Organics recycling and infrastructure

What are the barriers and challenges facing composting infrastructure? What are the technical issues for recycling compostable packaging?

Presenters:

Andy Sweetman, Chairman of BBIA and Marketing Manager Europe and Middle East for Futamura Films Ltd UK

Charlie Trousdell, Owner of Charlie Trousdell Associates and Chairman of Renewable Energy Association’s (REA) Organic Recycling Group (ORG)

Lucy Frankel, Communications Director at Vegware

Emily Nichols, Technical Manager of the REA’s Organics Recycling Group

Moderator, David Newman,  Managing Director of BBIA and former President of the International Solid Waste Association
Topics covered:

• The significance of organics recycling to meet government targets and international commitments
• Requirements for the recovery of compostable packaging
• Legal restrictions on the compostables that can go to windrows
• The problem of plastics contamination in composting plants
• How In vessel composting systems handle compostable packaging and film
• Requirements for plastics recycling infrastructure
• Challenges facing treatment market for compostable packaging

Bioplastics and the Circular Economy

What are bioplastics? What they can and cannot do and their role in the circular economy and reducing plastic and food waste.

Presenters:

Andy Sweetman, Chairman of BBIA and Marketing Manager Europe and Middle East for Futamura Films Ltd UK
Dr John Williams, Director of Aquapakpolymers Ltd UK a bioplastics producer, and S’Investec Ltd a biotechnology investor
Julia Schifter,  VP Strategy Analysis TIPA Sustainable Packaging Israel
Moderator, David Newman,  Managing Director of BBIA and former President of the International Solid Waste Association

Topics covered:

• Reducing plastic packaging waste
• The difference between bio-based and compostable and bio-based and durable plastics
• Oxo-degradable plastics
• Where bio-based plastics are best suited in current marketplaces and where their use is least advisable
• How bio-plastics fit into waste management systems, food waste capture and plastic waste reduction
• Myths and legends around bio-plastics and marine pollution
• Bioplastics from the point of view of a buyer
• Converting bioplastics into finished packaging products
• Bioplastic packaging products role in the circular economy
• Production of bio-plastics and development of international market-places

Some of these issues have been outlined in the Q&As of the BBIA website which you can see here