The value chain will continue to progress on design for recycling this year – but needs to continue to build cross-industry alignment and will look to regulators to provide a supportive landscape. Tim Sykes surveys the key points on the circularity agenda this year.
THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN 2021
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hough we all found ourselves grappling with the challenges of COVID, last year was a busy one in the march toward a circular economy in Europe. The Circular Economy Action Plan 2.0 was published by the European Commission in March 2020, as a cornerstone of the European Green Deal. In parallel we saw more and more packaging designed for recycling in traditionally hard-to-recycle formats and applications. In the crucial arena of flexibles the CEFLEX consortium published its landmark ‘Designing for a Circular Economy’ guidelines in June. Meanwhile, industry extended the functional boundaries of recyclable packaging with a series of product launches, from mono-polyolefin films tackling increasingly challenging applications to barrier papers. So what advances should we anticipate in 2021 – and what are the challenges and dilemmas we need to confront?
Flexibles CEFLEX will be working holistically as ever across its workstreams to fill knowledge gaps and identify solutions to the technological, investment case and viability challenges around a circular economy in flexibles. The project is increasingly moving from ‘think tank to act tank’ with a focus shift from theory to implementation. We can expect, for example, to discover the important conclusions of compositional analysis work aimed at understanding first-hand which waste streams flexible packaging is collected in, along with the types and quantities involved. This work (the product of collaboration with PCEP, Petcore, Styrenics Circular Solutions and More Recycling) will provide a detailed understanding of waste streams which will be crucial in aligning recycle-ready packaging materials with end of life outcomes. Innovation will be a no less crucial part of the equation. “High potential technologies are breaking through,” CEFLEX project coordinator Graham Houlder commented. “We’ve had the launch of HolyGrail 2.0, and CEFLEX teams are making good progress on assessing the opportunities around | 4 | Packaging Europe
chemical recycling and supporting delamination and separation pioneers. These technical innovations can, and will, develop promising new solutions that enable better quality and greater quantities of recycled materials to service new end markets. One realization that crystallized during 2020 is that the circular economy for plastics is not possible without chemical recycling so we all need to support its recognition and commercialization as soon as possible.” Meanwhile, stakeholders in CEFLEX such as Amcor, Mondi and Taghleef Industries are focusing on adding to the portfolio of designed-for-recycling packaging solutions. Having made several prominent launches within the food category last year, Amcor’s R&D pipeline features solutions aimed at the even more challenging healthcare segment. Mondi will be continuing its focus on circularity, with more customers trialling recyclable films, and contributing the all-important market pull by increasing recycled content in packaging. Taghleef is launching its 360° reDESIGN approach: a tailor-fit service solution which aims to lead the switch from traditional packaging structures to more sustainable and innovative solutions, across all product families.
Paper While flexible plastics are collectively shifting to polyolefin-based monomaterials, it’s notable that the FMCG world is also investing significantly in the ‘paper where possible’ ethos. November 2020 saw the launch of the 4evergreen alliance by CEPI. This in many respects is the paper value chain’s analogue to CEFLEX: it aims to develop design for circularity guidelines for fibre-based packaging; establish industry-wide recyclability evaluation protocols; publish guidelines for improved collection and sorting across Europe; and drive innovations in areas increasing circularity. Indeed, 4evergreen features significant membership crossover with CEFLEX, not only among the brand owner stakeholders, but also packaging producers. Given the fresh experience of many of the same organizations in serious and
