Study: Material flow analysis for plastics in Germany 2017 (Conversio)

 Published in 2018. 106 pages. Price 450,- Euro (plus VAT).

 -only available in German-

This study, which has been acknowledged for many years in politics, industry and science, shows again that plastics are the most energy and resource-efficient material, the forerunner to climate-friendly technologies, and, at the end of their useful life, a highly valuable resource that can be utilised in a variety of ways. The newly published material flow analysis provides information on the extent to which the material is presently recycled. For the first time, in addition to data on the production of new plastics and their processing, the study also gives details of the production and processing of recyclate. It shows that recyclate now accounts for 12.3 % of the plastics processed, and that is used in all fields of application – from highly technical applications such as automotive and electrical/electronics, to agriculture (approx. 35%), construction (approx. 21%) and packaging (approx. 9%).

Summary

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Published in 2017. 42 pages. Price 300,- Euro (plus VAT).

The study provides a complete EPS-/XPS-material flow of packaging and construction waste and reflects the current situation to HBCD-containing waste. Furthermore, the study offers an evaluation of future volumes, as well as derived prognosis of development from HBCD-amounts in construction waste until 2050. The study is available in English and German.

 

Published in 2016. 96 pages. Price 100,- Euro (plus VAT).

 -only available in German-

For many years in politics, economy and science known and approved, this study offers a unique overall picture of the material flow of plastics in Germany. Already for the second time, it has been evaluated where recyclate from production waste, processing waste and end users waste is being used.

The basic data of the study for 2015: In Germany about 18.5 million tons of plastic were produced last year. In domestic approximately 10.1 million tons were used for the production of plastic products from this. The plastic waste amount was 5.9 million tons in the same year. More than 99 percent of it has been recovered. The plastics waste has been recycled mechanically by 45 percent (in 2013: 41%), one percent as feedstock and 53 percent recovered energetically (in 2013: 57%).

Summary

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Flyer

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BKV article in Müll und Abfall 5/2017

3,2 MB, PDF

 

Published in 2016. Report 38 pages. Management Summary 24 pages. Price 350,- Euro (plus VAT).

 -only available in German-

The study reviews the potential for a recycling friendly design of plastic packaging with respect to material recycling in consideration of the available collecting and treatment structures.

Flyer

0,7 MB, PDF

BKV article in Recyclingmagazin 2/2017

0,9 MB, PDF

 

Published in 2016. Technical documentation. 85 pages.

-only available in German-

On behalf of the round table "Ecodesign von Kunststoffverpackungen" which the industry association IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen had brought to life in 2014, and the BKV GmbH, the Öko-Institut evaluated existing tools and methods to Ecodesign. In addition the institute processed numerous interviews with experts from the practise, science and consumer protection. The presentation of the results is availabe as a download free of charge.

Report
1,7 MB, PDF

3rd revised edition. Published in 2018. Report and manual. 87 pages. Available in German and English. Please order free of charge.

On which pathways does not properly disposed waste get into the sea? Which quantities? An answer to these questions gives the present model approach to the capture of land-based plastic waste in view of its input into the sea. For the first time BKV presents an overall view for Germany that captures all entries of Plastic Litter from Germany into the German North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea.

Report and manual form an unity.

We send to you report and manual as a PDF document.
Please use for this the following order function.

Flyer

0,7 MB, PDF

 

Published in 2015. 102 pages. Price 350,- Euro (plus VAT).

-only available in German-

In 2013 nearly 1 million tons more plastic packaging would have been used, if since
1991 no material savings would have been taken place. Due to the reduction of the single weight of plastic packaging, only 2,760 million tons instead of 3,715 million tons of plastic packaging were used in 2013.

Without this optimisation the consumption of plastic packaging would be 35%
higher.

Summary
0,2 MB, PDF

Flyer
0,5 MB, PDF

 

Published in 2014. 48 pages.

-only available in German-

The most important results of the study "Analysis of PVC production, conversion, waste and recovery streams in Germany 2013": Overall about 1.8 million tons of PVC were produced in Germany in 2013. About 1.6 million tons went into processing domestically. The waste amount of PVC was 650.000 tons, the recovery rate reached 99%. With respect to the whole waste stream, 37% has been recycled mechanically, 1% used as feedstock, and 61% has been recycled thermically. Since 2007, the recovery rate of PVC has risen by 5% points.

The presentation of the results is available as a download free of charge.

Summary
2,7 MB, PDF

Published in 2011. 40 pages. Price 330,- Euro (plus VAT).

-only available in German-

Within the scope of the study, the Witzenhausen-Institut developed already in 2011 the different scenarios for the so-called "Yellow Bin", which is still valid. Therebye the authors built up on the results of the Witzenhausen study I "Treatment and Recycling of Waste Streams Rich in Plastics" which presents and evaluates the current state in collection, treatment and recovery of material streams rich in plastic. In the second study, the Witzenhausener experts come to the conclusion, that the Yellow Bin is on principle suitable to increase the mechanical recycling and energetic recovery, however at upcoming limits.

 

Published in 2010. 90 pages. Price 75,- Euro (plus VAT).

-only available in Germany-

In 2010 experts met in Hanover by invitation of former tecpol and Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, in order to discuss optimisation potentials for plastic recycling in Germany, within the scope of a workhop. The experts came from politics, plastics processing and recovering companies, as well as research facilities. Their articles are documented in the conference proceedings.

 

Published in 2009. 99 pages. Price 250,- Euro (plus VAT).

-only available in German-

Resource efficiency and climate protection are – beside the classical services for the public – the leading dimensions for the waste-economical mass flow management in Germany. Today modern treatment technologies permit a very differentiated waste stream management, in particular to the plastics content in waste streams.
The study analyses in detail and evaluates the present management of the most important plastic-containing waste streams in Germany – about the whole value chains from the waste up to the products.

 

Published in 2009. 41 pages. Price 250,- Euro (plus VAT).

-only available in German-

Already in the 80s and 90s, extensive research has been done on options for feedstock recycling of plastic waste, however, due to difficulties in process technology, it never resulted in commercial scale-ups. Nevertheless since then still today suppliers with new processes occur on the market, which always present variations of the so-called pyrolyse of plastics. Against this background, the TU Clausthal preprared with the help of an Internet and literature search and on the basis of data from tecpol GmbH in 2009 an overview to the new pyrolyse methods, being on the market. Out of all identified processes, four have been selected for a more detailed analytics and evaluation. As a result TU Clausthal concludes that in spite of many suppliers no more substantial technological progress is recognizable compared with the status in the 90s.

Summary
0,1 MB, PDF

 

Published in 2009. 106 pages. Price 330,- Euro (plus VAT).

-only available in German-

The energetic recovery of plastic waste as a component of refuse derived fuel has been established in Germanf of the former tecpol GmbHy. Still on behal, the study gives a comprehensive actual description of the recovery situation for refuse derived fuels in RDF Power Plants. This includes the general framework, the generated qualities, the used technologies, the locations as well as the capacities. In addition, the study deals with the substitution contribution of refuse derived fuel power plants relating to the energy demand as well as the CO2-reduction potential compared with fossil fuels.

 

Published in 2007. 8 pages. Price 100,- Euro (plus VAT).

This study aims to contribute to the ongoing discussions regarding a particular, though central, question:
What level of eco-efficiency performance can be expected from the management of used plastics,

• if we keep the regulatory frameworks based on product-related (sub-) targets and recycling requests?
• if, alternatively, we shift to a "Divert-from-Landfill"-strategy?

The results of this study suggest that a "Divert-from-Landfill"-strategy is the best solution for maximising the use of resources, while a regulatory framework based on product-related (sub-) targets and recycling requests is less efficient and could be abandoned.