criteria.

Recommendations
∞∞Taking food waste prevention actions that address the whole food chain.

∞∞Develop a common EU food wastage measurement methodology aligned with global standards
and allowing for a distinction to be made between food and associated inedible parts, taking
into account the whole food supply chain from farm to fork.

∞∞Implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goal on food waste at EU level.

∞∞Clarifying EU legislation to facilitate food donation.

∞∞Explore options to improve understanding of date marking without compromising food safety
and quality.

∞∞Maximising the value of raw materials by allowing more materials to remain products or be
classified as by-products.

∞∞Promoting continuous improvement of the environmental performance of food and drink


products along their life-cycle.

∞∞Maintain waste to energy as a waste management option where justified by life cycle thinking.

∞∞Promoting investment in research and development.

∞∞Focusing on consumer education and changing public attitudes towards waste minimisation.

12 http://www.food-scp.eu/files/ENVIFOOD_Protocol_Vers_1.0.pdf

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4. PACKAGING
Introduction
Packaging is an integral and essential part of the food and drink supply chain, from the production
stage to the consumption stage.

Packaging can play a positive role in a circular economy by optimising resource use, minimising
product (and food) waste and protecting products all along value chains.

The Packaging Value Chain Constituency of the Food SCP RT includes ACE – The Alliance for Beverage
Cartons and the Environment, EUROPEN – The European Organization for Packaging and the
Environment, FEVE – The European Container Glass Federation and Flexible Packaging Europe.

These four members support an enabling EU policy framework that facilitates sustainable resource
use from a life-cycle perspective, incentivises economies of scale and takes into account value chains
at all levels with each of their different needs, supply and demand realities.

Case studies & Challenges


Packaging key roles and functionalities
Packaging’s primary function is to contain, preserve and protect the product throughout the
manufacturing, transport, storage and consumption chain, enabling the proper and safe delivery of
the product from the producer to the final user.

It protects goods from damage, allows efficient transport distribution, offers convenience, prolongs
shelf-life, enables easy use, informs the consumer and helps to promote goods in a competitive
market place.

Packaging’s roles and functionalities but also its environmental performance, are relevant at
different stages of a packaged product’s life-cycle and may differ according to the packaging type.
For example, dry products, like coffee powder, need packaging that keeps moisture out, while
meat products require packaging that keeps moisture in and oxygen out. Other functionalities can
protect the product from external agents such as light, humidity, oxygen (e.g. for wine, beer, juices
and milk), keep carbonation in (beer and carbonated soft drinks) or keep microbes out (all food &
drinks).

Case study: Packaged beer, under the right circumstances, can be qualified as real ale,
in allowing live beer to ferment and develop thanks to packaging’s functionalities.
This is the case of the Moor Beer Company’s micro-canned beer, who was recently
the first ever canned beer to be accredited for “Real Ale” by The Campaign for Real Ale
(CAMRA). It was demonstrated that Moor Beer cans still contained live yeast and that
13
any carbonation was created by natural secondary fermentation .

Case study: Composite packaging material where each layer has a function allows customized
combination of properties with very limited amount of packaging material (resource efficiency).

13 Source: http://www.camra.org.uk/news/-/asset_publisher/1dUgQCmQMoVC/content/bristol-brewery-becomes-first-in-
world-to-be-granted-camra-says-this-is-real-ale-accreditation-for-canned-beer

20
Beverage cartons are made up of three components, each of them performing an important
function:

75% Paperboard*: The paperboard used in beverage cartons has a maximum strength for the lowest
possible weight and is a valuable raw material for new paper-based products. Paperboard gives
stability and strength and is a renewable resource when sourced from responsibly managed forests.

21% Polymers*: The internal layer seals the liquid and acts as an adhesive to seal the aluminium, fibre
and external layer to keep out moisture.

14
4% Aluminium* : Aluminium foil provides a barrier from oxygen, flavours and light (used in long-life
packs only). The aluminium foil is thinner than a human hair and provides a barrier from oxygen,
flavours and light (used in long-life packs only).

Packaging contributes to food waste prevention


Thanks to its role and functionalities in providing, among others, appropriate protection and format
matching the needs of consumers, packaging helps to preserve contents and hence prevent food
waste at all stages of the value chain - including the transportation, distribution, storage and
consumption stage.

Appropriate packaging can significantly prolong shelf-life and hence reduce food waste. For
instance, canned food has a shelf life up to 3 years. A cucumber wrapped in plastic can last 14 days
15
while it only lasts 3 days when unpacked .

By protecting the product, packaging also prevents waste of the energy, fertilizer, raw materials and
water that went into growing or making goods and the energy used to transport the goods from the
producer to the retailer.

Innovations further help prevent food waste


Noticeable improvement has been made in food waste prevention thanks to modern packaging and
distribution systems to answer the multiple needs of consumer lifestyles and demographic changes.

The use of packaging technologies such as hermetic seals, modified or controlled atmosphere
packaging (which reduces the amount of oxygen in the packaging and prolongs the shelf life of
products), breathable polymer films, aseptic technology or smart label indicators ultimately help
facilitate substantial food waste prevention and reduction.

Smart packaging solutions can help prevent meat being wasted, both at the butcher shop or retailer,
16
but also at home, by consumers. On average, 14% of chicken meat is wasted by consumers. A tray
with two segregated cavities contributes to reducing food waste.

Smart packaging also allows consumers to buy the amount they need and open only as much as
they can consume.

14 *Content on average
15 Source: Denkstatt study, 2017
16 The initial value of 14% chicken meat waste by consumers is based on an estimation by DEFRA (UK)

21
17
Single serve portions: A large-scale study from IFOP for Bel , conducted in French
canteens, concluded that individually packaged cheese generates two to three times
less food waste than large format cheese sliced on-site. Measured waste rate for
individually packed cheese is 6% (leftovers on the meal tray) as compared to 15% (3%
left-over during preparation + 9% leftovers on the meal tray + 3% surplus thrown away
at the end of service) for large format cheese cut on-site.

Easy-Out mayonnaise bottle: Unilever launched in 2015 the “Hellmann’s Easy-Out bottle”
for spreads. This Easy-Out technology prevents mayonnaise from sticking to the sides
without affecting the flavour. This new technology helped reduce the average amount of
leftover mayonnaise in a bottle from 13% to just 3%. This equates to around 5,000 tonnes
of mayonnaise each year landing on the plate instead of landfill.

Continuous progress towards resource-efficient solutions


Packaging aims at effectively fulfilling its requested functions in the most resource-efficient manner.

Packaging often represents a


relatively limited share in the
overall impact of the product
throughout the value chain.
For instance, on average,
flexible packaging accounts
for less than 10% of the overall
carbon footprint. Coupled
with its contribution towards
preventing food waste, it is
fair to say that food packaging
saves more resources than it
consumes.

> Increased packaging recycling rates


Over the last 20 years, significant progress has been made in the minimisation of the environmental
impact of packaging. Among others, considerable progress has been made in the EU in increasing
packaging waste recycling rates. The packaging recycling rates have been rising from 47% in the EU-
18
15 in 1998 to an estimated 65.5% in the EU-28 in 2014 .

Glass recycling: Today, 74% of glass bottles and jars put on the market are collected
for recycling. For glass, which is a 100% and infinitely recyclable consumer
packaging, this has contributed to having high recycled content for all consumer
glass packaging placed on the market. Not only does this closed loop system
reduce reliance on virgin raw materials, but for every 10% increase of recycled

17 Source: IFOP Study for Bel 2015; totalling nearly 60,000 studied meals in 33 French canteens http://www.belfoodservice.fr/
actualites/de-nouveaux-chiffres-sur-le-gaspillage-du-fromage-40.php
18 Source: Eurostat

22
glass used it reduces energy consumption by 3%.

Packaging based on permanent materials that maintain their properties however many times they
are recycled is a clear example of a functioning circular economy relying on the constant use and
uptake of secondary raw materials.

Recycling of beverage cartons in Europe has grown


steadily over the last 15 years. In 2016, 47% of all
beverage cartons sold in Europe were recycled,
with some countries having recycling rates well
over 70%. Renewable materials coming from
responsibly managed forests bring a double
contribution to the circular economy ambition as
a sound combination of regrowth and recycling
leads to an increase of available materials and
hence, reduces the dependence on finite primary materials. The beverage carton producers and
their suppliers are determined to promote recycling even more through innovation in recycling
technologies and to develop quality improvements of recycling (including extracting polymers and
aluminium).

> Packaging waste disposal decoupled from economic growth


In parallel, packaging production and packaging waste disposal have clearly been decoupled from
economic growth. From 2000 to 2012, packaging waste quantities per European inhabitant have
remained rather constant
whilst GDP per inhabitant
(current prices) increased
19
by almost 30% . This
decoupling illustrates that
packaging waste does not
follow the production level
in Europe and that weight
reduction of packaging is a
strong trend.

19 Ibid

23
> Resource efficiency drives packaging design
The packaging industry continuously innovates to reduce the amount of resources used in its
packaging, and focus on using lighter, stronger and alternative materials better suited to the task
which also have a lower overall environmental impact. Manufacturers seek to minimise packaging
costs through optimising and minimising the amount of material used without compromising the
ability of the package to perform its functions. Hence, packaging weight has been significantly
reduced over many years. For example, today’s cans are a quarter of the weight of its predecessors
20
60 years ago, and its walls – at 87um (0.087 mm) – are today thinner than a human hair . Glass is
30% lighter today than two decades ago. Beverage cartons are also slimmer and lighter than ever
before, allowing today 40% more beverage cartons to be produced with the same amount of wood
fibre required 20 years ago.

Packaging industry commits to further ambitious environmental improvements


The packaging industry is committed to further improve packaging’s environmental performance.
As part of the recently launched EU Plastics Strategy, a number of companies from the packaging
supply chain have published strong individual pledges on recycled content, but also beyond,
21
including on recyclability, resource efficiency/packaging optimisation and material sourcing . For
instance, Coca-Cola announced that the company will collect and recycle 100% of its packaging
by 2030 and will also aim to make all of its packaging with an average of 50% recycled content by
the same date. Danone’s brand Evian pledged that it will make all of its plastic bottles from 100%
recycled plastic by 2025. Tetra Pak announced that it will work with industry partners to ensure that
by 2030, recycling solutions are in place for all components of beverage cartons so they can be fully
recycled across Europe. The company also aim to substantially increase the use of plastics made
from renewable feedstock, as well as to increase the use of recycled plastics once they are validated
as safe and are legally acceptable for use as a food contact materials.

Recommendations
We support a full life-cycle approach in legislation, taking into account the value adding
functionalities of packaging. This means, among others:

∞∞Packaging must be addressed together with the packed food it contains and taking into account
its key functionalities at all stages of the consumption, production and end-of-life phase. The
choice of packaging which best meets the functional requirements for the product concerned,
needs to be made on a case-by-case basis.

∞∞Legislation should enable improving the environmental performance of packaging and packaged
products based on the waste hierarchy, life-cycle thinking and scientific fact-based data.

∞∞We support strong and effective Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes to improve
recycling of packaging. This will increase transparency, cost efficiency and accountability of EPR
at national level.

20 Source: European can market report 2016


21 http://www.europen-packaging.eu/circular-economy/eudocuments/38-continuous-environmental-improvement-of-the-
packaging-supply-chain-in-europe-corporate-initiativescommitments-of-europen-members.html

24
∞∞Separate collection of packaging for recycling must be guaranteed across all EU Member States.
Implementation and enforcement of current waste legislation is key to this end.

∞∞Food hygiene and consumer health are key priorities which should not be compromised by any
potential restrictive or prescriptive measure on for instance certain packaging attributes limited
to the end of life attributes.

∞∞Free competition and movement of goods in the European Internal Market must be preserved
so that producers can choose the packaging most appropriate for their product and distribution
system. The EU Internal Market also ensures scalability for innovation and investment in
packaging technologies and/or related infrastructures.

∞∞We support the recognition that packaging is part of the solution to prevent food waste:

∞∞We welcome the European Parliament’s own-initiative report on “Resource Efficiency: Reducing
Food Waste, Improving Food Safety” (2016) which positively stresses the “positive contribution of food
22
packaging materials and solutions to the prevention of food loss and food waste along the supply chain” .

∞∞Packaging’s contribution to food protection and thereby food waste prevention should always
be taken into account in EU and national waste and packaging-related policies. Simply reducing
packaging is not always desirable because the likelihood of food spoilage arising normally
increases as packaging is reduced and/or compromised to the point where the product is no
longer adequately protected. The point at which the negative environmental impact of food waste
outweighs the environmental benefits of using less packaging material is reached very quickly.

∞∞Therefore, we support EU and national waste and packaging-related policies that allow for
further optimisation of packaging, and enables (new) packaging technologies and product and/
or packaging innovations.
Optimum Packaging: The Innventia AB model shows that the environmental consequences of
product losses caused by excessive packaging reduction are far greater than guaranteeing
adequate protection through an incremental excess of packaging.

∞∞We call to recognise and reward the contribution of packaging to food waste prevention by
promoting further investment by EU and national research and innovation programmes. We
support an enabling policy framework that allows a stable investment environment to support
business innovation in this area.

22 MEP Biljana Borzan report on “Resource efficiency: reducing food waste, improving food safety”
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+TA+P8-TA-2017-0207+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN

25
5. END-OF-LIFE
Introduction
Turning waste into a resource is an essential part of increasing resource efficiency and closing the
loop in a circular economy. Europe currently loses around 600 million tonnes of waste materials,
which could potentially be recycled or reused. The Circular Economy Package (CEP) includes specific
proposals to amend the EU’s waste legislation, seeking to improve waste management practices,
stimulate recycling and innovation in materials management, and limit the use of landfilling. Within
the CEP, Extended Producer Responsibility has already been recognised as an efficient resource
management tool whereby producers take over the responsibility for the end of life management
of their used products. This can include not only collection, sorting and treating these for their
recycling and recovery, but also provide incentives for eco-design and in general creating create
a sustainable production and consumption policy. 25 EXPRA members, operating in 23 countries
are packaging waste recovery and recycling systems which are owned by the obliged industry and
work on a not-for-profit or profit not for distribution basis. In a bid to constantly improve members’
performance EXPRA promotes exchange of best practices via different tools.

Industry-owned PROs are well-known for innovating in the field of waste prevention, and sustainable
production and consumption. As their umbrella organization EXPRA is collecting and disseminating
such best practices both via its home page, issuing newsletters and organizing workshops for
obliged companies.

Case studies
EXPRA publication on Packaging sustainability
To develop more sustainable packaging is a challenge and an opportunity for all stakeholders along
the value chain, as the overall objective is to do so by optimising the use of materials, water and
energy, minimising waste (of product and used packaging) and maximising
the recycling and recovery of used packaging. In line with these efforts,
EXPRA is starting a new initiative – publication of news and best practices
from EXPRA members, aiming to inform and support all stakeholders in
the packaging value chain in the process of developing more sustainable
packaging, incorporating design for recycling/ eco-design. The publication
will be issued on quarterly basis, providing summarized information with
23
respective links to detailed documents and sources.

Plastic modulated fee, to incentivise the use of more recyclable packaging Modulated fees
CONAI, Italy
Within the prevention measures of CONAI to reduce the environmental impact of
packaging, CONAI is evaluating the methodology to define the contribution levels on
the basis of three base criteria:
• sortability
• recyclability
• and destination circuit in a LCA approach.

23 More information here: http://www.expra.eu/en/Sustainability/sustainability-drops-news-from-expra-members

26
24
A route already taken with modulate fees for reusable packaging .

Industry-owned PROs seek collaboration at all levels with public authorities and other stakeholders
across the value chain.

EKO-KOM Close cooperation with local authorities and well-established


collection infrastructure
In the Czech Republic, EKO-KOM covers the take-back and recycling of
more than 80% of the packaging waste on the market. This is possible due
to its established partnership with 6,000 municipalities, in which 99% of
Czech residents live. Thanks to its transparent and effective system, the
country ranks amongst the best in the EU in terms of both packaging
waste recycling and financial costs spent on sorting and recycling, per
25
citizen, per year.

Industry-owned PROs are invested in shaping secondary raw materials’ markets by promoting
state-of-the-art collection, sorting and recycling practices.

EPR systems’ innovation for ensuring constant high flow of high quality recyclates vis smarter collection,
GreenPak, Malta
GreenPak is working on a project on introducing “the internet of things” to gradually replace old
containers (inherited from the public authorities/government) with new, intelligent recycling bins.
The objective is to organise more efficiently the servicing of the bins/optimise collection (new 800
26
igloos equipped with sensors).

The CircularLab, Ecoembes, Spain


In 2017, Ecoembes has launched its pioneering circular economy project in Europe TheCircularLab,
which will involve all phases of packaging: from creation, via ecodesign, up to the reintroduction of
our products into the consumption cycle. Based in the La Rioja region, TheCircularLab aims to turn
the region into a great centre for experimentation by enabling innovations to be tested on a real
scale. Cities and municipalities will serve as testing ground for researching into concepts such as
packaging of the future, smart waste management within smart cities, responsible consumption
278
or the development of new techniques/processes making recycling easier for citizens.

EPR is not only about recovery and recycling, especially in the case of non-for profit PROs,
owned by the obliged industry: one of the important spheres of action is the development and
implementation (separately or jointly with local authorities and/or obliged companies) of education
and communication campaigns aimed at promoting environmentally friendly behaviour. Such
campaigns, make an important contribution to better consumer awareness of issues such as waste
sorting, littering and the importance of recycling.

24 More information could be found here: http://www.conai.org/imprese/contributo-ambientale/contributo-diversificato/


25 http://www.ekokom.cz/en
26 More information at http://www.greenpak.com.mt/about-us
27 More information at www.ecoembes.com

27
Communication & Education campaigns
Joint Initiative for clean environment in Wallonia, Fost Plus (Begium)
The initiative is named Be WaPP (Wallonie Plus Propre) and was set up with the aim of improving
public cleanness in Wallonia by focusing on behaviour change. This came as a result of a partnership
between Wallonia and companies that place packed products on the Belgian market (via the Fost
Plus, Fevia, Comeos federations) to combat negative impact of improper behaviour on public
cleanness.

Be WaPP’s mission is to become a reference and knowledge centre for public cleanliness and a
28
catalyst for action.

Luna Park of Recycling, HERRCo, Greece


The campaign is an outdoor activity which can also be held in an indoor space. The purpose of this
activity is to introduce children (ages 6-12) to the idea of recycling through playing renowned games
(such as memory, wheel, snake etc.)

It is a creative way of informing children of the materials that can be recycled and the benefits of
recycling. Consequently, they motivate their parents for an active and conscientious participation.
29
The Luna Park was awarded the Silver Award in the 2015 Creative Campaign Awards.

Extended Producer Responsibility can play a major role within the new Circular Economy,
as illustrated through the provided case studies. Its potential for delivering major improvements
in the packaging waste management realm has been shown/proven by increasing recycling rates
and the supply of recycled materials; contributing to used packaging pollution prevention and
mitigation through eco-design, innovative measures such as fee modulation and waste materials’
quality criteria, and consumer-focused information campaigns.

Development of recycling and recovery rates for packaging, EU-27, 2005–2014

28 You can read more about the initiative here.


29 http://www.herrco.gr

28
Still while recognising within the CEP that EPR forms an essential part of an efficient waste-
management process, this approach must be respectively translated into specific policy deliverables
for EPR schemes within the reviewed EU waste legislation.

Recommendations
EXPRA recommendations aim at both clarifying and enhancing the new provisions under the
Circular Economy Package (i.e. waste legislative proposals):

∞∞Designing and developing more sustainable packaging is a challenge and an opportunity for all
stakeholders along the value chain: this entails optimising the use of materials, water and energy
while minimising waste (of product and used packaging) and maximising the recycling and
recovery potential of used packaging. EPR effectively stimulates the design of products that are
easier to dismantle, reuse and recycle. This is because the industry has the highest incentive to
drive down costs for collection and recycling in the short- and long-term. Consequently, through
EPR, products’ total environmental impact decreases and greater circularity is stimulated.

∞∞It is however particularly important that policy strikes the right balance between design from
recycling and food waste. The environmental impact of food waste packaging cannot be
separated from that of the product it protects and preserves.

∞∞With regards to targets, the reduction of the environmental impact of the packaged product
should be the goal. If the reduction of waste is considered as the objective, it is necessary to
keep a holistic approach to find the right balance between packaging weight and product
protection. Moreover, the avoidance of food waste plays a critical role in today’s society.
Therefore, consumers should always be able to purchase their food in the right size and volume
always depending on their respective needs (single or family household, student or senior
situation, etc.). Even if this goes with increased weight of packaging this will lead to reduced
food waste and therefore reduced impact to the environment. Otherwise it could lead to trade-
offs between packaging and product contained (the best way to guarantee the protection of the
product is increasing packaging weight).

∞∞The proposed general requirements for Extended Producer Responsibility schemes will play a
vital role in increasing the efficiency of waste recovery operations. These would be crucial for the
packaging sector given that packaging is a very specific waste stream involving a high number
of companies obliged by the EPR legislation. This will need a dense infrastructure especially for
packaging which arises at municipal level and often becomes waste after a very short usage
phase, in particular in the food sector.

∞∞Importantly, EPR plays a crucial role in steering citizens’ cooperation as they need to separately
collect and sort their waste to facilitate recycling processes. This is why EPR systems across
Europe promote education and awareness raising campaigns towards consumers, aimed at
encouraging separate collection and recycling while discouraging littering.

∞∞It is important for the consumer to be fully aware of how to properly manage waste in
the context of separate household waste collection. Targeted consumer information and
educational campaigns, such as those run by national EPR schemes often in close cooperation
with local authorities, can therefore make an important contribution to better consumer
awareness of issues such as waste sorting, littering and the importance of recycling.

29
HOW TO FURTHER BOOST THE
CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN THE
AGRI-FOOD VALUE CHAIN

On 10 October 2017, the Circular Economy Task Force of the European Food SCP Round Table
organised a workshop to explain how the agri-food value chain is currently implementing the circular
economy principles, to exchange good practices, to identify common barriers and challenges, and
to provide further recommendations. The workshop was attended by a wide range of stakeholders
in the agri-food value chain, who explained some of the innovative business cases presented in this
report and engaged in a debate on challenges and recommendations for the future.

For further information on the agenda and presentations of the meeting, please check the Food SCP
30
Round Table website .

Horizontal recommendations from a Food Chain perspective


The further implementation of the Circular Economy in the food chain is a great opportunity and
the Food SCP Round Table constituents are strongly committed to further boost it. The work of
the Circular Economy Task Force proves to many stakeholders to be interesting, challenging and
fruitful. The aim is now to continue strengthening this existing concept in the agri-food value chain.

This is a common objective that needs a strong commitment from the whole sector, but also from
the public sector, including through cooperation, dialogue, research and innovation to continue to
create and scale-up new and existing ideas and continuous actions.

Please see below some of the main areas of work that should be further explored.

∞∞Exchange of best practices: a bottom-up and cross-sector approach is essential


The exchange of best practices needs to continue. There is no one-size-all fits all formula.
Nevertheless, many interesting initiatives already exist in the EU agri-food value chain.
Therefore, regular exchanges and interactions including all relevant actors, including the local,
regional, national and EU authorities will contribute to inspire and further promote it. A bottom-
up and cross-sector approach is therefore necessary to achieve a circular economy.

∞∞Together we are stronger


All the actors in the agri-food value chain need to cooperate. The existence of already well
established circular economy practices need to be further communicated. The setting up of
partnerships between the different actors is also an opportunity for win-win situations.
The recently created European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform and other existing
platforms should also contribute to establish this dialogue, exchange, and further cooperation.

30 Food SCP Round Table Website: http://www.food-scp.eu/node/80

30
∞∞Research & Innovation: a pre-requisite to further boost circular economy and our
competitiveness
Research plays a critical role in the innovation process that can contribute to develop new
products, processes, and services. Circular Economy is a great opportunity to develop new
competitive advantages.
Research and innovation related public support and reduced administrative burden in this regard
represent important elements to facilitate everyone’s access to public funding.

∞∞Committed to the prevention and reduction of food losses and food waste
The agri-food value chain is fully committed to the circular economy, including prevention of food
losses and food waste.
The sector is constantly looking at innovative tools and business opportunities to make the most
out of our potential (i.e. digital tools, technology, new innovative products finding alternative
markets, etc.).
Considering that an important amount of food waste takes place at household level, the agri-food
value chain also plays a key role in promoting prevention. For instance, packaging contributes to
improving protection, prolonging of shelf-life and convenience.
Education is also essential and will empower consumers to know more about how to handle the
products, how to prolong their shelf-life at home or to find innovative ways to consume leftovers.

∞∞Further actions are necessary to add value to co-products/by-products


Many co-products and by-products from industrial processes can be used for other purposes.
The operators of the agri-food value chain have a constant interest to identify new business
opportunities and to ensure an efficient use of resources.
To facilitate these business opportunities, the regulatory framework needs to be clearly defined,
updated regularly to keep up with technical progress. In addition, consistent implementation
of the different policies in different EU Member States needs to be ensured. An example of some
differences on implementation between Member States is the Waste Framework Directive and
the “waste” or “non-waste” status given to some products. This hampers the realisation of the
circular economy in the European internal market.
Consistency between all policies ensuring an integrated approach should therefore be reached to
further boost the circular economy.

∞∞LCA and resource-efficiency: continuous improvement of the value chain


Life-cycle assessments (LCA) help operators identify weaknesses and increase resource efficiency.
Many actors of the chain support the development of a harmonised method to measure the
environmental performance.
However, at this stage there are several gaps in LCA that do not allow to make comparisons
between products. Therefore, B2C communication is still very complex and challenging.
It is very important to ensure that the environmental assessment takes into account the
objectives of the Circular Economy.
The Circular Economy principles are not fully applicable for food products, at least for the product
as such (not packaging) as food is consumed as a whole. Circular economy is also about promoting
industrial symbiosis to favour resource efficiency. The real thrive of the circular economy is to
boost the recycling of different products in other outlets of the food chain.

31
EUROPEAN FOOD SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION
& PRODUCTION ROUND TABLE

www.food-scp.eu

Contact
European Food Sustainable Consumption and
Production Round Table Secretariat

[email protected]

www.food-scp.eu

c/o Landmark Public Affairs


Rue du Collège 27
1050 Brussels

T: +32 2 808 0644

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