State-of-art of the Sustainable Plastics in Romania

Raluca Nicoleta Darie1, Doina Constantinescu2, Lidia Avadanei2, Cornelia Vasile1

1 “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487, Iasi, Romania (ICMPP)

darier@icmpp.ro 2 S.C. ICEFS COM S.R.L., Uzinei 1, 617410, Savinesti, Romania

OUTLINE

• Introduction • ICMPP – National focal point on sustainable plastics • Recent achievements regarding sustainable plastics in

Romania • Features of the national waste management system • National and regional legislation on plastics • Economic and fiscal instruments • Informative instruments • Companies • Research – Projects • Conclusions

Introduction • Plastics are versatile materials, crucial in the move towards

sustainable development;

• Plastics are used in many significant environmental product innovations. These products deliver huge energy savings in applications like packaging, transport, insulation, etc. Waste plastics offer also significant resource savings through efficient recycling and energy recovery;

• With only 700 g of waste generate per person per day, despite the low recycling rates, one can say that Romania is more sustainable than many northern countries that could recycle more in percentage but generate more than twice as much waste per person*;

• Beside manufacturing and using biodegradable plastics in daily life, the challenge for Central and Eastern Europe is about increasing reuse, composting and recycling as much as it is keeping (or reducing) the low levels of waste generation.

* http://www.zerowasteeurope.eu/2012/10/launch-of-zero-waste-romania-cluj-napoca/

http://www.icmpp.ro/sustainableplastics/

ICMPP – National focal point on sustainable plastics

Recent achievements regarding sustainable plastics in Romania

Whilst recycling performance is similar across most of the European countries, there are big differences in the utilization of energy recovery processes.

Plastics – the Facts 2012. An analysis of European plastics production, demand and waste data for 2011, PlasticsEurope - accessed september 2013

Growing demand for more sustainable solutions is reflected in improving recyclability of plastics as well as growing production capacities of bio-based plastics.

The European plastics converting industry comprises more than 40 000 plastics companies in Europe of which 3 800 in France, 5 795 in UK, 1048 in Poland and 600 in Romania 1.

1 http://www.plasticsconverters.eu/uploads/webpresentation%20Communication.pdf

• Transposition of Waste Framework Directive (WFD)

into national legislation (through L 211/2011 on waste);

• Regional implementation of separate waste collection (pilot projects and regional implementation mainly in urban areas);

• A centralized database exists in the premises of the national EPA (Regional Environmental Protection Agencies) for all waste streams ** [Enviroplan 2012];

• Environmental awareness and readiness to participate in separate collection of public is still at low level, but it is increasing through general environmental campaigns and educational activities, or targeted initiatives such as in the case of packaging www.sort.ro or for WEEE www.deseurielectrice.ro.

• Introduction in Directive 98/2008 of producer’s extended responsibility – sustains design and production of goods by efficiently usage of resources during the whole life cycle, including their repair, reusing, disassembly and recycling

** 070307/2011/606502/SER/C2. 1. European Commission. Country Factsheet for Romania.

[Enviroplan 2012] JASPERS. 2012. Technical Assistance to Beneficiary Countries- Romania LOT 2: Solid Waste (2014 – 2020) – Identification of future waste

management projects (2014 – 2020), Baseline Report

http://www.mentineromaniacurata.ro/autoritati/principii-europene.html

Composition of separately collected municipal waste in Romania in 2010

Alexandra Maria Almasi, Municipal waste management in Romania, 2012 report to European Environment Agency

Romania is one of the countries which fulfill the criteria stated in Article 11(3) of the EU Waste Framework Directive to receive a derogation period for the fulfillment of the 2020 target of 50% recycling of MSW. Romania will not fulfill this target if progress continues at the current rate, therefore an exceptional yearly increase in the recycling rate is needed.

Features of the Romanian waste management system

• Romania relies on agencies at three levels to manage waste: – the Ministry of Environment and Climatic Changes and Ministry of Administration and Interior; – the County Councils; – municipalities, which must ensure that all non-complying landfills and illegal dumps are closed, existing municipal

landfills rehabilitated or extended, and new landfills constructed where needed. Moreover, according to L 211/2011, local authorities are obliged to ensure separate collection of at least paper, metal, plastic and glass and to achieve, by 2020, the 50% preparation for reuse and recycling target.

• Eight Regional Environmental Protection Agencies (regional EPAs) had prepared Regional WMPs; County Councils had prepared county-level WMPs.

• Regional Associations comprise municipalities within the same county and the County Councils are responsible for managing final disposal facilities and transfer stations. This function is delegated to the County Council, including contracting for investments and operation. In small towns and rural areas, where solid waste management infrastructure is difficult to sustain, the County Council may also carry out procurement and other administrative functions. Larger landfills near bigger urban areas accommodate waste produced in the entire county; and transfer stations near large urban centers collect waste generated in surrounding regions.

Recycling of MSW in Romania and important policy initiatives

Alexandra Maria Almasi, Municipal waste management in Romania, 2012 report to European Environment Agency

Biodegradable

waste

Packaging Waste paper Used tires

Only based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH)

Waste collection and disposal tax. Waste can be sold at specific prices to the recycling facilities

Waste collection and disposal tax. Waste can be sold at specific prices to the recycling facilities

Waste collection and disposal tax. Waste can be sold at specific prices to the recycling facilities

Source: Ministry of Industry and Resources

Economic and fiscal instruments • Landfill tax: No landfill tax currently exists, but it is expected to be introduced in 2013 However, within the Environmental Fund Law since 2010, a target was introduced to reduce with

15% the amount of municipal waste collected that is delivered to landfill. In case of failure the public local authorities have to pay 100 lei/tonne on the difference between the target established and the target actually achieved through the selective collection and recovery;

• Pay as you throw schemes (PAYT): No incentive systems to favor prevention and participation to separate collection (PAYT schemes) are in place;

• Other taxes: Since 2009, operators placing shopping bags made of non-biodegradable material on the national market have to pay a tax (currently the tax amounts to RON 0,2);

• Deposit refund systems: No mandatory deposit refund system is in place, however voluntary deposits are used for certain packaging for some products (i.e. reusable bottles in the beer industry or PET bottles). Also, in some places, paper or metal waste collection is refunded;

• Packaging waste: Producers placing packaged products and/or packaging on the national market are obliged to

achieve the minimum set R&R targets or join one of the seven authorized Recovery Organizations for PW (ECO-ROM AMBALAJE, INTERSEMAT, ECOLOGIC 3R, SOTA GRUP 21, ECO-X, ECO PACK MANAGEMENT, RESPO WASTE), that take over on a contractual basis and in exchange for unitary prices used for each type of packaging materials, the responsibility to organize the recovery and recycling activities as well as to report to competent authorities on the achievement of those legal objectives; www.anpm.ro

Economic operators who produce and/or market products packaged in reusable packaging have to apply a deposit system to ensure the reuse of the packaging.

ECO - ROM AMBALAJE (ERA) is the representative of the "Green Dot" system and one of the main national Recovery Organizations. ERA is financed by the contribution of licensees. A fee is paid based on the quantity and type of packaging material placed on the market.

070307/2011/606502/SER/C2. 1. European Commission. Country Factsheet for Romania.

Informative instruments • Labelling: In Romania the National Commission for Granting the Ecolabel has been founded for the

implementation of the eco-labelling scheme, http://www.eticheta-ecologica.ro/despre.php

• Eco shopping guide/information: The “Promoting Green Products” project (LIFE+08/INF/RO/000507), financed by the European Commission through the LIFE+ program, has as its main objective the development of a campaign aiming at awareness raising in order to promote the production and consumption of green products, according to the EU eco-labeling charts or to other similar instruments and initiatives (e.g., EMAS, Energy Star, Carbon Neutral, etc.) http://www.greenpro.ub.ro/index.php/en.html

• Information campaigns addressing certain target groups (e.g. households, the public, businesses, schools, tourists, industry etc.)

• Let’s Do It Romania, organized first time in 2011 in the form of a national cleaning day to motivate and mobilize a general public to participate in the cleaning up activities for collection of litter (yearly) (www.letsdoitromania.ro) Specific waste stream targeted actions to raise public awareness, such as in the case of packaging

• The LIFE+ BALKWASTE project: “Waste Network for sustainable solid waste management planning and promotion of integrated decision tools in the Balkan Region” was implemented in Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Greece, aiming to promote sustainable waste management planning in the Balkan region;

• Eco-Romania organizes general education projects for school children and also works and meeting on the

packaging and packaging waste (www.ecoromania.org) • Several voluntary projects and programs for waste collection (areas sanitation): • - EcoRomAmbalaje – “Ai colectat, ai cîștigat! ” [http://www.ecoromambalaje.ro/stire.php?id=52] • - “Eco-Schools” [http://www.ccdg.ro/programe/eco-scoala/programul-eco-scoala.html] • - Romprest (sanitation operator) – “Lumea ta? Curată! ” [http://www.romprest.ro/stiri/bdquo-lumea-ta-

curata-rdquo-la-finalul-celei-de-a-treia-editii-14] • - Other campaigns: http://www.romprest.ro/campanii/

Romanian Associations • www.aspaplast.ro Romanian Plastics Processor Employers’ Association – up-date materials, raw materials and technologies in plastics processing;

packaging waste management politics

• http://www.aram.org.ro/ Romanian Association for Packaging and Environment – search for solutions to reduce impact of packaging waste on environment

• http://www.bio-romania.org/ Bio-Romania Association - involved in increased use of mulch film

International Network

EPNOE (European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence) - research and education network connecting 16 academic and research institutions and a large number of companies focusing on polysaccharide and polysaccharide-related business - expertise and state-of-the-art technologies in polysaccharide-related disciplines and environmental assessment.

EPNOE's main missions, in the fields of materials, food and pharmacy/medicine, are: - to organise education in polysaccharide science; - to perform basic and applied research for the development of new products based on

or containing polysaccharides; - to offer a networking platform enabling close interaction with industry.

Plastic recycling

Greentech SA is one of the most important plastics recyclers in South-Eastern Europe and also pioneer for plastic waste recycling in Romania. The company has offices in Romania and neighboring countries: Macedonia, Serbia, Greece and Germany. Greenfiber International is the only producer of synthetic polyester fiber and PET band from Romania and the second largest European producer of polyester synthetic fiber. These products made by Greenfiber are 100% of recycled PET flakes and satisfy the most demanding requirements. Andisimo Recycling

Andtomi SRL

ATP Srl

Bandplast

Barzic Import-Export Srl

Bodescu Export Import

CCR Romania

Clarinplast

Const Chen

Danimpex SRL

Dodi Plast Tech Srl

Ecologic Industries

Elron Ltd

End Green

Enviropet S.R.L.

Era XXI Srl

and so on…

http://www.green-group.ro/en/companies *http://www.recyclingplasticwaste.net/euro/index-romania.html

-includes selecting, cleaning, grinding, packing recycled plastic material, …

Bio-based plastics - worldwide

The global biodegradable polymer market is expected to have its largest growth over the next years, dominated by packaging and usage in fibers. The global biodegradable polymer market was estimated at 932 million pounds in 2011 and is expected to increase at a 22.5% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reach nearly 2.6 billion pounds in 2016.

http://www.bccresearch.com/market-research/plastics/biodegradable-polymers-market-pls025d.html

Bioplastics will receive an increased attention over the next years. The total worldwide use of bioplastics was valued at 571 712 metric tons in 2010. This usage is expected to grow at a 41.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2010 through 2015, to reach 3 230 660 metric tons in 2015.

http://www.bccresearch.com/market-research/plastics/bioplastics-technologies-markets-pls050a.html

Bio-based plastics – in Romania

• In the European Union about 8 million hectares are free and could be used for bioenergy or biomaterials. Most of this land is located in the new member states in Eastern Europe;

• The transition from petrochemical-based manufacture to one based on sustainable bio-feedstock should include the outputs of agriculture and forestry;

• More important than activating new agricultural areas is to increase productivity on

areas already in use. Modern agricultural processing can increase the productivity up to ten times compared to traditional farming. Even in the European Union there is still much scope for productivity increases;

• In Romania, yields for most crops are less than 50% of the corresponding yields in the EU-15, despite good quality soils;

• Due to financial crisis, as well as to political issues, unfortunately only several companies develop bio-based plastics products in Romania based on imported raw materials;

• Some companies are dealers of plastics or products derived from natural renewable resources or are implementing projects to develop new biodegradable materials.

Companies (dealers of bio-based plastics or plastic producers)-selection

RESINEX Romania SRL Str. Căpitan Vijelie Nr. 4, Sector 5, 050672 , Bucureşti office@resinex.ro - Distribution of Plastics & Elastomers (PLA from NatureWorks)

ADOLINE SERVICES SRL Str. Drumul Belsugului, Nr. 100B, Sector 6, (zona Pacii, Militari), Bucuresti, Romania (+40) 0729 288 836, office@spotline.ro PLA-Translucent Green material for 3D printing

S.C. ICEFS COM SRL Str. Uzinei nr.1; C.P.5 - OP Savinesti; 617410 - Savinesti, Judetul Neamt, Romania; Tel.:0040-233-281690; Fax:0040-233 281680; Email:office@icefs.ro; Web site: http://www.icefs.ro - Polyamide for injection and extrusion (RELAMID) - Polyamidic composites (tubes, bars, plates) - Polyolefins for injection and extrusion (TEHNOLEN) Research: technologies for the replacement of conventional materials with environmentally degradable biocomposites (new bioactive packaging).

S.C. LORACOM S.R.L. Str. Stefan cel Mare 261, Roman, judetul Neamt tel. 0233 / 740974 Web: www.loracom.ro Email: office@loracom.ro - Polyethylene foils, bags, ecological sacks Research: technologies for the replacement of conventional materials with environmentally degradable biocomposites (new bioactive packaging).

Raw Earth bamboo fibers (80%), natural resins and starch powder Zuperzozial – Just Sugar (made from PLA)

Romania www.capventure.ro

SC Euroink Romania SRL Bucuresti,Sector 4, Splaiul Unirii, Nr 162, Tel. : 021/ 318 23 97; 021/318 23 98, Fax: 021/ 318 23 96,

office@euroinkromania.ro - Supplies Cereplast Compostables Resins and Cereplast Sustainables Resins for use in its masterbatch

process for adding colorant to bulk, uncolored resins that is used to manufacture bags, garden furniture, household items, industrial parts, among other products.

Monotex SRL Str. Lalelelor Nr. 16, 545400 Sighisoara - Mures – Romania; Tel: +40 265 77 68 85, Fax: +40 265 77 72 66 www.monotex.ro BIOLENE - PLA monofilament - Initially developed for the medical field, PLA Monofilaments now have a wider range of applications. The use of PLA Monofilaments in filtration create environmentally friendly industrial processes CFN Packaging Ltd Heath Road, Skegness, Lincolnshire, PE25 3ST UK -Sells in Romania degradable plastic packaging product BIOTENETM, oxo-degradable polythene for bags and packaging

Companies (dealers of bio-based plastics or plastic producers)-selection

Information submitted by ASPAPLAST members (Romanian Plastics Processor Employers’ Association), corroborated with other sources, indicated in 2007 an estimated processing capacity of PE, PP, PS and PVC of over 250 thousand tonnes/year, with the largest facilities being for film extrusion, blow moulding, injection, granules and pipes. – Report on Romanian Plastic Industry (2007)

PROJECTS (waste recycling & bio-based plastics) EUROPEAN:

AFORE (Forest biorefineries: Added-value from chemicals and polymers by new integrated separation, fractionation and upgrading) www.eu-afore.fi (2009-2013) FP7-NMP-2008-LARGE-2, 19 partners from 10 countries, Romania-ICMPP, coordinator VTT Finland - Development of novel, industrially adaptable and techno-economically viable bio-based solutions for the separation, fractionation, and primary upgrading of green chemicals from forest residues, wood chips, and chemical pulping liquors to be used as starting materials for current and novel value-added applications.

EUREKA Project E! 4952 Biopackaging (2010-2012) Actual cost: 0.66 M€; Partners: University of Maribor, Institute “Jozef Stefan, Perutnina Ptuj D.D, Slovenia, “P.Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry Iasi, ICEFS COM SRL, LORACOM SRL – Romania -development of non-toxic, biocompatible, biodegradable, antimicrobial and antioxidant formulations, as a main novel component for different packaging materials.

HydroWEEE Demo Improved waste recycling will benefit environment and boost European industry ('hydro' for hydrometallurgical, and 'WEEE' for waste from electrical and electronic equipment). (2012-2016) Participants: Austria (Coordinator), Italy, Romania, Serbia Project FP7: 308549, Total costs: € 3 758 950 (EU contribution: € 2 671 250) The objective of HydroWEEE Demo is to build two demonstration plants – one stationary and one mobile – to test the performance of the techniques devised. The demo plants will also develop processes to recover additional metals from WEEE, and expand beyond that waste stream to other sectors such as automotive waste.

FORBIOPLAST (Forest Resource Sustainability through Bio-Based-Composite Development) Participants: Germany, Italy (Coordinator), Belgium, Spain, Greece, Latvia, Romania, Hungary, Norway FP7 Proj. N° 212239 ; Total costs: € 5 966 874 (EU contribution: € 4 317 515) Duration: July 2008 - June 2012 - use of wood byproducts as raw materials to make composite foams. The experiments involve different source material, with some of the applications using olive oil waste water. - replacements for cardboard or plastic boxes that carry items as varied as cosmetics, detergents, fish, or eggs. Applications for the farming sector, like biodegradable plant pots, tomato yarn and fertilizers.

BIONANOMED: (2012-2015) Antimicrobial bionanocomposites for medical applications Program PN II – Partnerships; Contract nr. 164/2012 UEFISCDI http://www.icmpp.ro/intranet/grant_files/bionanomed/Proiect_BIONANOMED.pdf Partners: INSTITUTUL DE CHIMIE MACROMOLECULARA “PETRU PONI” IASI (Coordinator); INSTITUTUL

NATIONAL DE CERCETAREDEZVOLTARE PENTRU STIINTE BIOLOGICE BUCURESTI (INCDSB); S.C. I.C.P.E. BISTRITA S.A. (ICPE)

- Obtaining of new bionanocomposites based on mixtures of synthetic and natural polymers optimized with silver nanoparticles with antimicrobial effect;

- Establishing of processing technologies in view of obtaining medical devices with special properties, antimicrobial, biocompatible, biodegradable.

Nanosized micelles and vesicles from amphiphilic block copolymers with polysaccharides as hydrophilic blocks. A versatile route to new biomaterials (2011-2014)

PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0622, Granted by: Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS – UEFISCDI Contractor: “Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, IASI Budget: 1500000 lei - Synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers with chemical structures controlled by synthesis, from polysaccharides

(dextran, pullulan) as hydrophilic blocks and biodegradable polyesters of bile acids (cholic, deoxycholic or litocolic acids) as hydrophobic blocks - devices for temporal and spatial control of drugs

LignoMat (2006 – 2008) LIGNIN – SOURCE OF RAW MATERIALS FOR UNCONVENTIONAL FUELS, ENERGY, CHEMICAL PRODUCTS AND ADVANCED MATERIALS DURING DURABLE DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS

Contract CEEX 102 Partners: CO - “P. Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry Iasi P1 - “Gh. Asachi” Technical University Iasi P2 - “Transilvania” University Brasov P3 - SC ICIT FIBRESIN SA Iasi P4 - Research and Design Institute for Electrical Engineering Bucuresti P5 - SC INCUBUS CONSULTING SA Bucuresti

- Diminution of the environmental pollution by scientific promotion of the rational using and reinstatement in the natural circuit of the vegetable products (lignin) – renewable product for realization of the “friendly” environmental materials; - Partial or total replacement of some riskily traditional products with a material which contain a biopolymer (lignin) in order to reduce the environmental impact.

NATIONAL:

BIOPLAST 72152/2008 (2008-2011) – Synthesis and investigation of some new biodegradable polymers based on polilactic acid with applications in medicine (Sinteza si investigarea unor noi polimeri biodegradabili pe baza de acid polilactic cu aplicatii in medicina) http://chem.ubbcluj.ro/~majdik/bioplast/.

Universitatea BABES-BOLYAI Cluj-Napoca Coordonator proiect CO –Universitatea BABEŞ-BOLYAI, Cluj Napoca Partener P1 –INCDO-INOE 2000, filiala Institutul de Cercetări pentru Instrumentaţie Analitică Cluj-Napoca Partener P2 –Universitatea POLITEHNICĂ din Timişoara Partener P3 –Universitatea de Medicină şi Farmacie “VICTOR BABEŞ” Timişoara Budget 1.950.000 lei; Co-finanting 0 lei Originality: Elaboration of new ways of obtaining racemic and stereoisomer polylactic acid in microwave presence (Patent RO 127829

A2/2011) Obtaining of some copolymers of polylactic acid with glicolyc acid Synthesis of some copolymers of lactic acid with methylene-diphenyl-diisocyanate Elaboration of an original method for determination of molecular weight of polylactic acid by NMR Obtaining of L-lactic acid by fermentation of residual fractions from milk industry Study of synthesized polymers biodegradation

Zero Waste pilot projects http://www.zerowasteeurope.eu/2012/10/launch-of-zero-waste-romania-cluj-napoca/ network of Transition Towns, Permaculture, Green Building as well as with the University of Cluj-Napoca and some pioneer

companies. - to promote Zero Waste in the country and it succeeded in bringing together national and local stakeholders including

activists, waste experts and operators, ecodesign specialists, city planners and architects, public authorities, policy-makers with the participation of international observers.

~ 30 new proposals within the topic waiting for national financing

CONCLUSIONS

• Environmentally responsible choices and the "being green" initiatives are becoming more than qualities, but attitudes for some consumers and producers. It is a sign of respect for the future;

• Growing demand for more sustainable solutions is reflected in improving recyclability of plastics as well as growing production capacities of bio-based plastics;

• So far few policy steps have been taken towards improving recycling and new initiatives are required in Romania;

• No published data are available about statistics of the current situation of sustainable plastics in Romania;

• One can admit that, due to financial crisis, as well as to political issues, unfortunately only several companies develop bio-based plastics production in Romania. Such products are manufactured based on imported raw materials.

• Some companies are dealers of plastics or products derived from natural renewable resources or are implementing projects to develop new bio-based or biodegradable materials;

• An increased awareness for a green environment is also reflected on the number of research projects developed or proposed for financing from European or National funds in view of producing environmentally friendly materials based on renewable resources.

Thank you! Dziękuję bardzo!

http://www.eco-innovation.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95%3Adacia-electra-research-on-electric-vehicles-&catid=71%3Aromania&Itemid=71

Acknowledgements:

Dr. eng. IRINA-MARIA PETRUC Head of Office for Waste and Chemicals Management, Agency for Environmental Protection, Iasi, Romania

Financial support from BIONANOMED project 164/2012 UEFISCDI and PLASTiCE project