The first VECAP survey on EBP revealed that
potential emissions to water and air are already
at default values obtained when best practices
are applied, respectively 0.3 g/t and 15 g/t.
As is often the case in the first year of the
programme, potential emissions to land were
reported to be higher than for the other reported
brominated flame retardants. However, the
VECAP team is working to ensure new users will
fully embrace the VECAP best practices on
packaging waste disposal in the future, relying
on the principle of continuous improvement that
distinguishes the programme.
PotEntIAl EMISSIonS to AIR, WAtER AnD lAnD
oVERVIEW oF 2013 PRogRAMME RESultS
00
2013
117 g/t
0.3 g/t
15 g/t
2009
58 g/t
0.1 g/t
2 g/t
2010
259 g/t
0.2 g/t
12 g/t
2011
0 g/t
0.2 g/t
1 g/t
2012
0 g/t
0.2 g/t
1 g/t
2013
0.6 g/t
0.01 g/t
0.001 g/t
Potential Emissions to Land
Potential Emissions to Water
Potential Emissions to Air
FIGURE 20:
EBP survey results 2013
by emission type (g/t)
CASE StuDY
Recycling of paper packaging
During visits to sites across Europe, the
team inquired about the destination of
paper packaging waste and what happens
to pulp sludge after it has gone through
waste water treatment at recycling facilities.
The investigation revealed widely differing
practices by recyclers between countries.
Some European countries were generally
found to dispose of sludge according to
recommended VECAP best pract ice
(incineration or controlled landfill) while
other European countries were found to do
so less often.
The European Union (EU) is in the process of
revising its waste legislation. Currently, the
main European Directives that address
packaging waste set targets for the percentage
of paper to be recycled and reused but allow
Member State’s national authorities to decide
which measures can best help them achieve
these targets.
Research by the VECAP Product Stewardship
Team has enabled the team to gain a better
understanding of how paper recyclers operate,
which in turn will help the team in their efforts
to approach recyclers to encourage the uptake
of best practices. Going forward the team will
focus on educating recyclers of all EU
countries about VECAP to ensure that pulp
sludge is not used for agricultural composting
nor used as fertilizers on land but rather sent
for incineration or controlled landfill.
VECAP 2013
European Annual
Progress Report
17