Waste Management (A Packaging Perspective)

Colm Munnelly

Packaging Technologist

Irish Biscuits Ltd.

December 2002

Who are Irish Biscuits?

• IBL formed in 1966 by merger of Jacobs (1851) and Bolands Biscuits (1957)

• Employ over 600 people

• Manufacture over 50 types of biscuit

• Turnover circa 100,000,000 euro

Packaging Waste legislation

• Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 1997: (“Designed to assist and promote the recycling of packaging waste” -SDCC)

• Two Real Options:

– 1. Comply with the legislation independently

and report to the local authority.

– 2. Participate in a Waste recovery scheme

operated by an approved body (Repak)

1. Legislation Requirements:

• Provide information on annual turnover

• Provide information on location of premises

• Provide information on weights of packaging materials

• Display notices

• Provide facilities to accept, collect packaging waste

• Return waste to suppliers

• Recover or make waste available for recovery

• Prepare, publish plans and reports

• Submit information monthly to local authority

2. Obligations of Repak Membership:

• Provide data on packaging material twice a year to Repak

• Pay invoices

• Join Green Dot scheme

• Deal responsibly with waste

• Inform Repak of changes to systems

• Allow system to be audited for Repak

Advantages of Repak Membership:

• Obligations complied with as a group

• Green Dot membership

• Approved Contractor Scheme (Rebates)

• Audit chain for each contractor

Sources of Physical Waste at IBL• Food Waste

– Dough– Dry Biscuits– Processed Biscuits

(with Cream/Chocolate/Mallow)

• Packaging Waste– Input Packaging– Output Packaging– WIP (Work in Progress)

Sources of Packaging Waste• Goods Inwards

– Bulk Material

– Palletised Ingredients

– Minor Ingredients

– Packaging

• Factory Produced– Input Packaging

– Output Packaging

• Warehouse / Shipping– Pallets

– Stretchwrap

Packaging Material Types

• Cardboard Corrugate, Cartonboard etc.

• Paper Liners, Inserts, Menu Pads

• Flexible Plastic Film Wrapper Reels

• Other Plastic Tubs, Trays

• Metal Tins

• Glass Bottles

• Wood Pallets

Waste Hierarchy

Reduction / Minimisation

Re-use

Re-cycle

Reclaim

Landfill

1. Reduction / Minimisation • 1. Reduction of input packaging

• 2. Gauge reduction on film, trays, tins, tub

• 3. Reduction of outer case board grades

• 4. Increased number of packs per outer case

• 5. Pallet volume optimisation

2. Re-use

• Returnable containers for trays, tubs

• Increased use of Recycled (Test) board in outer cases

• Maximum usage of pallets (Increased use of CHEP) (wooden for goods outward)(plastic on factory floor)

3. Re-cycle

• Corrugated Cardboard Smurfit Re-cycling

• Cartonboard Smurfit Re-cycling

• Flexible film Dilloan Recycling

• Other plastic Re-Tech Processing/Dilloan

• Metal Hammond Lane

• Glass (Negligible amounts)

• Wood Pallet Services

4. Reclaim

• Awaiting options for incineration

• Input packaging on colours/flavours

• Removal of pvc and pvdc material

5. Landfill

• Compacted, unsegregated waste from the factory floor goes to landfill through Ipodec

• Any material left that does not have a re-cycling option is landfilled.

• Cost of landfill (Direct and Indirect)

Internal Packaging Waste

0

50

100

150

200

250

Total Internal waste Waste to Landfill

Internal Waste Management

To

nn

es

‘Repak Member of the Year’

• Packaging waste considered at product design stage

• Emphasis on Reduction and Re-use• Sourced re-cycling options for all of our

packaging materials• Encouraged contractors to join subsidy

scheme• Reduced tonnage to landfill by 10% in 2001

Packaging Fees

0500

100015002000250030003500

InputPackaging

InternalW aste

OutputExport

OutputIreland

Type of Packaging

To

nn

es

What winning has meant to IBL• Turns Repak into something positive

• Recognition for past efforts

• Establishes momentum

• Helps overcome ‘difficult’areas

• Helps publicise re-cycling efforts throughout the company.

Future plans in IBL• Further investment in bailing/compacting

• Roll out of recycling to more ‘difficult’ areas

• Design for recoverable/recyclable packaging

• Holistic projects

– Less input packaging

– Optimum product in packets

– Optimum packets in cases

– Optimum cases on pallets

Challenges

• Options to recycle in Ireland and to market recycled product in Ireland.

• Current weight based system does not allow for mixes of virgin/recycled material.

• Recycled material does not mean cheaper material.

• Conflict between marketing concerns and environmental concerns.