Closing the loop of industrial plastic - stage 2

Purpose and goal:

The project takes a system approach with the aim to increase circular use of industrial and commercial plastic packaging material, through closed loops. Closed loops decrease the amount of plastic waste which is incinerated/landfilled and decrease the climate impact of industrial and commercial packaging.

In stage 1 the project worked with one type of industrial packaging: big bags made of polypropylene (PP). In stage 2, the focus was broadened to three different packaging types: big bags of PP, packaging of expanded polystyrene (EPS), and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) film. Expected results and effects:

In stage 2, the project identified the following three main areas as enabling factors to ensure that industrial and commercial plastic packaging can and will be managed in closed loops in the years to come: -Infrastructure for selective collection and reverse logistics; -Economic incentives for closing the loops;

-Innovation and international cooperation.

These three main areas are the base for continued work in a future stage 3 of the project and the expected effect is system innovation to make closed loops business-as-usual. Approach and implementation: The project focused on four main elements during stage 2:

1.Generate and disseminate new knowledge about the framework conditions for closed loops and suggest new policy developments. 2.Learning by doing- Piloting the process of closing the loop for three different commercial and industrial plastic packaging types.

3. Mapping and analysis of existing business models for management of industrial and commercial plastic packaging in closed loops.

4. New knowledge on climate impact of the closed loops and identification of possibilities to scale-up the loops in stage 3.