Packaging 2020: Responsibility for packaging waste under review - International seminar, 6 October 2010

The future development of responsibility for packaging waste management
is the subject of an international seminar in Brussels on 6 October 2010. The seminar, Packaging 2020: Cradle to Cradle Management, jointly sponsored by EUROPEN and PRO EUROPE will bring experts from the packaging value chain together with representatives from public authorities to assess the  achievements and status of packaging waste management schemes established under EPR principles  in various European countries. The further development of these schemes and possible adaptation of
similar systems in North America and other parts of the globe will also be discussed.

For the first time the two seminar organizers are teaming up to stage this unique event. EUROPEN, The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment is the representative voice in Europe on packaging for the companies which contribute a significant share of the funding for packaging waste management schemes. PRO EUROPE is the umbrella organization to which the majority of national schemes belong, most of which use the Green Dot as a symbol of corporate financial support known as EPR.

EPR for packaging was first pioneered in Europe twenty years ago. Since then, consumer goods
producers, packaging suppliers, public authorities, citizens and the waste management and recycling industry have been working together to improve the sustainability of packaging waste management in Europe. During this period there has been a dramatic surge in new innovations in packaging which have reduced the environmental and financial burden and helped bring about a dramatic increase in the recovery and recycling of packaging waste.

“Packaging EPR has delivered some remarkable results in Europe. A EUROPEN analysis of official EU data covering the past 10 years shows that packaging production and packaging waste disposal have clearly been decoupled from economic growth in EU‐15 but no system is perfect and there remains room for improvement” said Julian Carroll, EUROPEN Managing Director. “Our seminar with PRO EUROPE will not only identify how we can do better but it will also assist the global corporate members of EUROPEN to develop EPR concepts for use in other parts of the world modeled on their experience in Europe”.

Joachim Quoden, PRO EUROPE Managing Director, added: “I am delighted that the Belgian EU
Presidency has confirmed that existing EPR schemes are a strong example for future applications in the sustainable material management initiative. All European countries implementing the ‘extended producer responsibility’ principle are now assembled within PRO EUROPE. Companies are clearly accepting EPR as the most efficient way to fulfill their obligations.”

Speakers at the seminar include representatives from international consumer goods companies, Green Dot organizations, waste management companies, retailers, the European Commission, representative bodies of city and municipal authorities in Europe and, from the USA, a task force of the association of state and territorial solid waste management. Presentations on EPR for other product waste streams such as batteries and waste electrical and electronic equipment are also included in the programme.

PROGRAMME -  Wednesday 6 October 2010

09:00 Welcome and registration

09:30 20 years of Extended Producer R esponsibility in Europe: Where are we now?

Presentations and Q&A

• From troubled beginnings to robust results Julian Carroll, Managing Director, EUROPEN    
• Different solutions for a global objective Joachim Quoden, Managing Director, PRO EUROPE
• A policy perspective on EPR Artemis Hatzi-Hull, Policy Officer, DG Environment, EC 
• A corporate view Peter White, Director for Global Sustainability, Procter & Gamble

11:00 Coffee break

11:30 EPR in North America: Where is it going?

Presentations and Q&A

• New interests and directions on EPR in North America  Derek Stephenson, President, StewardEdge (Canada)
• The application of EPR in the USA: progress, challenges and future opportunities
  Garth Hickle, Chair Product Stewardship Task Force, Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials (USA).
• A viewpoint of the consumer goods industry in North America Speaker, tbc

12:30 Lunch

13:30 Case Studies on EPR

• EPR for Packaging in Belgium William Vermeir, Managing Director, Fost Plus
• EPR for batteries in Germany Juergen Fricke, CEO, Gemeinsame Rücknahmesystem Batterien

14:30 Coffee break

15:00 Case Studies on EPR

• EPR for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment in Belgium Katrien Verfaillie, Communication Manager, Recupel
• EPR for Packaging in Austria Christoph Scharff, CEO, Altstoff Recycling Austria

16:00 Panel Discussion: What are the key lessons?

A debate on what has been achieved, how EPR systems could be optimized and what regions can learn from each other.

Panellists:

• Luis Martins, Managing Director, Sociedade PontoVerde (Portugal)
• Tony Taylor, Sustainability and Packaging Manager, Unilever UK & Ireland
• Christof Delatter, Coordinator Interafval, Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (Belgium)
• Ruud Sondag, CEO, van Gansewinkel Group (waste management company)
• Panellist from retailer, tbc

17:15 General conclusions

17:30 Closing cocktail

 

Source: http://www.europen.be