in Greece HERRCOs Mission Extended Producers Responsibility Organization Fulfilling the legal obligations on behalf of the affiliated packaging operators Meeting the National Objectives according to the Systems Financial and Technical programming ID: 395910
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Slide1
Scavenging of Packaging Waste
in GreeceSlide2
HERRCO’s
Mission
“Extended Producer’s Responsibility Organization”
Fulfilling the legal obligations on behalf of the affiliated packaging operators. Meeting the National Objectives according to the System’s Financial and Technical programming
HERRCO operates at
a
non-profit
basisSlide3
19
Shareholders
325
Municipalities
AYS
SA
(65%)
Central Union of Greek Municipalities
(35%)
HERRCO SA
(
EPR ORGANIZATION
)
1.780
CONTRACTED MEMBERS
The System’s Structure
Producers and importers of products
Packaging producersSlide4
HERRCO’s Activities
Blue Bin (Municipality) recycling
projects
(commingled recyclables – in some areas multiple streams)Glass collection Glass collection from professional venues (hotels, restaurants etc.)
ICPW and other activities
Recording and certifying recycling from Industrial and Commercial Packaging Waste (ICPW).
Other recycling sources
(
delivery from 3
rd
parties directly to industry, energy recovery, etc.)Slide5
Blue Bin projects at a glance
(
October
2014)
87% population coverage135 thousand Blue Bins in use
415
vehicles to the participating municipalities
2
9
Sorting Centers
2
.
2
00
jobs
442 kt of materials were recycled 2013 (1)
(+5% increase for 2014)
€260 mil. for investments and operating costs up to date
National Targets have been met, except for glass(1): packaging and printed paperSlide6
“Unofficial Recycling”
Is it a problem? Yes!Illegal activitiesEnvironmental concernsNegative impacts to the official (municipal) packaging waste recovery projectsSlide7
“Unofficial Recycling”
What is the driving force of the problem? It’s the economy, my friend!A profitable activity based on:“Getting” the material for freeNo environmental or safety standards are met
Usually a “tax free” activitySlide8
“Unofficial Recycling”
Are there any solutions? Well, yes!Set up an effective immigration policy, (in Greece scavengers are mainly immigrants)Raise the social and economic status of the groups involvedDecrease the secondary materials prices Provide “decent” jobs for the scavengers
None of the above lies within the EPR organization boundaries!Slide9
“Unofficial Recycling”
What else?Secure the collected material or even collect it before they do itProsecute some hundreds (or thousands?) of peopleClose down the illegal scrap yardsNot easy solutions, if any not for the EPR schemes alone.
The authorities should take the proper decisions!Slide10
What can the EPR schemes do?
Calculate and/or record the “missing” quantities at the lowest possible cost.Then report the findings to the authorities. The above ideally should be done in agreement with (…and on behalf of…) the authorities (procedures etc.)
Put the issue on the table as a problem which cannot be tackled by the EPR schemes alone
.Communicate the problem with
the citizens.Slide11
Scavenging of packaging in Greece
Especially after the start of heavy financial crisis since 2010, it happens on a massive scalePotential source of income for unemployed people (mainly Roma and immigrants)
Acute problem in high density populated areasSlide12
Targeted materials
Cardboard-newsprint paper (mainly)Easy to be removed from the binsHigh priced materialPossible “heavy” loads with small trucks
Metals-Plastics (small scale)
Scavenging not at that large scale as in cardboard Light weighted materials → inefficient transportation
Metals → mainly non-packaging equipment (steel, bronze, copper, aluminum etc.)Plastics → very small scale Slide13
Packaging scavenging – Blue bins
Common picture in the streets of AthensSlide14
Packaging scavenging – Blue binsSlide15
Impacts
Negative effects to the municipal packaging recycling resultsDecreases the quality of the collected stream
Increases operating costs of
the Sorting Centers (less incoming valuable materials)
Negative impact to participating citizensStrong negative impacts to cities functionality and environmental imageSlide16
Cardboard recovery from MSW project (Blue Bins)Slide17
Estimation of Market size reduction 2010-2013
Based on declared quantities at HERRCO: -20% (-35% since 2008)
GDP per capita PPS (purchasing power standard) Index*:
-16%
(-19,5% since 2008)GDP growth rate*: -17% (-23,5% since 2008) So you would expect a 16-20% decrease in PW*source: EurostatSlide18
Quantifying the annual losses(Per capita cardboard recovery rate 2010/2013)
*Based on declared quantities to HERRCo
But you get:
- 40%
Market size reduction* 2010-2013: 20%
Because of
Scavenging
: 20%
Scavenging quantities estimation: 20,000t – 25,000t per yearSlide19
Scavenging materials trade route
BLUE BINS
Scavengers
Small scale stockyards
Big scrap traders
Exports
Domestic Recycling Plants
-------------------------------
Recorded at ICWP results
The materials end up to the same scrap traders which trade the ICWP and eventually are recorded by
HERRCo
Slide20
Scavenging materials trade routeverified by
HERRCo results
Category
2012 - 2013 Results Rate (%)Share
Total
2012 - 2013 Results Rate (%)
2012 - 2013
Market size rate
(%)
Blue Bin
(MSW)
-10%
30%
-2,5%
-3%
Industrial and Commercial
+0,5%
70%
Total recorded quantities follow the market rate which means that the quantities missed in the official (blue bin) recycling reappear at the scrap traders.Slide21
Conclusions 1
Negative financial impact on the Sorting Centres (blue bin projects),
Financial impacts (revenue losses) caused by the yearly loss of 25,
000 tMaterial sales
: €2.4 mil.HERRCo funding: €0.25 mil. €3,5 mil./yearAdditional operating cost: €0.8 mil.
Slide22
Conclusions 2
Negative effects to the municipal packaging recycling results Disruption of the blue bin system
However, quantities from scavengers are being recorded by HERRCO, not via Municipal Solid Waste, but via Commercial and Industrial Projects (Scrap Traders activities)
Slide23
Thank you!