EIT Climate-KIC: trash to cash

Innovation Highlight 09/03/2018

Giving plastic waste a new life.

People all over the world are throwing out large quantities of plastic each year, representing a huge sustainability issue.

SWESTEP aims to address this by converting household plastic waste into sustainable oil and new plastic raw materials.

Over the past year, the Swedish green tech company has been working closely with EIT Climate-KIC and the City of Copenhagen to carry out a feasibility study on the conversion of plastic waste to new sustainable oil. Since being established in 2012, SWESTEP has been developing an industrial process capable of turning all hydrocarbon-based waste and residues, such as plastic, into renewable fractions. In practical terms, this means that any organic waste stream can be considered as a feedstock, and duly be transformed into a wide range of renewable fuels or useful sustainable liquids and materials to be used again.

In theory, this process could have huge implications for how we deal with plastics, as well as waste management in general, as it could lead to the establishment of major circular economy loops into a city’s ecosystem, provide new sources of renewable energy, and create new revenues and jobs—effectively converting what was previously considered waste into a resource. One key aspect of SWESTEP’s technology is that the feedstock doesn’t require separating prior to processing, meaning mixed waste streams are just as effectively processed as sorted ones. This contrasts wildly with the status quo, in which mixed waste streams require appropriately sorting before the separate elements can be recycled.

Creating industrial inputs from waste plastic for industries that typically require fossil-based fuels or petrochemicals for major parts of their operations doesn’t just represent a welcome remedy to the problem of municipal waste, it also embodies potential to reduce the consumption of fossil-fuels and thus, contributes to climate change mitigation.

Given what was on offer, it’s easy to understand why Copenhagen was interested in a potential collaboration. Per Boesgaard, coordinator of the city’s Climate Plan 2025, had this to say:

'Waste management, and particularly plastic waste management, has represented a huge problem for the city for a long time. Plastic is now a large part of people’s daily lives, yet it represents a huge environmental problem with regards to both the consequences of its disposal and its carbon footprint.

Our challenge [as the City of Copenhagen] is to manage this problem holistically, which means solving the environmental issues without disrupting the day-to-day of our citizens. Thus, participating in projects such as this and collaborating with pioneering companies like SWESTEP to investigate the potential of their technology is both necessary and exciting for us as a city. We are very pleased with the outcome of this project and look forward to working more with SWESTEP and Climate-KIC in the future.'

In July 2016, the City of Copenhagen, SWESTEP, NISA, Copenhagen Airports, and other partners, took part in “Trash to Cash” an EIT Climate-KIC Pathfinder project aiming to confirm if their “turnkey technology” can make a positive impact to the city’s plastic waste challenge. After testing the process on a batch composed of plastic and biomass, the feasibility study confirmed that both the feedstock, the technology, and the process were viable. Karl-Magnus, CEO of SWESTEP, had this to say about the process:

'I am delighted with the results because we can now show that SWESTEP can use our process to recycle a mixed organic MSW feedstock that includes plastics. We already are planning for further tests on other special feedstocks to evaluate their economic potential.

The outputs of the process can be used as an environmentally sound substitute for fossil fuels and thus, the municipality waste can end up being recycled into a whole range of things, such as new textiles, new plastics, medicines, renewable diesel, and jet-fuel. I am also proud that we have proved we can make a difference in waste management processes whilst also being an asset to the energy sector. Through our process, we can create new jobs, new industries, and new revenue streams for the city municipalities—all in an environmentally and climate-friendly way.'

Martin Poesgaard, Director of NISA, the Nordic Initiative for Sustainable Aviation is optimistic about the process: 'With the results of this feasibility study we can see that it is possible to convert the waste plastic residues to a new oil. We [at NISA] find it quite remarkable as it occurs at relatively low temperature and without pressure setting. Our hope is that the oil produced can be further processed into a sustainable jet fuel as if possible, this could represent a major breakthrough in our efforts to make the aviation industry more sustainable.'

SWESTEP will now proceed with additional documentation and analysis of the technology and the end products. Now, the goal is to find industrial partners and investors as well as involvement from the public and the government. SWESTEP is very optimistic about this and sees the solution as an important and low-cost contribution to the circular economy and environmental improvements.

Trash to Cash was a Pathfinder project funded by EIT Climate-KIC’s Innovation Pipeline. Aimed at EIT Climate-KIC partners, Pathfinder projects help innovators test, refine and confirm assumptions about their innovation ideas, so that they are suitably developed to be applied and implemented. They typically last between three to six months, and can receive funding from EIT Climate-KIC up to a maximum grant of EUR 50 000. If you would like to know more about Trash to Cash project, please contact Peter Vangsbo.

Waste and Climate Change

Climate change is often identified as one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. Changes in the climate caused by the build-up of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere are predicted to result in major environmental changes such as (1) rising sea levels that may flood coastal and river delta communities; (2) shrinking glaciers and reduced snow cover that may diminish freshwater resources; (3) the spread of infectious diseases and increased heat-related mortality; (4) possible loss in biological diversity and other impacts on ecosystems; and (5) agricultural shifts such as changes in crop yields and productivity1. Such important environmental changes pose potentially significant risks to humans, social systems, and the natural world2.

Whether or not you are a believer in the science of climate change, implementing solutions to reverse its predicted impacts still makes sense. For example, in addition to addressing climate crises, reducing energy and reliance on fossil fuels encourages national energy independence, reduces other types of pollution (thus improving overall public health), encourages innovation, and saves money. Reducing water use reduces energy use and ensures that water ecology systems are protected and freshwater remains available to all. Water conservation also saves money. Reducing materials consumption and waste generation saves purchasing and disposal costs and, again, improves a number of other environmental conditions. These programs save money and are sustainable, protecting resources for future generations.

Changes in material consumption patterns and proper waste management not only save money; they also have significant implications for improving environmental performance and reducing climate change. Climate change efforts focus on reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy use and reduction in emissions of other greenhouse gases, such as methane or nitrous oxide. A waste reduction strategy goes hand-in-hand with a comprehensive strategy for GHG reductions.

Climate Change Action Plans: A Waste Reduction Strategy

Twenty-five states have adopted climate action plans that incorporate waste reduction as a strategy to reduce GHGs3. Hospitals can take advantage of information from these plans and apply it in developing and striving to reach their own goals. Some suggestions are listed here:

• Set waste diversion targets. Reducing materials use and waste generation reduces emissions associated with energy-intensive extraction of materials, transportation, and methane emissions from landfills.
• Set purchasing targets that favor products made of materials that minimize life cycle energy and environmental impacts.
• Measure and track emissions. Tools are available to track, for example, recycling benefits versus landfilling.
• Support best practices at your local landfill. For example, a cover can be used for methane capture, or at least methane collection and burning, to reduce GHG emissions.
• Set targets for the recycling of construction and demolition debris and reuse of salvaged building materials.
• Compost food and landscaping waste.
• Set targets for electronics recycling. Choose manufacturers that are making significant strides in climate change reduction performance and that support the collection of electronics when they are no longer being used.

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1. EPA, Waste and Climate Change, ES-1. (Back)
2. EPA, Waste and Climate Change, ES-1. (Back)
3. EPA, Overview of State and Local Climate and WasteReduction Initiatives. (Back)

Excerpt from Fact sheet directly from the EPA Waste and Climate Change Document

EPA focused on those aspects of the life cycle that have the potential to emit GHGs as materials change from their raw states to products and then to waste. Exhibit ES-3 shows the steps in the life cycle at which GHGs are emitted, carbon sequestration is affected, and utility energy is displaced. As shown, EPA examined the potential for these effects at the following points in a product’s life cycle:

• Raw material acquisition (fossil fuel energy and other emissions, and changes in forest carbon sequestration);
• Manufacturing (fossil fuel energy emissions); and
• Waste management (CO2 emissions associated with composting, nonbiogenic CO2 and N2O emissions from combustion, and CH4 emissions from landfills); these emissions are offset to some degree by carbon storage in soil and landfills, as well as avoided utility emissions from energy recovery at combustors and landfills.

At each point in the material life cycle, EPA also considered transportation-related energy emissions. Estimates of GHG emissions associated with electricity used in the raw materials acquisition and manufacturing steps are based on the nation’s current mix of energy sources, 24 including fossil fuels, hydropower, and nuclear power.

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Exhibit ES-2 shows how GHG sources and sinks are affected by each waste management strategy. For example, the top row of the exhibit shows that source reduction26 (1) reduces GHG or

MSW	Management Strategy
	Raw Materials Acquisition and Manufacturing		Changes in Forest or Soil Carbon Storage		Â
Source Reduction		Decrease in GHG emissions, relative to the baseline of manufacturing		Increase in forest carbon sequestration (for organic materials)
Recycling		Decrease in GHG emissions due to lower energy requirements (compared to manufacture from virgin inputs) and avoided process nonenergy GHGs		Increase in forest carbon sequestration (for organic materials)
Composting (food discards, yard trimmings)		NA		Increase in soil carbon storage
Combustion NA		NA
Landfilling NA		NA

How can we empower Brisbane residents to tackle climate change by reducing the waste they generate?

Teams are encouraged to develop business ideas, concepts and creations that provide Brisbane resident's with solutions to manage their waste using the top two tiers in the waste hierarchy; Avoid, Reduce and Reuse.

Challenge context

Australia is the world’s second largest producer of waste with the average person producing 2.1kg of waste per day with Queenslanders unfortunately exceeding this figure with the average Queenslander producing 2.3kg of waste each day. Yes these figures are shocking but exactly what do they mean for our environment?

The climate impact from the waste industry comes primarily from methane generated from the breakdown of waste in landfills. And although you may not be familiar with this greenhouse gas you should know that methane is 84 times more potent than CO₂ over a twenty year period which means that every tonne of methane traps as much heat in our atmosphere as 84 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gas emissions are also associated with the production and distribution of the items that we end up throwing away. So reducing waste and using resources more efficiently can also reduce these ‘upstream’ emissions.

So, we now know that Queenslanders produce tonnes of waste and this waste has serious consequences for our climate.

What now?

Well the good news is that where there are large volumes of waste there are economies of scale, and scale is essential in creating a circular economy. A circular economy is an economic performance based model that relies on system wide innovation to create social, environmental and economic capital In a circular economy resources are kept at their highest value at all times and this economic model provides an alternative to the linear ‘take, make, use, dispose’ model that our society currently operates within.

On another postive note, there is a growing demand from Brisbane residents seeking ways to reduce their personal waste. Businesses that have targeted this niche have found great sucsess in our city. So the time is right for novel solutions to thrive.

Looking at household waste, there are a variety of areas to explore. Waste streams to divert from landfill can include, but are not limited to: 

• Green waste
• Organic waste
• Co-mingled recycling
• Paper and cardboard
• E-waste (electronic and electrical)
• Hard rubbish
• Textile waste

The waste cycle begins with generation, then collection and finally disposal. While many people traditionally focus on disposal there are also opportunities to avoid waste by focussing further up the waste cycle. Participants can explore whether they can find business opportunities in avoiding the generation of waste through reuse or by reducing purchases in the first place.

Challenge description

How can we empower Brisbane households to tackle climate change by reducing the waste they generate? This is the hot topic that will form the challenge for the 2018 Brisbane Climathon.

Teams are encouraged to develop business ideas, concepts and creations that provide Brisbane residents with solutions to manage their waste using the top two tiers in the waste hierarchy; Avoid, Reduce and Reuse.

Business ideas generated in response to this challenge should consider the challenges and opportunities unique to Brisbane and seek to reduce waste to landfill and maximise the associated climate benefits.