The Finnish Environment Institute Syke has completed a research study related to the topics of the DREAM project, an initiative within the SPIRIT programme. We spoke to senior researcher Susanna Horn and researcher Kiia Silvennoinen about their findings regarding traceability and life cycle assessment (LCA) for plastic packaging value chain.
The research work conducted by leading researcher Susanna Horn and researcher Kiia Silvennoinen from Syke was done in collaboration with the DREAM project leader by Rani Plast Oy. The main objective of the DREAM project is to explore the environmental impact and performance of new, environmentally friendly packaging solutions. Susanna Horn explains how the SYKE research aimed to study life cycle modelling and regulatory aspects related to plastics. One of the areas of interests in the research was on the traceability of plastics, aiming to identify its added value and establish best practices for the plastics value chains. Several interviews were conducted with stakeholders across Rani Plast value chain, including representatives from the manufacturers of additives, colourants, plastic granules, as well as users and manufacturers of plastic packaging and regulatory entities.
Feedback and findings from the research
According toSusanna Horn, a comprehensive report was produced, addressing LCA, circular economy solutions based on the 9R framework and stakeholder perspectives. Content analysis of the interviews highlighted traceability-related aspects, such as its added value in the plastics value chain. An article of the findings titled “Traceability as an Enabler of Circular Economy in the Plastics Packaging Value Chain” has been approved for publication in a scientific journal under “Circular Economy and Sustainability”.
According to Susanna Horn and Kiia Silvennoinen, the key observations include:
- Recycling efforts dominate circular economy actions, with limited reuse solutions also being implemented.
- Packaging design for circularity emerged as a critical factor, with stakeholders emphasising the need to design for recyclability or reuse.
- Drivers and barriers to circular economy adoption were categorised into environmental, economic, technical, consumer-related, institutional, geographical, design and safety considerations.
Insights into circular economy solutions and traceability
- Drivers and barriers of circular economy: Environmental benefits of circular economy solutions are not always consistently measured or transparently documented, and consumer fears act as barriers. Geographical challenges, such as differing infrastructures across Europe, also pose obstacles.
- Design challenges: Companies strive to design circular economy-compliant products but face a lack of forward-looking information and reliable LCA data, hindering progress.
- Recycling issues: Concerns include, for example, the ability to remove contaminants from recycled materials and optimal inclusion of novel recycling technologies.
Traceability and data challenges in the value chain
Kiia Silvennoinen notes that the interviewees understood traceability differently but primarily saw it through the lens of safety and quality. While regulators and companies were both expected to advance data-related issues, the direction of responsibility seemed somewhat unclear. EU-level and national-level differences in interpretation further complicates the regulatory landscape. The need for a unified data collection platform became clear in the interviews, with suggestions such as a digital product passport to standardise data collection and transfer. However, concerns remain regarding data quality, reliability and sensitivity.
Sustainability & Development Director Mats Albäck from Rani Plast comments: “We believe it is very important to regularly track and measure the impact we have on the environment and react to reach agreed sustainability targets. In the DREAM project we have developed together with Syke and our SPIRIT partners a new digital and integrated model for efficient sharing of environmental data in our value chain.” This work will be continued by Rani Plast’s new Sustainability and Development Director Sauli Eerola when Mats retires this month.
LCA-related challenges
Familiarity with LCA varied across stakeholders in the value chain. While the stakeholders’ customers often request carbon footprint data, inconsistencies in system boundaries and data freshness limit reliability. Practices differ among stakeholders, resulting in only indicative data. Allocation issues in production facilities, such as emissions distribution, also present challenges.
Lessons learned from the research
Susanna Horn sums up that traceability is a crucial enabler of circular economy practices, but it requires precise definitions of what is the intended use, what to trace and how often the data should be updated. In the interviews, data availability was identified as key to supporting reuse alternatives and other circular economy solutions.
The work initiated in the SYKE research will continue under another SPIRIT ecosystem project called PlasticsCircularity, which will focus on different types of plastic products, including those used in the medical sector, food packaging, and cellulose-based and biodegradable plastics for instance.
Photo credit: Rani Plast