Big Questions and Big Answers
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The document discusses the need for more sustainable practices around plastic waste and recycling. It begins by outlining some big questions around why we use plastics and where we are currently. Plastics usage has increased dramatically but recycling rates lag behind other materials. Climate change and resource scarcity also motivate more sustainable solutions. The document advocates for improved plastic recycling and waste management. It suggests learning from best practices in steel recycling and moving towards systems with fewer steps and larger volumes to improve economics and drive more recycling. The goal is to ensure plastics continue to be widely used but in a way that better manages waste and prevents environmental harm.
Big Questions and Big Answers
- 1. “A Big Conversation” Suggests Big Questions and Big Answers Adapted from Mike Biddle’s speech at Plasticity Shanghai Richard McCombs CEO, MBA Polymers, Mike Biddle, Founder, MBA Polymers
- 2. 4 Questions 1. Why Are We Here? 2. Where Are We? Situational Assessment 3. Where Do We Want to Go? Vision 4. How Do We Get There? Strategy
- 3. Big Question #1: “Why Are We Here”?
- 4. Climate Change is getting worse
- 5. Helping Plastics Realize its Promise to be a Vital Part of the Circular Economy
- 6. 2. Where Are We? Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)1 2014 findings that to ensure a better-than-even chance of remaining below a 2°C temperature rise, global annual emissions will need to be reduced 42%–57% by 2050 (relative to 2010), and 73%–107% by 2100. Climate
- 7. Likely getting even hotter “However, scientists agree that countries’ current United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change emission pledges and commitments would most likely result in 3.5 to 4°C warming.”
- 8. “Meeting global demand for energy, materials, water, and food is an economic imperative” Resources US military: “Resource Scarcity could increase wars, conflict” 2. Where Are We?
- 9. Are You Ready for the Resource Revolution?
- 10. Steel Supply Gap Filled by Recycling
- 11. Plastics have Grown Faster than most Materials Worldwide Yearly Consumption: • > 600 Billion Pounds • 280 Million Metric Tons
- 13. Most “Difficult” Plastic Streams are often sent to China for Recycling Photos from Scrap Magazine
- 15. Photos: Basel Action Network Often the recyclers in developing countries are concentrating the plastics waste near streams
- 16. Photos: Basel Action Network And frequently using the streams for waste disposal purposes Photo from Basel Action Network (BAN), www.ban.org Photo from www.foxnews.com
- 17. Campaign Against The Plastic Plague Anti-Plastic Bottle Week We Hate Plastics Plastic: The Ocean’s Deadliest Predator PLASTIC IS RUBBISH why we boycott plastic....
- 19. Would ENDING our relationship with Plastic be a GOOD thing?
- 21. 21 2. Summary: Where Are We? Plastics have become ubiquitous in our lives – Increasing demand on resources is likely to drive up most resource costs in the long term Plastic waste, particularly in our oceans, has become an emotional catalyst for anti-plastics sentiment However, recycling of plastics lags behind other major materials The public has become increasingly unclear about the role of plastics in their lives for sound economic and environmental reasons
- 22. 22 3. Where Do We Want to Go with Plastics? We continue to enjoy plastics’ ability to deliver products and function in a resource efficient manner The Public once again considers Plastics to be: One of the ‘Coolest’ Materials on the Planet We better manage plastics at end of use
- 23. 23 4. How Do We Get There? Responsible Waste Management
- 24. 24 How Do We Get There? Responsible Waste Management • Recycle more • Biodegradable plastics for products not likely to be collected • Energy recovery/WTE for what can’t be recycled • Collect and aggregate more
- 25. 25 Why is Recycling so important? • 80-90% energy savings compared to virgin • 2-4 tons of CO2 savings per ton of virgin replaced • Recycling keeps plastics out of harmful places • Recycling can be a good business • Social License: It’s part of the expected social contract with communities and consumers/citizens if we want to keep using plastics
- 26. 26 How Do We Do a Better Job? Let’s learn from other materials Let’s learn from best practices of existing plastics recyclers
- 27. Evolution of Steel Recycling Technology
- 28. From: “The Innovator’s Solution”, Clayton M. Christensen and Michael E. Raynor, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA 2003, pg. 37. Recycled Plastic is Following Similar Path to that followed by Recycled Steel Plastic Lumber, pallets, spot market, etc. Flower pots, bins, etc. Hidden, low-demanding parts, mixed with virgin Surface parts, 100% PCR content Evolution of Steel Recycling Technology
- 29. Evolution of Steel Recycling Technology What plastic can learn from steel in a circular economy Virgin metal companies said steel recycling would never get very far. http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/jan/29/plastic-industry-recycling- learn-from-steel-circular-economy Sponsored by: It did. So can plastic follow in its footsteps?
- 30. Evolution to Single Stream and MRFs PE, PP - rich PET - rich China Africa SE Asia ETC mixed plastic residual Waste Products Products Waste Waste
- 31. The Future will be “less touches” The Future will be more Efficient and more financially attractive Mixed Products Products Products Products Products Residual to Fuels Therefore plastics will be more Sustainable
- 32. 32 Resilient Recycling Mixed plastics separations & recycling facilities Reduces handling and transport costs throughout the supply chain Access to a wider customer base Lowers CapEx and OpEx costs at MRFs Enables the business to scale Larger volumes from each source
- 33. 33 Lower CapEx Lower OpEx Access to larger customers/markets Resilient Recycling Economies of Scale Inbound and outbound transportation more efficient
- 34. 34 Why should we believe this will work?
- 35. 35 Because it is already happening and the recycled plastic is being used by major OEMs
- 36. 36 Additional Resources 36 @MikeBiddle Plastics Recycling TED talk: http://on.ted.com/j07ad Popular Science: “THE GARBAGE MAN” http://www.popsci.com/article/science/garbage-man 3 minute BIG SHFT video: http://tinyurl.com/cpee3vw CNN: The Garbage Man: http://ht.cdn.turner.com/cnn/big/business/2 014/08/14/spc-make-create-innovate- plastic-man.cnn_512x288_550k.mp4 www.mbapolymers.com mbiddle@mbapolymers.com Recycling Today, Sept. 2014 on what’s next for Plastics Recycling: http://www.recyclingtoday.com/ rt0914-michael-biddle-q-a.aspx