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Envisage approaches the European perspective on Extended Producer Responsibility at the Seventh Conference on Packaging Recycling in Berlin endorsed by the Federal Minister of the Environment
Berlin, 12 December 2024 The broad concept was around Trends and Challenges in Europe on EPR with direct participation of Stephan Rösgen, Anders Linde and Miguel Aballe. The situation in some of the key markets was reviewed: key objectives with EPR are to internalize the environmental costs of products and packaging into their price, and thereby create incentives to optimize environmental performance and minimize costs, as well as shifting the economic burden of managing products that have reached the end of life, from local government and taxpayers to product producers and consumers. The risks that part of most of this responsibility is shifted to municipalities and the increase in costs and lack of control by producers was explained in detail.
Right to left, Stephan Rösgen, Anders Linde and Miguel Aballe
The recycling and circular economy meeting on December,10, was organized by AVU, the Packaging Recycling Organization, with the cooperation of BDE and BVSE, had more than 150 participants from industry, trade and science, and a welcoming message from the federal Minister of the Environment, Steffi Lemke. She stressed, among others, the effort needed to have high quality recycled materials to meet the more stringent targets ahead. The opening speech was by the president of the SME union, Gitta Connemann, who advised of the need to have a regulatory security and trustworthy conditions for SME to develop their role in this new circular economy framework.
Anders Linde
Miguel Aballe
Technical contributions to the meeting included the new role of Hydrogen in industrial developments, advances in chemical recycling and sorting methods, and new materials under development including improvements in packaging with the inclusion of monomaterial and recycled materials to meet the targets of the forthcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Rules.
Envisage leading contributor to "Packnet, 15 years of joint innovation" book
Madrid, November 20, 2024. Packnet is the reference packaging technical platform where almost every organization, independent professional and company, notably most trade and sectorial associations and academic institutions having to do with packaging are present.
Miguel Aballe, Envisage founding partner, has consistently been involved in the preparation and organization of events, seminars and technical committees over the past 15 years.
The current Packet board has encouraged the management to review the activities and most importantly synergies developed by the founders and successive members over this period, and the result is a book entitled "Packnet, 15 years of joint innovation" just published.
Envisage has been involved in the preparation of the book and contributed with a section to enhance the continued work of the platform to organize complex meetings with contrasting views on almost every new development in such an evolving world as the packaging development means.
Envisage at Paisaje Limpio XX anniversary celebration
Madrid, September 19, 2024. Miguel Aballe, Envisage founding partner, was involved in the creation and member of the board, for more than ten years, of Paisaje Limpio, currently one of the leading organizations promoting social environmental behaviour and a reference European clean countryside organization part of Let’s Clean up Europe.
PL has celebrated its XX anniversary with a cleanup trip on the shores of Valmayor Dam reservoir in the north of the Madrid region and commemorative event in Madrid where most founding partners have met to review the impressive achievements of the Association.
The leading founders and most important partners around Europe were presented the Paisaje Limpio recycled plastic leaf and had the opportunity to review the key landmarks of the organization.
Stephan Roesgen at Deutsche VerpackungInstitut European CEO’s Packaging Market and Trends conference
Vienna, July 4, 2023 Envisage partner Stephan Roesgen addressed the European CEO’s Packaging Market and Trends conference in Vienna organized by he Deutsche VerpackungInstitut.
At a seprate meeting, he presented the situation and main objectives of et EU level of the Green Claims at the Deutsche VerpackungInstitut DVI webinar on the EU-proposal on substantiation and communication of explicit environmental claims. Taking into account the main political EU target of climate neutrality by 2050, the problem of consumer distrust of green claims is a consistent attitude across the EU, and something to be addressed from all possible angles.
Envisage coordinates the team to analyze
production and recycling of wood packaging in Spain
Valencia, May, 15 2023 -The Spanish Federation of wood packaging manufacturers FEDEMCO has commissioned IMEDES environmental institute based in Valencia to set up a team for the development of an in-depth study of wood packaging manufacturing and recycling in 2021.
The team has been coordinated by Dr. Miguel Aballe, Envisage founding partner, and other three researchers with ample experience in the wood and recycling industries were involved, and developed the work between November 2022 and April 2023.
Final conclusions and data, which will be part of the federation internal work and eventually released as part of a much larger work, were presented to the sponsors in May, 2023. Throughout the work more than 30 organizations in Spain and around Europe were contacted and supplied information and the entire packaging chain was interviewed to ensure the best possible information available was considered.
Envisage at the Packaging and Packaging Waste Conference
in Stockholm
15th June, 2023. Anders Linde, founding partner of the European sustainability Platform Envisage, took a leading part in the conference on the PPWR held in Stockholm to review the main issues around this essential EU regulation which will influence many of the most important political decisions on waste in the coming years.
Some months ahead before final approval, Anders addressed some of the hot points of this major review of EU regulation, including the possibility of establishing “Delegate Acts”.
Some of these are the “design for recycling” criteria and questions which have remained in the discussion for many years, including those of “fully recyclable” or “100% recyclable”.
Concerns by the EU Parliament are multiple, including that recylability should not compromise functionality, the far higher impact of product loss, especially food waste, as compared with non recycled packaging, the uncertain boundary where reusable packaging can be preferred to one-way packaging and the absolute need to approach most important changes only after LCA-based evidence is soundly demonstrated.
Before imposing strict packaging waste prevention measures, he remarked, the fundamental role of packaging to extend the shelf life have an important role to playamong other benefits in food waste prevention. An important outcome of the enormous amount of discussion this issue is generating, as has been generally stated, is the difficulty of iimplementing too simpe measures on issues which need in many of their aspects a much higher presence of scientific and pragmatic thinking.
Skeptics in the Pub, a new format to approach the current debate on
plastics, economy and society
22 October, 2022 Miguel Aballe, Envisage founding partner, proposed a new topic for the start of the debate season in Skeptics in the Pub Madrid: Plastics, a history of love and hate with society. Some of the topics proposed included a view on the history, applications and current status; sustainability and recycling, marine litter, micro and nano plastics and a challenging discussion: is there a "great conspiration", everybody against plastics? In a warm and friendly atmosphere, no question was left unanswered, including those on the future of humanity. The full session, including the talk (in Spanish) and the follow-up debate with the public can be viewed in the link at right.
Envisage at Pack & Plast conference in Malmö
10 November, 2022. Envisage partner Anders Linde, one of the leading packaging experts in the country, was the key speaker at the Pack & Plast conference organized by the trade journal Packmarknaden on november,10 in Malmö. He spoke about the incoming review of the European Packaging and Packaging Waste directive and the challenges to the packaging and retail sectors due to some of the dramatic changes it might introduce in the European regulatory landscape.
As one of the most experienced packaging executives, he introduced the new inititative, the Envisage think tank formed by several relevant European experts to transmit the extensive experience of the group, currently not related to any specific interest, to packaging related companies and institutions around the continent.
On the specific subject of the conference, after a quick review of the packaging evolution and the associated recycling developments, including the producer responsibility concept, he approached regulatory developments such as the PPW directive, aimed among others at protecting the European single market. Participants at the conference were impressed by the size of some of the changes the current draft review might bring to the European packaging scenario, such as recycling content, refillable share and other highly demanding targets.
Envisage research paper on stereological assessment of deposit packaging return rate published in English and Spanish proposes a new concept: #wastereology
SDDR y tasa de retorno: estudio estereológico
sobre envases de aluminio
25 de Junio, 2022
Resultado de discusiones con clientes europeos en el marco del debate sobre sistemas de depósito, devolución y retorno (SDDR) de envases de bebidas, el trabajo destaca la importancia de valorar adecuadamente la tasa de retorno, elemento fundamental y, con frecuencia, desconocido, si no deliberadamente ocultado. El ruido que suele acompañar a discusiones, a menudo sin base científica, sobre el SDDR, resalta la necesidad de contar con datos científicos independientes y contrastables sobre el rendimiento del sistema, y pretende ser una aportación desapasionada al debate, con la perspectiva que supone basarse en datos gráficos obtenidos hace algún tiempo.
Utiliza técnicas de análisis de imagen y valoración estereológica y deduce una relación universal entre la cantidad de envases sometidos a SDDR y su presencia en las fracciones resultado de la recogida selectiva.
Las conclusiones más importantes son que una evaluación de la cantidad de latas de bebidas apreciables a simple vista en las balas de aluminio de la fracción de recogida selectiva, revela una tasa apreciable no devuelta en el seno de un SDDR. Las consideraciones se pueden aplicar a otros materiales y formatos sometidos a SDDR y con otras técnicas de medida distintas de la utilizada en este caso, tal como una caracterización completa tradicional del residuo . Del mismo modo se podrían aplicar a otras condiciones de mercado en otros países o situaciones de envases sometidos y no sometidos a SDDR en que se conozcan las proporciones relativas de envases de los distintos tipos.
Envisage research paper on the assessment of deposit packaging return rate by stereological methods
June, 25, 2022
Envisage has released a research report on the use of stereological procedures for waste content quantification, using as an example aluminium beverage cans present in bales of aluminium packaging sorted at a major packaging waste facility. Beverage cans easily detected in the general aluminium sorted fraction - clearly visible- indicate a significant amount of non-returned cans within the deposit system. A universal relationship between deposit return rate and volume fraction of beverage cans in the general fraction independent of total amount of aluminium waste processed was also found. The report was published as a result of
discussions with
European Envisage clients
facing the ongoing debate in several European countries on the possibility of implementing different Deposit and Return Systems (DRS) for used beverage packaging. The report is authored by Miguel Aballe, PhD in Physics (Metallurgy), founding partner of Envisage™.
Before that, he was manager of the Iberian beverage can group of Metal Packaging Europe and general manager of Arpal, national association for recycling of aluminium products.
Leading professional journals in Spain and the all-industry platform PACKNET feature recently launched Envisage study on DRS and return rate.
Información del envase y Embalaje IDE-E, leading newspaper on packaging news, and Residuos Profesional, leading professional newspaper on waste and waste management in Spain have devoted space to the launch of the study "Return rate in deposit and return system. Stereological assessment oon aluminium packaging". PACKNET, the most prestigious organization grouping packaging and recycling public and private companies and organizations has also covered the launch in their news section.
May, 7 2022 Miguel Aballe, ENVISAGE partner, featured in the special edition of the leading trade journal Envaspes-Tecnobebidas with an opinioin article onpackaging in crisis situations and the current regulatory trend in Spain
Envaspres-Tecnobebidas is the leading trade journal on packaging, especially drinks packaging in Spain. Envisage was invited together with leading packaging organizations to contribute to a special 5-page opinion section in the 2022 may-june issue on the packaging crisis situation in view of recent events after the COVID, Ukraine invasion and raw materials scarcity situation.
Miguel Aballe, Envisage founding partner contribution "Packaging in a crisis situation" pointed to three singular aspects which are heavily discussed in Spain in the course of the preparation of new environmental regulations: the attempt to reintroduce refillable drinks packaging for the home market - something which in Spain disappeared more than forty years ago, in line with the general trend in Europe- the controverted introduction of DRS systems which among other characteristics would require consumers who buy online to have to visit the shops to return empty bottles or cans, and the reduction of plastic packaging for some fresh products (a measure which producers established to enlarge the life of some products) as a mesure to reduce food waste.
The highlighted points are only a few of the discussions which environment regulators end industry have maintained during 2021 and most likely will continue during 2022.
May, 6 2022 Anders Linde, ENVISAGE partner, among the leading European experts selected for Danone in their initiative on the future of packaging currently under preparation.
The way to the future of packaging starts understanding its central role in a sustainable Society, ensuring effective saving of costs and energy in distribution and marketing of goods, meeting consumers expectations for product and consumer protection, safety and traceabilty and protecting the environment helping to save more resources than those used (circularity)
Envisage partners have a history in the European debate on packaging sustainability
Stephan Roesgen, ENVISAGE partner, keynote speaker at the Webinar: «EU-Regulation und Kreislaufwirtschaft» organized by Swiss Recycling
April, 14 2022. Stephan Roesgen, specialized lawyer and Envisage Partner, was keynote speaker at the Webinar: «EU-Regulation und Kreislaufwirtschaft» organized by Swiss recycling to analyze new UE Circular Economy regulation and the implications for Switzerland.
Miguel Aballe, ENVISAGE founding partner, at the EMPACK2021 round table
The Future of Packaging
organized by the technological platform PACKNET
Madrid, november 24, 2021 The second half of 2021 marks the recovery of a good part of large presential events in Spain. Empack, the yearly fair , follows the recent Fruit Attraction event only a few weeks ago and has set the pace for professional discussions, among other topics, of the new regulatory frame which includes the revision of Spain's Packaging and Packaging waste 1997 law. In that framework Miguel Aballe , as Packnet member, was invited to participate at the Future of Packaging round table to discuss future trends and future regulations.
Refillable packaging at the domestic space, non-packaged goods, consumers own package, and the difficult choice between eliminating packaging end preventing food waste were some of the topics presented by Miguel and discussed in depth during the event.
All participants anticipate that 2022 will witness a number of events and serious discussions on the topic with key trade and industry stakeholders challenging some of the more disruptive initiatives by regulators in the draft decree known so far.
Anders Linde, keynote speaker at Packaging & Plastics seminar in Malmö
Malmö, Sweden November 12, 2020 Envisage partner Anders Linde addressed the topic Environmental challenges and pandemic as key note speaker at the Packaging & Plastics seminar in Malmö, Sweden today. Hera are a few key points of his talk:
The SUPD directive has opened the road for the elimination of some plastic products, and will impose limitations on other one way articles. Everywhere around Europe there are discussions around taxes on plastics which can also be seen as a first step to eliminate them, but it also can be seen as an opportunity to rationalize their consumption and use.
Clean seas are one of the biggest challenges, and could also be the start of a wider cooperation between companies, governments and NGOs, to eliminate potentially harmful unnecessary products and at the same time develop new products from zero waste and full recycling as sound principles.
The problem becomes then not the products we use, but how we use them.
From the fifties, the number and variety of plastic products has increased exponentially and revolutionized not only the supply of food in hygienic conditions but also the medical attention; single use medical products, mostly of plastics, have been key to the increase of health and life expectancy around the globe.
Not only that , applications in daily life : clothing, transport, electronics, etc. point to further growth of plastics consumption in the coming decades, which unavoidably points to a change of paradigm.
Plastic disposal however has not advanced at the same rate. We need to rethink what we do today and develop new scientific and technical solutions.
That includes dramatic reduction of energy valorization as a tool to reduce carbon emissions, and stimulate chemical recycling, while at the same time assuming that plastic is already a carbon capture tool.
Plastics have a significant role to fulfill
Envisage partner Stephan Roesgen featured in Swiss trade magazine Handelszeitung
Envisage partner Stephan Roesgen published an article in the October, 29 issue of Swiss trade magazine Handelszeitung about the advantages of metal recycling in the context of Circular Economy.
Stephan addressed the current debate between permanent and non-permanent materials, eg, the properties which allow the materials to be recycled over and over again without loss of properties, and how that question is seldom addressed with adequate scientific rigour in the mass media.
Envisage at the CEOE Conference on Packaging and Circular Economy
Madrid, October 23, 2020. Envisage, the European Sustainability Platform, took a leading role in the CEOE (national employers federation) conference to strengthen the corporate commitment of the entire value chain on packaging and Circular Economy. Miguel Aballe, founding partner of Envisage, moderated the opening roundtable by materials (beverage carton, paper and cardboard, glass, plastic and metal) and packaging manufacturers which gathered more than 180 participants from the manufacturing, F&B, retail, recycling and consumer fields.
Envisage in leading economical newspaper El Economista
Madrid, May 2020 Envisage partner Miguel Aballe was featured in the May issue of the monthly magazine on Food and Retail of leading economical newspaper El Economista. He addressed in an opinion article the possible risks and inconveniences for consumers of having to get back to the shop with their empty drinks packaging in countries with a deposit and return (DRS) system, as an example of inconsistency with the trend in these pandemia times to avoid unnecesary displacements and even do their basic shopping online.
Among other issues, while there are no clear effects in Europe of this problem, he mentioned the discontinuation of acceptance of empty packaging by several US States and Canadian provinces.
Envisage at UNFCCC COP 25 in Madrid, SPAIN
