The document discusses the viability of implementing an extended producer responsibility (EPR) system for packaging waste in Argentina based on lessons from Belgium. It summarizes Belgium's EPR system for packaging, which transposed EU directives into national law, sets recycling and recovery targets, and designates roles for producers, municipalities, and accredited organizations. A public-private partnership between industry and municipalities achieves high recycling rates through optimized collection and quality control. The document then considers factors for Argentina to develop an appropriate EPR system, given existing informal waste picking and the need for data. It outlines potential collection scenarios and stresses the importance of realistic legislation and designating clear roles for all stakeholders, including waste pickers, in a new

1. Viability of EPR for packaging in
Argentina?
The Belgian case +
feasibility in Argentina
Steve ClausSteve Claus
Vigorous inspriring EPR consultant
Buenos Aires, Argentina
November 27-28, 2017
(Nov 27, pm)

2. (1) Belgium – Where, what,…?
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3. Transposing EU’s PPWD into Belgian laws
Recycling &
Recovery Targets for
packaging waste
Recycling &
Recovery Targets for
packaging waste
Essential
requirements for the
marketing of
packaging
Essential
requirements for the
marketing of
packaging
EU Directive 94/62/EC of 20.12.1994 on packaging and packaging waste
(PPWD) with 2 major chapters:
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•Regional competency
•Inter-regional Cooperation
Agreement (04.11.2008)
packagingpackaging
•Federal competency
•Law on product standards
(21.12.1998)
•Royal Decree on product
standards for packaging
(25.03.1999)

4. Smart translation into Belgian law
Belgian legislation = take-back obligation
Take-back obligation = obligation for packaging responsible to meet legal recycling
and recovery targets
- Via own systems of collection, sorting, recycling
- Via an accredited organisation
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Fost Plus = accredited body for household packaging
VAL-I-PAC = accredited body for industrial packaging
Fost Plus pays the full cost and chooses itself HOW to reach the targets in respect of
the municipal autonomy

5. Recycling/recovery targets for packaging waste
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Goals by weight per material:
• 60% for glass, paper-cardboard and drink cartons
• 50% for metals
• 30% for plastics
• 15% for wood

6. Household packaging waste mgmt system
Parties responsible for packaging
IPC
(Interregional
Accreditation
Verification
Citizens
Contract
Financial
Material
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(Inter)municipalities
RecyclersWaste management companies
(Interregional
Packaging Commission)
Verification
Citizens

7. What is being collected and where?
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8. Also collection in civic amenity parcs
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9. Material and data flows
Collection of
materials
Transfer station and/or
sorting plant
Delivery of
materials
Material flow
Collector Recycler
Day X
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Administration and validation
of a LCB-form by load
Administrative flow
Enrichment of LCB-form
LCB-forms
(>30.000/year)
Day X + 1Day X + 5
Base for invoicing
month M / Approval by
Intermunicipality
Weight

10. Quality - a key to success...
...and at every level
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11. Communication - Without it,
no participation
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12. 6 different levels of communication
National level: sensitization, focus on the importance of sorting and eventually link
with recycling
Local level: practical information and targeted communication in cooperation with
waste intermunicipalities
OOH: focus on specific places or environments
Regional level: struggle against littering
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Regional level: struggle against littering
Corporate level: B-to-B
Press

13. 13/27

14. Prevention - As little as possible, but as
much as necessary
-16% -13% -29%
(Loss of weight between 2005 and 2014)
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-16% -13% -29%
PET bottle 1,5l steel can 33cl plastic butter tray

15. Money, the crux of the matter
Parties responsible for
packaging(producers, importers)
84 Mio USD (*)
Marketing materials
for recycling
76 Mio USD
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Other costs**
30 Mio USD
160 mio USD
• (*) Including 11 mio $ coming from the Fost Plus provisions as budgetted sales < real sales in N-2
(**) Communication, contribution to regions (6mio EUR), control, prevention, general costs,…)
Collection and sorting
130 mio USD

16. Belgian’s performance = top of Europe
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17. Key success factors Belgian case
Realistic, feasible and flexible legislation
Obliged industry (fillers) to act as onE
Public Private Partnership (PPP)
Optimized and standardized collection scenario, which was
implemented progressively
Competition on the right level
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Competition on the right level
Quality and control management
Support for appropriate communication to meet the needs of
all the target groups
KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
DESIGNATED ROLES FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED +
PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

18. (2) Argentina: A window of opportunities,
however there is no silver bullet
No copy paste of other existing models in the world
No one size fits all
Always take into account the local circumstances and particularities of the country
What already exists?
What already works?
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What already works?
What are authorities’ ambitions?
What is obliged industry’s willingness to take up its responsibility?
What are waste operators doing and how?
What’s the current recycling market and how is it maturing?
Status of incorporation of informal sector?
Quid with regard to other recovery possibilities (e.g. incineration,…)?

19. Waste pickers, collectors, sorters and
recyclers are doing a good job, however…
A lack of packaging waste data
What are the packaging waste materials, volumes, … put on the market?
What are the tendancies?
What is collected today and by whom?
What is happening with the collected packaging waste?
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What is happening with the collected packaging waste?
What is the financial model?
Are the waste pickers, collectors and sorters receiving correct amounts of money
for their services?
What about the risks waste pickers, collectors, sorters are taking (health,
insurance, work conditions,…)?

20. Argentina today
Waste pickers: some of them belong to associations; others work stand-alone:
mainly in HH and small shops
Private companies: mainly collect from malls, industry (high volumes, clean
material, higher prices)
NGO’s collecting: what type of materials + from whom?
Utility companies: do they exist, what do they collect and how?Utility companies: do they exist, what do they collect and how?
Where to take to material to?
- specialized shops?
- sorters
- repair shops?
- recyclers
- landfill?
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21. Problems today
Wiste pickers: informal (quid health, security, …?)
No seperation at source (waste pickers do that job)
Losing material because of no seperation at source
No education to sort at source
Collection of materials is price driven (depending on demand at the end ofCollection of materials is price driven (depending on demand at the end of
the chain) (e.g. low prices for glass, tetrapak)
Transparency with regards to costs and tariffs
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22. What are potential collection and sorting
scenarios for packaging waste for Argentina?
Glass bins/containers in the streets?
Glass collection door-to-door?
Door-to-door collection of paper-cardboard?
Door-to-door collection of easy to recycle and voluminous amounts of PET bottles?
Door-to-door collection of HDPE bottles?
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Door-to-door collection of HDPE bottles?
Door-to-door collection of steel cans (food, drink,…)?
Door-to-door collection of aluminum cans (food, drink,…) ?
Recyclable pakaging (except for glass) in the streets via bins/containers?
Distinct collection scenarios urban versus rural?
In case of bins/containers, underground or not?
Containerparks?
For high rise buildings, bins/containers in the basement?
…

23. What are real potential scenarios?
EPR should include waste pickers
Not exclude store houses
Should obliged industry work or not work with excisting scheme or create new
parallel collection/sorting system?
Role of municipalities? (cf. post-consumer programs or be part of the scheme?)
How manage the financial flows? (cf. tariffs, …): Obliged industry to play anHow manage the financial flows? (cf. tariffs, …): Obliged industry to play an
intermediate role or leave it like it is today, being waste pickers, private
companies,… receiving the money from the stores/industry?
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24. Possible collection scenario’s in practice
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25. Possible collection scenario’s in practice
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26. Remember the Belgian KSF
Realistic, feasible and flexible legislation
Obliged industry (fillers) to act as onE
Public Private Partnership (PPP)
Optimized and standardized collection scenario, which was
implemented progressively
Competition on the right level
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Competition on the right level
Quality and control management
Support for appropriate communication to meet the needs of
all the target groups
KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
DESIGNATED ROLES FOR ALL PARTIES INVOLVED +
PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

27. Thank you for your attention!
Any questions?
27/27
Steve Claus
Vigorous inspriring EPR consultant
steve.claus247@gmail.com