Belgium
Introduction
The Belgian Federation of Bottled Water and Soft Drinks Producers (FIEB) has presented a number of their achievements on sustainability and packaging. FIEB has committed to make packaging 100% recyclable/reusable/biodegradable by 2025.
Key achievements:
On packaging:
- between 2004 and 2018, the sector took actions that led to -56.000 tons of packaging to be put on the market every year, which is the equivalent to the annual waste generation of 385.000 consumers.
On sustainability:
- Thanks to the new blue bag of Fost Plus (the Belgian EPR scheme) and new investments – up to 30 million euros – into a sorting center in Belgium, more packaging will be collected and sorted
Ongoing actions (or commitments):
- achieving a plastic packaging recycling rate of 65% by 2025
- 50% of recycled content in plastic beverage containers by 2025
- 90% of beverage containers collection by 2022
- make packaging 100% recyclable/reusable/biodegradable by 2025
- multiply by 2 the out-of-home separate collection by 2025
- reduce littering by 20 percent by 2022
Denmark
Pledge on Recycled PET
The Danish Brewers’ Association had made a pledge on behalf of its members with an ambition to reach at least 50% recycled plastic in all its PET bottles in 2025 (average).
Key achievements:
- The Danish bottlers managed to maintain a high share of 28% rPET in 2019.
- Already above and before the EU’s mandatory 25% rPET by 2025.
- 967 tonnes of recycled plastic made their way into new PET bottles, thus replacing a similar amount of new (virgin) plastic.
Following actions:
- A flat development compared to 2018 is attributed to, inter alia: •
- There is a real and increasing challenge in accessing recyclable plastics of the right quality and security of supply. A challenge that especially impacts the smallest bottlers.
- It takes time to change to new bottle types. Long-term tests must be carried out, as the material properties are not quite the same.
- It is necessary to increase the collection of recyclable plastic that can be used to produce new food grade quality plastic packaging, and new processing technologies needs to be approved to increase the supply of high-quality recycled plastic.
- The Danish bottlers are confident that they will reach their ambition of 50% rPET by 2025.
Introduction
Since 2002, Dansk Retursystem has had the exclusive right to operate the deposit and return system, which collects, counts, sorts and separates bottles and cans and sends them for recycling. The exclusive right also imposes a duty on Dansk Retursystem to always be efficient and to keep the costs as low as possible.
Key achievements:
- New record in 2019, 92% recycled collection rates of all bottles and cans. In total, more than $ 1.4 billion came bottles and cans returned for recycling.
- Danish DRS, saved from the environment, more than 150,000 tonnes of C02 emissions in 2019
- 9 of 10 deposit-marked bottles and cans are now returned
The industry committed to:
- 100% circular packaging, including the collection of PET- and glass bottles and cans by running and financing the deposit system
France
Introduction
In France, the French Soft Drinks Association (BRF) took the commitment to have 25% of rPET by 2015. In 2018, they had already reached 30%
Following actions:
- BRF committed to increase the collection of bottles for recycling working with
- CITEO, French organisation (2017-2020), working to reduce environmental impact of packaging.
- Collectif Boissons, which brought together all beverage producers and retailers to identify scenarios to aim for 100% collections of all PET bottles and cans
- By signing the chart “Verre 100% solutions” on glass bottles
- By setting up an action plan on aluminium to launch a public awareness campaign on recycling cans
Spain
Introduction
The Spanish Soft Drinks Association published its annual report at the end of 2018. Soft drink packaging in 2017 is 22% lighter than in 2000.
Key achievements:
- Water consumption reduced more than 15% from 2010 to 2017
- Energy consumption has decreased by 17% between 2010 and 2017
- Containers are on average 22% lighter now compared to 2000
- About 700 prevention measures have been implemented (between 2013 and 2017)
- In 2017, 74% of glass bottles are reusable
- Increase by 10% of Ecoembes from 2010-2017
The industry committed to:
- Reduce water use by 20% in 2020 with a 2010 baseline
- Reduce by 20% the use of energy in 2020 with a 2010 baseline
- Work towards sustainable design of beverage containers
- Support recycling and reuse of beverage containers
The industry will also continue to lightweight packaging and significant achievements were already reached:
Other information can also be found on their website: https://www.refrescantes.es/medio-ambiente/