Plastics – Opportunities in the circular economy

Circularity, sustainability, recycling, down-cyckling, up-cycling, reusability, environmental impact, biodegradability, etc. are words and terms related to the circular economy, and are used primarily to describe the future. But, some of this future is now. Various stakeholders from Denmark and abroad will contribute to cover the majority of the circular map, sharing both experiences and future prospects.

Programme

09.00 Registration

09.30 Welcome by IDA Polymer – Why this day? Why now? What is new? – Seen from a circular economy perspective

09.45 Upstream innovation for a circular economy - preventing packaging waste instead of dealing with it
Sara Wingstrand, PhD Polymer Physics, recently employed at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Recycling alone will not solve the plastic pollution crisis, we need solutions that eliminate waste from the outset - solutions that prevent waste from being created rather than deal with it. To find such solutions, we need to go upstream to the design stage and rethink the packaging, the products, and the business models in ways that either eliminate the need for packaging altogether, enable reuse of packaging or, in other ways, prevent waste from ever being created. In other words, we need upstream innovation!

Sara L. Wingstrand, PhD is an independent consultant helping businesses and organisations rethinking their packaging and transitioning to a circular economy. For the past four years, Sara has worked at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation - a UK based charity and worldwide thought leader on circular economy.

Break

Recycling pathways and chemical recycling – Which fractions should go where
Anders E. Daugaard, Associate Professor, DTU Chemical and Biochemcial Engineering

Plastic fractions for recycling can potentially go through mechanical recycling, thermal/chemical or biological treatment. Simplification of plastic products would lead to an increase in the recycling potential, but there are a range of challenges that needs to be resolved for many of these paths to become resolved. In particular for mixed systems or bio-based systems the traditional recycling pathway is essentially not a possibility. In these cases, it is therefore relevant to employ other processes to valorize these fractions (IFD project Replastic/EU project UPLIFT). 

Green Plastics - From Virgin and Post-Industrial Recycling to Post Consumer Recycling
Hans Axel Kristensen, CEO & cofounder, Plastix A/S.The SME is positioned as a producer of "Green Plastic"

PLASTIX has developed a state-of-the-art mechanical recycling technology, which makes it possible to recycle used maritime plastic fibers in in the form of fishing nets and ropes for high-quality recycled plastic raw materials.
PLASTIX is one of the leading recyclers of used fishing nets and ropes in the world and is recognized for the company's dedication to eradicating plastic pollution with circular preventive solutions to ensure a cleaner environment on land and at sea.

12.00 Lunch

13.00 The LEGO Group's sustainability plans - new materials, zero waste and the future of plastics
René Mikkelsen, Sr Material Platform Manager, Materials R&D

The LEGO Group began introducing sustainable materials in 2018, with the ambition to make sustainable bricks only by 2030. This requires new materials, new processes, and new technology. But how does a global company work with implementing such goals? René will tell us about the journey so far.

Eastman – Polyesters in the circular economy
Reinier de Graaf, Commercial Director, Diversified, Specialty Plastics, Eastman

Eastman Chemical is a pioneer in chemical recycling. The state-of-the-art technologies developed are critical enablers for the circular economy and allow the recycling of challenging-to-recycle plastics with a focus on Polyesters. Eastman's technology enables the breakdown of waste plastic into its building blocks, used again to manufacture new plastic material with renewed content for a broad set of applications. As a result, Eastman technologies help reduce plastic waste generation and contribute to lowering landfills, plastic waste incineration, and leakage into the environment.

Break - Coffee and cake

New Loop, forenet pantsystem til take away emballage
Gitte Saaby Kjær, CEO and cofounder of New Loop

I 2025 træder det udvidet producentansvar i kraft og take away branchen bliver ansvarlig for deres emballages livscyklus, New Loop udvikler via et andels setup, et forenet pantsystem til take away emballage. Hvordan New Loop løser denne store udfordring i et klimafællesskab.

The recycling system of glassFORever
Dennis Grydholdt, Co-owner / COO & Product Development

GlassFORever on direct recycling: Reusable, recyclable and environmentally friendly plastic glasses, cups and decanters

Cellugy
Deby Fapyane, Ph.D Chief Scientific Officer

Formulation based on nature' s building block: cellulose How do we learn from nature how to tackle plastic problems? Can we use nature as inspiration to design a solution? We in Cellugy, use biotechnology to design materials to replace fossil-based material, mimicking those in nature where its production and end of life are benefiting humans and earth.

16.00 Wrap up

OBS! I i IDA Conference skal du fremvise gyldigt Coronapas. Et gyldigt Coronapas vil sige:

- at du er færdigvaccineret, og der er gået 14 dage siden sidste stik eller,

- at du har en negativ Coronatest, der er maksimalt 72 timer gammel (vær opmærksom på, at der står klokkeslæt på din test) eller,

- at du er immun, fordi du inden for de sidste 180 dage har været smittet med Corona. (Din positive test skal være foretaget inden for de seneste 14-180 dage)