RECYPACK is a demonstration project to foster green public procurement (GPP) of commercial plastic packaging waste (CPPW) in urban areas. The project will demonstrate that this waste stream is a valuable resource from which new recycled added-value materials and products can be obtained. The project will implement an innovative management model to assist local authorities in decision making, and to provide companies with incentives to participate.

The project will evaluate the generation of CPPW by business/shopping centres, urban commercial centres, distribution companies and professional small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The project will focus on polyethylene, which is the most common type of plastic, and expanded polystyrene, which is a concern because of its low density. The project will operate two recycling facilities, in Hungary and Spain, which will produce recycled polyethylene and recycled polystyrene from CPPW. The recycled material will be used to manufacture new plastic products, thereby closing the loop. The project will also evaluate the potential for replication of its recycling systems in Belgium, Croatia, Poland, Romania and Turkey.

LIFE-RECYPACK will be an example of a circular economy business model and will contribute to the recycling of plastic waste, which is one of the priority sectors in the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. The project will also help the implementation of the Waste Framework Directive, the Landfill Directive and the Packaging Waste Directive.

Expected results: 

• Creation of a new value chain for recycled plastics; 
• Demonstration of four logistics models (in Spain and Italy) for separating and managing polyethylene and polystyrene; 
• Two recycling demonstration facilities: for polyethylene in Hungary and for polystyrene in Spain, which will produce recycled material from CPPW;
• Production of 99.44 tonnes of recycled polyethylene and polystyrene for use in different applications (as raw material to create new products in the packaging and electrical/electronics sector); 
• Production of 79.55 tonnes of high-quality recycled polyethylene and recycled polystyrene (replacing the equivalent amount of virgin plastic);
• Prevention of 79.55 tonnes of plastic waste going to landfill, or 362 cubic metres less landfill space used; 
• Reduction of emissions of 117 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (net reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions from plastics recycling, calculated as the difference between avoided and direct emissions); 
• Creation of 0.7 full-time equivalent direct jobs and 1.0 full-time equivalent indirect jobs; and 
• An economic benefit of €15 000.

Partnership 
•  Sant’Anna School (partner)
• AIMPLAS Plastic Technology Center (Spain)
• AVEP (Associación Valenciana de Empresarios de Plasticos) (Spain)
• COMELSA  (Spain)
• Diputació de Valencia (Spain)
• RCS (Recycling, Consulting and Services S.L.)  (Spain)
• ReMat Inc. (Hungary)