Geert Scheys Essenscia

7/29/2019 Geert Scheys Essenscia

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A transition of the plastics &

rubber industry towards

sustainability

BPRI

23-09-2010


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FEDERPLAST.BEBelgian association of manufacturers of plastic and rubber articles

MISSION STATEMENT

By means of its membership relations and its networking within societyFederplast.be supports the development of the plastics and rubberindustry in Belgium to contribute to a sustainable future.


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FEDERPLAST.BEBelgian association of manufacturers of plastic and rubber articles

MEMBERSAgoria & essenscia236 full members (with production in Belgium)18 affiliate members

EMPLOYMENT

22.950

TURNOVER7.9 billion exports 70 %


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Belgian plastics industry at the top in EuropeAMI Eurostat

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

PL BE DE ES Europe NL FR UK

Plastics convertingevolution 2000 - 2007

Kg/Inh

%


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Belgian plastics industry at the top in Europe

2.2 % of the EU population

5 % of the EU plastics processing

10 % of the EU plastics production


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World champion in plastics productionCIPAD 2006

Production of plastics/inhabitant


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Plastics industry, n 1 in the trade balance of Belgiummillion


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Continuous growthfor more than 50 years

Plastics productionramped upfrom 1.5 Mio t in 1950

to 245 Mio t in 2006

Compound AnnualGrowth Rate (CAGR) isabout 9.5 %

Source: PlasticsEuropeMarket Research Group (PEMRG)

Plastics continue to be a global success story

0

50

100

150

200

250

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Mio t

1950: 1.5

Europe(WE +CEE)

1976: 50

1989: 100

2002: 200

2006: 245

IncludesThermoplastics, Polyurethanes, Thermosets, Elastomers, Adhesives,

Coatings and Sealants and PP-Fibers. Not included PET-, PA- and Polyacryl-Fibers

World


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The world in 2030Prospective study by futurologist Ray Hammond for PlasticsEurope

6 key drivers of the future

Worldwide population explosion and changing societaldemographics

Climate crisis & Environment

Energy crisis

Expanding globalization

Disease prevention and longevity

Accelerating, exponential technology development


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The world in 2030Prospective study by futurologist Ray Hammond for PlasticsEurope

In 2030, world population will have grown from 6,6 billionspeople to roughly 8 to 9 billions.

How shall we feed such a population?

How shall we secure the needs for healthcare?

How shall we organize availability and distribution ofdrinkable water?

How shall we organize waste and waste water treatment?

How shall we secure the energy needs?


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Prevention of food spoils & Higher crop yieldsPlastics for Sustainability

Plastic packaging prolongs the shelf-life of food.Up to 50% of agricultural food production isspoiled in underdeveloped countries, comparedto 2% in the developed world with its intensiveuse of plastic food packaging.

Farmers use plastics products for: increased yields, earlier harvests, less reliance

on herbicides and pesticides

more efficient water conservation & irrigation

silage (conservation of cattle feed)

handling, transport and

conservation of food crops


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Energy economyPlastics for Sustainability

Thermal insulation in buildings, in refrigeration andin industrial installations

Energy economy by weight reduction:transport means, packaging, luggage...

Low energy lighting, monitors and displays based on

organic electronics (OLED, LCP .)Electrical insulation in cables, batteries, appliances

Energy economy by miniaturization of ICT appliances


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Energy economy in transportPlastics for Sustainability

Plastics are light

Weight savings resulted in an average fuel consumptioncut of 750 liters per life span of 150, 000 km

On a year basis thanks to plastics, fuel consumption of carsis reduced by 12 Millions Tons and CO2 emissions by 30

Millions Tons. Plastics allow aerodynamic and compact design (lower

Cx) resulting in lower fuel consumption.


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Enabling the positive energy homePlastics for Sustainability

Fuel Cell

Central ventilationstation with heatrecuperation

PURRoof Insulation

LatentHeat StoragePlaster

Quelle: BASF

EPSInsulationPVC

TripleGlazing

SolarPanel


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New technologies for renewable energyPlastics for Sustainability

Wind energy: composite wind mill blades

Solar energy panels: barrier sheet,encapsulation films, frames,

Flexible organic solar cells

Batteries and fuel cells for stocking of renewable

energyTransparent plastic reactors for oil production

from algae


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Renewable energies are only feasible with plasticsPlastics for Sustainability


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Conservation of resourcesPlastics for Sustainability

More with less: continuous increase of performance of materials andprocessing technologies

Increasing use of renewable raw materials:

Biopolymers : modified natural polymersand biotechnologically engineered polymers

Natural reinforcement materialsWood-plastic composites

Electronic data carriers make an economy of paper:CD/DVD, hard disks, memory sticks, electronic paper

Recycling and design for recycling


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Conservation of biodiversityPlastics for Sustainability

PVC windows, plastic decorative sheets andWPC terrace boards make an economy oftropical hardwood

Synthetic elastomers and plastics reduced theneed for transformation of tropical forests into

natural rubber plantations60% of worldwide textiles production is synthetic: it would not be

sustainable to increase 2.5x the environmental burden of cotton cultivationand sheep herding


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Sustainable water managementPlastics for Sustainability

Drinking water pipelines: lesser installation costs,longer lifetime, less leaking

Dual sewerage systems: more efficient wastewater treatment

Water infiltration systems

Membranes for seawater desalinationMembranes for sealing of water basins, landfills

and polluted sites

Water economy through design: avoiding deathzones results in 2 L economy per washing cycle


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Affordable healthcarePlastics for Sustainability

Syringes, catheters, blood & infusion bags,lenses, spectacles are made of plasticsbecause of hygiene, security, comfort feelingand price

Implants and artificial limbs

Medical and pharmaceutical packaging


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Affordable healthcarePlastics for Sustainability

Future span of life time 120-130 years?Thanks to polymeric biocompatible solutions, it is possible to applyreconstructive solutions for bones and tendons and perform micro-sounds.


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Increased security and protectionPlastics for Sustainability

Protective equipment and clothing for sports, drivingand professionals

Safety features in cars and other transport means:airbags, headrests, safety belts ...

Protective plastic packaging in the food chain:

hygiene, traceability, MAP, tamper proofChild protective & elderly friendly packaging

Insulating protection for electrical appliances

Acoustic protection (open cellular foams)


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Substitution of plastics would not be sustainable!Denkstatt report, J une 2010

Substitut ion of plastics in EU27+2 by other materials would result inan increase of

Total materials mass x 3.7

Energy consumption + 57% (= 2400 million GJ /year)

GHG emissions + 61%(= CO2 emissions of Belgium = 39% of EU15 Kyoto target)

The use of plastics for thermal insulation, for food packaging and toproduce renewable energy results in extraordinary use benefits.

Carbon balance: Estimated use benefits 5-9 times higher than theemissions from production and recovery.

Big potential for increasing carbon balance benefits: In 2020 use benefitscould be 9-15 times higher.

Polymers based on renewable resources are not per se better thanconventional plastics based on fossil resources.(Depends on resource efficiency and end-of-life treatment)


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The end of oil wil l not stop the use of plastics!

Plastics are made from hydrocarbons (ethylene, propylene, styrene, ...)

These hydrocarbons are today obtained from oil because it is still themost economical feedstock

Hydrocarbons can also be made from methane, coal and biomass (e.g.

bio-ethanol)

Some alternative renewable raw materials for plastics are: starch,cellulose, sugars, lactic acid, organic waste, vegetal oils, micro-organisms .....


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Oil use87% is incinerated !

Energy & Heating

42%

Transport

45%

Others

5%

Chemicals

4%

Plastics

4%

Plastics = most sustainable use of oil !


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Plastics borrow fossil hydrocarbons and return those

afterwards into the fuel cycle

energy useextractionrefining

end oflife

energy

recovery

usephase

feedstockproduction

plasticproduction

productproduction

materialre

cycling

feedstockrecycling

Oil

other

87%

4%

9%


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BiomassModified

Crops

Oil &

Gas

Recycled

Feedstock

Monomers

Biodegradable

Polymers

Traditional

Polymers

Mechanical

recycling

Energy

recovery Landfill

Feedstock

recycling

Resource Procurement for Plastics

CO 2Energy

Energy (Fossil fuels, renewables))

Road map for a sustainable plastics cycle

Fossil fuels represent today

>99% of the raw material base

Growing interest in the use

of biomass as feedstock

Increase in recycling and

energy recovery of plastics

waste

The most eco-efficient rawmaterials and energy choices

must be made !


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Ovam - Plan C, 2008Transition arena Sustainable Materials

WG Sustainable PlasticsFederplast.be, essenscia, UGhent, KUL, Ovam, LNE, PVC Info,Deceuninck, ExxonMobil Chem.

Today:

Raw materials: 99.9% fossil / 0.1% renewable

Waste :13% landfill / 28% recycling / 59% incineration with energy recovery

Sustainable scenario for the future : Raw materials: X% fossil / (100-X)% renewable

Waste: 0% landfill / more than X% recycling /less than (100-X)% incineration with energy recovery

Plastics wi ll become a carbon sink !


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Post consumer plastics waste in BelgiumEvolution of recycling and energy recovery

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10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

10 0

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

%

Recycling Energy recovery


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Bioplastics versus BiofuelsLCA based approach required

Prof. Martin Patel, Utrecht University (EPN March 2008)

Energy gain from bio-ethanol used as a substitution for:

1. Biofuel: 9.5 GJ /ton

2. Petrochemical ethanol: 37.5 GJ /ton (4x more !)

His conclusion: In a world of scarce agricultural land and forest

resources, it is more effective to use biomass for production of chemicalscompared to the use for biofuels

EU biofuel target:

10% in 2020 > feedstock need of the European plastics industry

More sustainable scenario:

biomass be used as raw material base for plastics and after this firstuse to be recycled or to be recovered as energy.


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Ovam - Plan C, 2008 - WG Sustainable Plastics6 transition paths towards a sustainable plastics industry 2030-2050

Raw materials base

1. Biopolymers and bio-feedstock (e.g. bio-ethanol)

2. CO2 as raw material

Closing the loop

3. Higher functionality: prevention, monomaterials, ...

4. Better sorting, recycling and energy recovery technologies

5. Eco design & Design for recycling

Transit ion management

6. LCA-based evaluation tool

Documents

Geert Scheys Essenscia