July 22 — The misconceptions among consumers of what terms like bio-based and biodegradable mean pose challenges for companies putting labels on their products and their packaging.

“There are two huge misconceptions,” said Steve Mojo, executive director of the Biodegradable Products Institute, at the recent Bioplastek conference in New York.

“Eighty-five percent of consumers think that bio-based/renewable also means biodegradable, and 60 percent think biodegradable products magically disappear when you throw them away,” he said. “So the message has to be clear on the package and/or your website wherever you expect the consumer to look.

“The challenge all companies will face will be finding a way on the packaging to convey their message, especially when people are buying the product, not the packaging,” he said. “It is confusing to consumers and it is going to get more so as many people don’t understand what those words really mean.”

Part of the blame for the confusion must go back to the companies because many company messages focus on product features, not the consumer benefits, he said.

“Companies say things like biodegradable, made from corn, or made from renewable resources, instead of talking to the consumers about the benefits” of the packaging, Mojo said.

“Those are features, which are just factual statements about the product or service, but it is not the reason customers buy,” Mojo said. “Companies need to focus more on the benefits the material and packaging are bringing to their customers because a benefit adds value to the customer, and it is the reason customers will buy.

“Focus on talking about benefits that can appeal to consumers and concepts that are easy to understand,” suggested Mojo. Among the examples he cited were messages such as: recyclable with PET bottles, reduces carbon footprint, reduces oil use by 3 million gallons of gasoline.

“Companies need to use clear messaging that is supported by data and do it in a small space,” he said. “That is clearly a challenge, but the more specific you are in your claims, the better off you will be.

“Don´t tell consumer the product is green,” Mojo said. “Tell them that it is greener than X because ….” He also suggested that companies use their packaging to direct consumers to a website that can answer their questions.

In addition, companies should question and verify claims by companies supplying them with materials or goods.

“Trust but verify,” said Mojo, “because greenwashing is more prevalent now than ever.”

Specifically, he pointed to a foodservice manufacturer that claimed its product was compostable and 100 percent renewable when it actually contained 52 percent petroleum-based polypropylene.

“The cost to your organization to verify material claims will be a small percentage of your total product cost and it will be worth avoiding a potential embarrassment,” Mojo said.

He also suggested that companies be particularly wary of biodegradable additive claims, saying that there is “very little data to support that additives will degrade.”

To read the full article visit Waste and Recycling News.

Source: New Civil Engineer Magazine

England is too slow at reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and could face European Union (EU) fines as a result, the government’s public spending watchdog has warned.

The National Audit Office’s Managing the Waste PFI Programme report accuses the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) of being too slow to react when in 1999 the EU ordered member states to cut by 50% the amount of biodegradable waste they send to landfill by 2013.

It added that although 18 new PFI waste schemes worth £1.6bn are underway, local authorities had experienced delays in completing deals and bringing the projects into operation.

Auditor General Tim Burr said: “Defra is doing a lot to accelerate the programme of new waste treatment facilities being procured through private finance.”

“But, at the rate at which projects are being delivered, England risks missing the 2013 EU landfill reduction target, leaving the UK open to the possibility of fines.”

** End of NCE report **

The Waster says: The situation has the potential to deteriorate quite rapidly now for the UK’s PFI award programme. Many contracts have been delayed by the credit crunch which has meant the unexpected renegotiation of terms for loans between PFI providers and their banks when the banking system suffered so heavily in autumn 2008.

A number of PFI Contracts have been due to start since the summer, but still await award, and their programmes (which include building all the new waste processing facilities essential for the UK to meet the UE targets) must necessarily be put back.

The Greater Manchester PFI is just one example of the delays witnessed and was reported by the Wastersblog just after Christmas, yet there is still no news of award.

The organisers of the top Waste and resource management conference are once again seeking papers from experts in their fields. To write a good quality paper and present it at the conference is the very best self publicity for yourself and your company. Now is your chance to start by submitting your abstract for consideration.

Get started now – there is not much time!

SYMPOSIUM THEMES

The Symposium will last five days and will deal with municipal and commercial solid waste, hazardous waste and special waste including the following topics:

A. Waste policy and legislation National and regional guidelines; regulation and planning
requirements; role of scientific and technical bodies as well as associations.
B. Waste management strategies Integrated waste management; national and local strategies; zero waste management; future perspectives.
C. Public participation and education
Public involvement; NGO activities; mediation; education; communication; training in waste management and operation, public and occupational health impacts of waste management.
D. Waste management assessment and decision tools
Life cycle analysis; risk assessment; environmental impact assessment; EMAS; quality control procedures; cost benefit analysis; multi-criteria analysis; auditing.
E. Waste characterisation as a tool for waste management
strategies
Standardisation; analytical procedures.
F. New concepts for waste collection
Cost optimisation; on-demand collection; separate collection;subsurface systems; case studies.
G. Waste minimisation and recycling
Waste avoidance; waste logistics and recycling; new recycling technologies; material quality after recycling; packaging material; electronic waste; construction and demolition waste; batteries; end of life vehicles; market waste.
H. Biological treatment
New developments in composting and anaerobic digestion; emissions from processing facilities; product quality.
I. Thermal treatment and advanced conversion technologies
Technology and experiences; new technologies; production and use of RD F; emission control; reatment of residues; beneficial use of combustion ash.
L. Mechanical biological treatment prior to landfilling
Mechanical pretreatment (separation, shredding, RD F-production, etc.); technology and experience; new technology, testing and landfill acceptance; off gas treatment; emission control.
M. Sanitary landfilling
Sustainable landfill concepts for municipal and special waste; processes and emissions; leachate and gas management; landfill design and construction; barrier design and long-term performance; waste mechanics; landfill operation; administrative and financial aspects;
landfilling under specific conditions (tropical, islands, mountains, etc.); aftercare and reuse; landfill remediation; cost studies; cases.
N. Integrated wastewater and solid waste management
Decentralized systems; closed substance cycles; future perspectives; cases.
O. Waste management and climate change
Minimisation of greenhouse gases from waste management activities and landfills, waste – CDM projects, minimisation of energy consumption, landfills as geological sinks for carbon and other elements.
P. Waste management in developing and low income countries
Appropriate technologies, experiences, international cooperation, financing, education.
Q. Special sessions
BAT – Best Available Technologies; IPPC regulations.

Due to their relevance, all these subjects will be presented in general sessions, specialised sessions, workshops and poster sessions. Offers of papers for workshops are also welcome.

An extended abstract (at least one but no more than two full pages) should reach the Organization no later than January 30th 2009.

Continuously updated information is available on the web page http://www.sardiniasymposium.it

Waste facilities in Leicestershire and the South West will see major improvements thanks to a combined £181.6 million in funding announced by Defra today.

In Leicestershire, the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project is expecting to divert 98,000 tonnes of Biodegradable Municipal Waste from landfill in 2020. In the South West the PFI project will divert 293,000 tonnes from landfill in 2020 – making an important contribution to the UK’s landfill directive targets.

Leicestershire plans to build on its already successful recycling and composting record. Not only does the county expect to reach the Government’s 2020 recycling target of 50 per cent 10 years early, but with further plans it aims to reach 58 per cent by 2017. In the South West, 92 per cent of the biodegradable waste in the area will be diverted from landfill.

The schemes could also deliver estimated total net carbon savings of 53,260 tonnes in 2019/20, compared to the current situation. The potential for combined heat and power (CHP) could increase this further to 121,500 tonnes of savings over both projects.

Waste Minister Joan Ruddock said:

“Reducing our reliance on landfill is an essential part of the drive to tackle climate change and I welcome the ambitious commitment made by Leicestershire and three authorities in the South West.

“PFI agreements like this create a real incentive for local authorities and industry to work together to cut waste and make better use of the waste we do create, as well as reducing our impact on the environment.”