We had the pleasure to catch up with Malin zu Castell-Rüdenhausen from VTT, who is leading the ongoing MSWPlast project within the SPIRIT programme. Malin recently visited a major waste management conference ISWA 2024 in South Africa, where she got international insights on waste management and at the same time, shared the first learnings gained from the MSWPlast project.
Key is to identify PET and polyolefins from mixed waste
The 2-year MSWPlast project, to be completed early 2025, aims to increase the understanding of the recyclability of plastics collected from mixed waste. A technical concept for material handling and a systemic model for integrating post-sorting into current recycling value chains are being developed. The project is part of the SPIRIT ecosystem and led by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.
One of the key areas of interest for Malin zu Castell-Rüdenhausen in plastic waste management lies in the identification of valuable materials in mixed waste such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyolefins. According to Malin, these plastics materials could be better utilized instead of being incinerated.
Malin notes: “Finland’s recycling facilities are relatively small, and as a result, valuable plastic materials often end up being incinerated. This is not only wasting potential resources, but it also conflicts with the EU packaging waste regulation, which mandates a 50% recycling rate by 2025. Failure to meet these targets results in substantial fines, such as plastics own resource fee imposing 80 euro per ton on plastic packaging waste that is not recycled. This will cost Finland approximately 100 million euros each year.“
Promising industrial trials within the MSWPlast project
A 500-ton trial carried out in the MSWPlast project with waste management company, and an industrial partner of the project Remeo demonstrated the effectiveness of industrial sorting when done correctly. Applying advanced NIR technology (near-infrared sensors) plays a crucial role in successfully identifying and separating valuable materials such as PET and polyolefins from mixed waste.
MSWPlast goes South Africa
A trip in September to a major waste management conference organised by the International Solid Waste AssociationISWA 2024 in South Africa was an insightful experience for Malin, strengthening the vision how the outcomes of MSWPlast project could help boost waste management also outside Finland. Malin’s presentation on the MSWPlast project attracted a good audience and lively discussions afterwards.
There is significant potential for Finnish cleantech solutions to be exported globally — in many developing countries, up to 40% of waste is neither collected nor treated, posing significant issues in hygiene, emissions and nature. Malin says: “In our research work in the MSWPlast project, we have already gained a lot of learnings and developed practices which could also be taken in use in developing countries such as South Africa, where the waste management presents stark contrasts compared to ours in the Nordics. Our learnings could help developing countries skip the research and learning stage and help them take proven solutions onboard faster.”
Learnings from other countries
Malin highlighted the importance of industrial sorting facilities in improving recycling rates. While separate collection is essential, efficient sorting at the facility level can significantly enhance recycling outcomes.
She reminds that Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands serve as excellent examples of effective plastic sorting and recycling systems. These countries have shown that with the right facilities and systems in place, efficient recycling is achievable. Malin sees that Finland should adopt and adapt these successful practices to improve its own recycling rates further.
As an example, Malin mentions that in Norway, the cost of industrial sorting of mixed waste is higher than for separate collection but also displays a significantly greater efficiency in material recovery. This is one of the angles to be addressed when developing Finnish waste management.
Finnish Circular Economy Green Deal engages companies
The Finnish Ministry of environment launched the Circular Economy Green Deal in September. Borealis is among the first companies in Finland to commit to this Circular Economy Green Deal. Soon after the launch event, both Jaakko Tuomainen, SPIRIT programme manager, as well as Malin zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, were among the invited experts in a discussion led by Kai Mykkänen (Minister of the Environment and Climate Change of Finland). At the event, concerns were raised about Finland lagging behind plastic packaging recycling rates.
Malin’s insights highlighted the critical need for Finland to enhance its plastic waste management systems, learn from successful international practices, and invest in advanced sorting technologies. The goal is not only to meet EU recycling targets but also to position Finland as a leader in clean tech solutions with significant global export potential. As Malin aptly put it: ”This is not just a waste management issue but a raw material issue — efficient recycling and material recovery are essential to achieve both environmental sustainability and economic viability.”
Jaakko Tuomainenis sensing a change of tone in the discussion: “When we first launched the MSWPlast project, attitude towards the industrial sorting of mixed waste was still quite skeptical. Many experts are now seeing it as a needed add-on to separate collection. The question is no longer whether it will come, but when it will come.”
When Finland is taking steps towards the mixed waste sorting, both Malin and Jaakko are raising one important focus area. “We need to be mindful of how the launch of industrial sorting is communicated so as not to lose the motivation in separate collection.”
Main photo: Malin zu Castell-Rüdenhausen and fellow waste researcher Mario Villalba Ferreira at ISWA 2024.