One month after the launch of the new law on the fight against waste and the circular economy, Benoît Hennaut, president of the Federation of plastics and composites, gave an update on the progress of plastics recycling.
Recycling has been a priority for many years, but there has been an acceleration following the publication of the roadmap for the circular economy in April 2018, ” said Benoît Hennaut, president of the Federation of Plastics and composites.
“Plastic has a long lifespan, but it is necessary to keep it in a virtuous circle by giving it a second life and more.
At the end of 2018, there was over 300,000 tonnes of recycled material.
The objective for 2025 is to reach one million tonnes, and we will go further “, explains Benoît Hennaut.
This enthusiasm is made possible by the commitment of the sector, and through particular initiatives taken by companies, organizations and even stakeholders, which involves upgrades of production equipment.
However, we still face a lack of recycled material.
” To produce our products, we have to import end-of-life plastic from Germany, ” says Benoît Hennaut.
According to him, the problem comes from the collection: ” The sorting instructions are not applied in France.
To be more effective, we need bins reserved for plastics at the point of sale and stop to bury them in landfill. I make an appeal to improve collection of all plastics, because most of them are recyclable .
” Even so-called delicate products, especially those treated with pollutants, he adds: “It is possible to integrate them into multi-layers, surrounded by virgin material. In addition, the development of chemical recycling will make it possible to convert them into a new molecule. ”
However, the establishment of a collection system has a cost, and in the building sector plastics represent only 2 to 3% of waste. ” In the context of an extended producer responsibility (REP) in the building industry, plastic will not be processed because it is too small. I am not in favor of it. For me, we need a system centred on plastic, in all its forms, which would involve all the actors of society, “said the president of the Federation of plastics and composites.
Maintain product quality
For their part, manufacturers have already integrated recycled material into their products.
Among them, Nicoll by Aliaxis: ” We wanted to be the first to initiate this transition. Therefore, we have implemented an eco-development program which incorporates an environmental approach at each stage of the manufacturing process. It started with the change of our equipment, like the molds or the extrusion screws , “said the general manager.
As an example, Benoît Hennaut cites their new Hometech wastewater disposal solution.
“This range includes 20% recycled material and everything is 100% recyclable. This system offers optimal acoustic performance at level 4 of the scale of Examples of acoustic solution (ESA) “, specifies Benoît Hennaut.
He adds:” What is important with the circular economy is to maintain the functional quality of the products, especially in the construction sector where standards are numerous. With Hometech, we show that it is possible to manufacture in an identical way with recycled plastic.”
REFS
Published on batiactu.com
La collecte, nerf de la réussite du recyclage des plastiques