Association of Chemical Industries of Slovenia Chamber of Commerce

Darja Boštjančič, director, Association of Chemical Industries of Slovenia

Chamber of Commerce and Industry www.pravakemija.si, [email protected]

http://www.pravakemija.si/

Trends in bioplastics – 2nd International PLASTICE Conference

(17-18th Sept. 2012, Hotel M, Ljubljana, Slo)

Innovative Value Chain for Sustainable Plastics:

Innovative Communication

and Motivation Matter Most

From RRR to OOO to S

(some perspectives of the Slovene plastics industry

and personal thoughts )



Content

1. Association of Chemical Industries of Slovenia

2. Slovene Plastic Converting Industry

3. Opinion About Bioplastics

4. Sustainability of Plastic Industry

5. Sustainability of Plastic Materials

6. Sustanability of Consumers’ Behaviour

From RRR to OOO to S



RRR

(reuse-recycling-recovery)

OOO Opportunity for companies/economy

Opportunity for the environment

Opportunity for the society and wellbeing

= 3 sustainability pillars

SUSTAINABILITY

Association of Chemical Industries of Slovenia

(ACIS)

When the economy is doing well, everybody is doing well!

➢ ACIS is a voluntary branch association of pharmaceutical,

chemical, plastics and rubber industries

➢ the members of ACIS create about 80% of the branch

turnover and employ 70% of all employees in the branch

➢ operates autonomously under the umbrella of Chamber of

Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (CCIS)

➢ represents the interests of members in a dialogue with

authorities and other stakeholders

ACIS's products

Some products of ACIS (free of charge for its members):

➢ catalogue of ACIS members - a detailed review of activities of

individual companies and their products (in English)

➢ yearly statistical review of the branch performance (incl.

performance of individual sub-branches)

➢ web-site www.pravakemija.si - a basic information point

➢ e-news“Lastovka” (The Swallow)

Good chemistry begins with people!

Structure od ACIS

We work with members for members, we stimulate sinergies with stakeholders!

8 sections = working groups:

A) Social dialogue group– official branch negotiations with trade unions

B) 3 Topic Groups: on REACH+CLP/GHS, Biocides, Responsible Care

C) 3 Sub-branch Groups (sub-associations):

➢ of cosmetics’, detergents’ and cleaning agents’ industry

➢ of adhesives’ and sealants’ industry

➢ of plastics’ converters and rubber industry – very active!

D) Manpower development group

KoCKE training centre (Branch Centre of Competences) -

developed with support of the European Social Fund

plastics’ converters trainees’ group “Polimerci” most

active - opportunity to promote bioplastics

KoCKE training centre: some trainees from the

plastic converters companies


Slovene Plastic Converting Industry (2011) 1/2

465 companies with “plastic converting” as the main NACE

registration (15 big, 25 medium, 425 small and micro):

➢ 42 producers of plastic pipes, foils, panels, profiles

➢ 87 producers of plastic pacgkagings

➢ 77 producers of plastic elements for buildings

➢ 259 producers of other plastic products

Among them a number of very advanced and successful

companies!

High economic potential, very good future perspectives if

the opportunities taken!


Slovene Plastic Converting Industry (2011) 2/2


No. of employees: 8.674

= about 1/3 in each: big, medium and small/micro companies

= 5% of all employees in the Slo processing industry

= 35 % of employess in the Slo chemical industry

Turnover: 1,1 billion EUR

= 5% of the total turnover of the Slo processing industry

Added value (AV) per capita (employee): about 32.000 EUR

(treshold 40.000 EUR) → space to raise the AV with innovative

materials, new technologies and more competitive products

Average Level of Export: 55% - (2/3 to WE = more advanced

markets = driver for tech changes in Slo)

Opinion of ACIS member companies

about bioplastics:


Some old (oil) type plastics have very good properties,

reasonable price and even very good environmental profile

of (e.g. PE), however troubles with public perception (witch-

hunting) and its own miss-behaviour

Also field grown resources type of plastics have limitations

(cons beside the pros); waste origin resources not yet broadly at

hand

Some Slo companies have already changed the production

process towards bioplastics, more of them willing to switch

as soon as the market demand and prices allow - proper

funding support would facilitate the process

Key slogans/mottos of ACIS

and its Plastics Group

1. When the economy is doing well, everybody is doing well!

2. We work with members for members, we stimulate

sinergies with stakeholders!

3. Good chemistry begins with people!

4. and



ACIS Plastics Group + partners: PlasticsEurope, GIZ Grozd

Plasttehnika, Cro Chamber

Slo-Cro Conference on Recycling of Plastic Waste

2. October 2012

Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Dimičeva 13, Ljubljana

Zero Plastics to Landfill by 2020?

Sustainability of plastic industry (1/2)


Official statistical data: in the last 10-15 years the EU chemical

industry considerable reduction of its own energy/fuel/water

consumption and emissions (drivers: strict legislation, economic

rationality, responsible care – commitment to sustainability)

Plastics sector has with its products already contributed a lot

to sustanability in most areas of our life (light materials –

transport, food packagings – hygiene and health, …)

PlasticsEurope (European association): “The plastics

industry aims to be a responsible partner in finding solutions

to the crucial issues of climate change, energy and resource

efficiency, consumer protection and waste management.”

Sustainability of plastic industry (2/2)

Plastics Industry has been already taking advantage of the

new sci development

New tech and materials = new opportunities: increases

companies’ resilience in difficult bussiness conditions

The present slogan of PlasticsEurope: Discuss-Decide-

Develop shall motivate companies to follow the sci

development even quicker


Sustainability of plastic materials (1/3)

It is NOT so much the question of the material – many

traditional (oil) plastic materials (e.g. PE) have a very good

environmental profile if used properly and recycled

Any mass consumption, if even from renewable resources can

have severe side effects

Changing traditional with more sustainable material as such does

not necessarily improve sustainability as a whole

Critical point: consumers – their motivation to change bahaviour

to responsible and sustainable




Alternatives’ Paradox: when changing smth with smth else

there is always a risk that things will be even worse

(despite the very good initial feelings; divorce + new marriage)

Example: Leaded gasoline vs. unleaded vs. Diesel:

each step worsened health impact

Failure of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA):

it does not foresee all the consequences of the change or

was/is not properly done

it deminishes the consequences of consumers’ miss-behaviour


Sustainable plastics, bioplastics:

Bring new opportunities for the 3 sustainability pillars (3Os):

Opportunity for companies/economy

Opportunity for the environment

Opportunity for the society and wellbeing

Battles:

traditional (oil) vs. renewable resources

earth born/field grown vs. waste born renewable

resources -

Carefull LCA and following C2C/W2R approach crucial


The key question:

sustanability of consumers’ behaviour (1/2)

Introduction of new innovative products to the market is

demand driven

tech development much outpaces the consumers ability

to follow (contentwise and bahaviourwise) - uncertainties,

rumors, fears, we are too much excited or hesitating

not enough balanced information on sci based facts

available, up to now almost no user friendly guidelines

→ miss-perception → irresponsibility → miss-behaviour →

failure to reach sustainability


The key question:

sustanability of consumers’ behaviour (2/2)

Sustainability is a modern magic word, taken too easy

Speaking a lot about sustainability but doing very little

(in Slo even the present simple requirements of separate waste

collection not fully followed)

Consumers’ bahaviour rooted in the economic system

In the market economy the profit motive stimulates

continual innovation and consumption

Radical paradigm changes - change of the economic

system and behaviour of the whole society needed?

Innovative Communication

and Motivation Approaches Matter Most


Thanks to PLASTICE project!

Have a nice day!

Documents

Association of Chemical Industries of Slovenia Chamber of Commerce