CEFLEX: Flexible packaging waste collection crucial to circular economy in Europe

09 Jun 2021 --- CEFLEX has published a position statement emphasizing that the collection of flexible packaging waste is central to achieving a circular economy in Europe.

The collaboration of European companies, associations and organizations representing the entire value chain have also agreed to a common position on the essentials for collecting flexible packaging waste in a circular economy.

The position statement is part of an ongoing alignment on critical issues being undertaken by CELFEX. The process combined detailed research, consultation and debate to reach a common position, the organization indicates.

From September 2020 to February 2021, more than 300 stakeholders participated in two dedicated webinars, interviews, and a value chain representative, 25-person, 2-day workshop to agree the final statement.

These efforts are part of delivering on CEFLEX’s five-step roadmap and are intended to help accelerate a circular economy for flexible packaging. CEFLEX emphasizes the collection of flexible packaging waste is key to achieving a circular economy. 

Capturing flexible packaging
The approved position statement outlines the essential elements to capture flexible packaging resources:

• All flexible packaging must be targeted for collection and sorting, including on-the-go packaging, especially in those few countries where it is not yet collected like the UK.
• Flexible plastic packaging should be collected as a separate stream or with other light packaging and not mixed with paper, board or glass to maximize recycling quality.
• Additional sorting of flexible packaging from mixed waste is likely necessary to access all flexible packaging materials and enable circularity.
• CEFLEX and its stakeholders aim to work with the national authorities and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes to develop effective collection systems that allow for these materials to be sorted and sent for recycling.

The agreed position statement process supports ongoing research, assessment and study from CELFEX. These include economic and environmental collection costs in selected countries in collaboration with Suez and the Marecie Mapping Recyclability in Europe project, and studying recycling infrastructure and EPR schemes in collaboration with Flexible Packaging Europe and Recyda.

CEFLEX (The Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging) initiative is a collaboration of over 170 European companies, associations and organizations representing the entire flexible packaging value chain of flexible packaging.

The initiative is aiming to make all flexible packaging in Europe circular by 2025.

Flexible packaging circular partnerships
Initiatives aimed at improving flexible packaging’s recycling levels are proliferating globally. For example, US-based investment firm Closed Loop Partners joined leading plastic polymer producers Dow, LyondellBasell and Nova Chemicals in launching the Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund last month.

At the same time, producer compliance scheme Ecosurety and environmental charity Hubbub introduced The Flexible Plastic Fund, a UK industry initiative aimed at making flexible plastic recycling economically viable for recyclers and easier for consumers.

The Fund has already received £1 million (approximately US$1.4 million) in backing from Mars UK, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever. 

Edited by Joshua Poole