Markets for Recyclates

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Markets for Recyclates
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Barriers

• Technical
• Standards
• Health Safety
• Cost / price
• Perception of performance

• Ensuring supply
• Over capacity of primary production
• Size of market
• Information requirements

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Market Development
In order to increase recycling, markets need to
be developed for new products and applications,
as well as expanding the markets for existing
products. Options to tackle these barriers
include

• 3) Recycled content agreements with industry
• 4) Buy-recycled initiatives
• 5) Waste exchanges recyclables exchanges
• 6) Economic instruments

• 1) Standards for recyclate recycled-content
  products
• 2) Guidelines for industry on best practice for
  using recyclates to make new products

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1a) Standards for Recyclates

• Advantages
• Buyers are made more aware of potential materials
• Recyclate sellers have access to larger potential
  markets
• MRF operators can design operate plant more
  easily
• Easier for potential users to design processes
  which can use recyclable/recycled materials

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1a) Available Recyclates Standards

• Ferrous metal
• Non-ferrous metal
• Textiles
• Glass

• Paper
• Plastic
• Wood
• Rubber

Few International Standards Little Sampling
Test Methods
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1b) Standards for Recycled Products

• Product standards are required for a number of
  reasons, including
• To ensure that products are safe to use
• To facilitate trade

• Current product standards take into account
• Fitness for purpose
• Level of grading
• Performance testing
• Health Safety

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2) Guidelines for Industry

• Development of Best Practice Programmes
• e.g. Construction Best Practice Programme, looks
  at reuse of construction and demolition waste,
  amongst other things
• Technical Information Dissemination
• e.g. Waste Resources Action Programme researches,
  collects, and disseminates information on
  technological advances and market research
  reports.

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3) Recycled Content Agreements

• Advantages
• Would protect recycling when virgin prices drop

• Disadvantages
• Potentially against free market competition
• Long distance transport of recyclates is
  environmentally unfriendly

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4) Buy Recycled Initiatives/Promotions

• Change public perception
• Provide information on recycled content
• Lead by example - green procurement
• Industry public initiatives
• Government intervention

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5) Waste Recyclables Exchanges

• Resource recyclables exchange benefits
• Advancing the market place for recovered
  materials
• Development of an efficient system to benefit all
  users
• Reducing market place uncertainty by making
  people aware that recyclables are a commodity
• Providing a method for reducing uncertainty for
  both buyers and sellers in dealing with new
  sellers and buyers.

• Waste Exchange
• Waste management licenses required to deal with
  wastes

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6) Economic Instruments

• Subsidised collection of recyclates
• Producer responsibility
• Packaging Directive
• ELV Directive
• WEEE Directive
• Increased landfill tax
• preventative (higher landfill tax)
• curative (Landfill Tax Credit Scheme to
  investigate alternatives to landfill)
• Alter local authority procedures

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Green Design
As a result of current and forthcoming producer
responsibility legislation, manufacturers will
need to think about the recyclability of their
packaging, electronic equipment and vehicles.
Although products which are easier to recycle
are more likely to be recycled, this does not
guarantee an increase in markets for recyclables.
However, if costs for separating materials for
recycling are reduced, this might improve the
supply of materials to potential markets.
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Market Development Initiatives

• Packaging - recycling obligations, monitored via
  PRNs
• Landfill Directive - alternatives to landfill
  needed, such as recycling
• WEEE Directive - design for disassembly and easy
  recycling
• ELV Directive - recycling targets for vehicles

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Recycled Products

• Paper cardboard
• Retread tyres
• Oil (transmission/engine)
• Insulation
• Road building materials
• Mulch/compost
• Geotextiles
• Plastic pipe
• Plastic desk accessories
• Stationery waste baskets
• Carpeting

• Outdoor benches tables
• Playground equipment
• Bicycle racks
• Wall panels
• Chipboard
• Sign posts
• Rubbish bags
• Furniture
• Fences fence posts

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Definitions

• Standard an accepted/approved example of
  something against which others are judged
• Specification detailed description of the
  criteria for the constituents, construction,
  appearance, performance etc. of a material or
  product
• Value for money the optimum combination of
  quality and whole life costs to meet users
  requirements.
• MRF Materials Recycling Facility
• PRN Packaging Recovery Note

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References

• Www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/reduce/wstewise/pubs/b
  uy.pdf
• Developing Markets for Recycled Materials. 1999.
  AEAT-5538 Issue 1.
• Watts, B. M. Probert, J. Bentley, S. P. 2001.
  Developing Markets for recyclate perspectives
  from South Wales. Resources Conservation
  Recycling 32 293 - 304
• http//www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/strategy
  /mdg/report/2.htm