Waste collection, sorting, recycling and recovery - ADEME · Waste collection, sorting, recycling...

Strategic Roadmap

Waste collection, sorting, recycling and recovery

French Environment &Energy Management Agency


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Preamble ............................................................................................................................................................................................4

1 Subject area .................................................................................................................................................................................6

2 Key issues ......................................................................................................................................................................................8

3 Visions ...........................................................................................................................................................................................15

4 Obstacles ....................................................................................................................................................................................19

5 Priority research and development needs ............................................................................................................21

6 The functions of research demonstrators, technology test platforms and preindustrial experiments ......................................................................................................................................28

7 Appendix: The four research and development phases.................................................................................29

Table of contents

Since 2010, the ADEME has been managing four programmes within the scope of “Future Investments”1. Groups of research experts from various industrial fields, research bodies and re-search programming and financing agencies are responsible, within the scope of collective works, for producing strategic roadmaps. These are used to launch Calls for Expressions of Interest (CEI).

The purpose of these roadmaps is to:

• Highlight the industrial, technological, environmental and societal issues;

• Draw up coherent, shared visions of the sociotechnical system or technologies in question;

• Identify the technological, organisational and socio-economic obstacles to be overcome;

• Associate time-based objectives with the priority research topics in terms of technological availability and deployment;

• Prioritise the industrial research, research demonstrator, preindustrial experi-mentation and technology test platform needs, which then act as a basis for:

- drawing up CEIs; - programming research within the ADEME and other institutions such as the French Na-

tional Research Agency (ANR), the French national strategic committee for energy research (Comité stratégique national sur la recherche énergie) or the French national alliance for the coordination of energy research (ANCRE).

These research and experimentation priorities originate from a coming together of the visions and obstacles, however also take into account French capacities in the fields of research and industry.

This roadmap complements those already drawn up or currently being drafted: “Integrated manage-ment of polluted soils, groundwater and deposits”, “Eco-designed products, processes and services”, “Plant-based chemistry”, “Advanced biofuels”, “Vehicles” and “Hydrogen energy and fuel cells”.

1. Future Investments (Les Investissements d’Avenir) continue along the path set by the Research Demonstrator Fund managed by the ADEME. The four programmes involved are: Renewable, low-carbon energy and green chemistry (1.35 billion Euros), Vehicles of the future (1 billion Euros), Smart grids (250 million Euros) and Circular Economy (250 million Euros, under which a “Waste collection, sorting, recycling and recovery” action is planned).

Preamble


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List of members of the group of experts

2. Cemagref: French national centre for agricultural and environmental engineering research; Ensam: French national school of arts and crafts; BRGM: Bureau of geological and mining research; Record: Cooperative research association on waste and the environment.

Nature of the body Name Member body2

Private companies

Fabrice Abraham Renault

Stephan Csoma Umicore

Carlos De Los Llanos Eco Emballages

Franck Fajardie Rhodia

Olivier François Galloo

Jean-Jacques Nardin Pellenc

François Grosse Veolia Environnement

Hugues Percie du Sert Suez Environnement

Research bodies

Jean De Beir University of Evry

Philippe Duchène Cemagref

Daniel Froelich Ensam Chambéry

Hervé PANETTO BRGM

Association François Théry Record

The following took part in the expert meetings as observers, Loïc Lejay (Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Hous-ing) and Aymeric de Loubens (Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry).

The group of experts received support from a technical office of the ADEME comprised of Erwan Autret, Daniel Béguin, Jérôme Betton, Jean-Marie Bouchereau, Marc Cheverry, Alain Geldron, Michel Gioria, Isabelle Hebe, François Moisan, Jean-Guillaume Peladan, Claire Pinet, Patrick Souet and Didier Violle.

1 Subject areaThis roadmap relates to all industries involved in recycling and transforming waste for energy and non-energy purposes (outlined below).

According to the French Order No. 2010-1579 dated 17/12/10, waste is considered as any substance or object, or more generally any personal property, which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard. The term industry3 refers to a set of activities and stakeholders ranging from the mobilisation of waste stocks to the use of recycled raw mate-rials or energy. Finally, recycling consists in the direct reintroduction of a waste product into the production cycle from which it originated, by fully or partially replacing new raw material.

More specifically, this roadmap covers:

• waste resulting from household consump-tion, inert waste4, hazardous or non-hazard-

ous waste from different economic activities, including building activities and public works, organic waste and waste originating from all recovery and production activities;

• end-of-life products mainly corresponding to extended producer responsibility industries (EPR, outlined opposite): waste electrical or electronic equipment (WEEE), end-of-life tyres (ELT), end-of-life vehicles (ELV), batteries, pack-aging, furniture, end-of-life clothing, etc.

• different used products and materials: ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals, strategic and rare raw materials or metals (such as rare earths5), glass, paper and cardboard, plastic (including bioplastic), composite materials, inert build-ing waste, wood, organic matter (in particular from agriculture or agri-food industries);

• activities inherent upon repair works, reuse6, repeated use7, waste material and energy re-covery including recovery from old stocks: the collection8, dismantling, sorting, recovery (outlined opposite), preparation, recovery, in-corporation and use of recycled raw materi-als and the production of energy from waste;

• the different economic stakeholders: house-holds, businesses, collectors, waste recovery handlers, recyclers, equipment manufactur-ers (technology suppliers), stakeholders from extended producer responsibility industries (eco-friendly waste management companies, product manufacturers), raw material and product producers and user production sec-tors, regional authorities (household waste managers).

3. The industry concept refers to the idea that a product, asset or service is made available to its end user by a succession of operations performed by units concentrating on various activities. Each industry is made from a chain of activities which complement each other and which are connected to each other by purchase and sale operations (Montfort J., 1983, «A la recherche des filières de production».4. Waste which does not undergo any major physical, biological or chemical change. Inert waste does not decompose, burn or produce any other physical or chemical reaction. It is not biodegradable and does not cause any deterioration to other materials with which it comes into contact so as to pollute the environment or damage human health (source: Council Directive 1999/31/EC of 26 April 1999,5. Rare earths are a group of metals with similar properties, including scandium, yttrium and the fifteen lanthanides. Hybrid cars, mobile phones, flat screens, green technology products (LED light bulbs, wind turbines, solar panels, etc.) all contain rare earths. They are everywhere, in all high-tech products and are even used in refining oil.6. Reuse is a prevention operation in which substances, materials or products that are not considered as waste, are used again to perform an identical function to that for which they were designed.7. Repeated use is defined as any operation in which substances, materials or products are reused. Deposited in voluntary collection points, outside of the repeated use zone in waste disposal facilities, these products are classed as waste.8. Collection refers to all operations consisting in removing waste and transporting the latter to a zone for transfer, sorting or treatment or to a waste storage facility.

Waste recovery

This can be broken down into the recov-ery of energy, material or organic matter:• energy recovery: exploitation of

the energy source contained in waste. This energy is used to generate electric-ity and/or heat and/or steam. For exam-ple, it can be used to heat buildings;

• material recovery: the use of all or part of a waste product by replac-ing an element or a material;

• recovery of organic matter: used to enrich compost heaps, di-gestate or other organic waste trans-formed biologically.


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The following are also covered within the scope and prospective reflections of this roadmap:

• the long-term visions for sectors that are po-tentially large waste producers (e.g.: the build-ing and construction sector, for which the quantity and nature of the waste produced can be radically different according to wheth-er this is directed towards options involving restoration works or the deconstruction of the existing building park);

• sustainable consumption and eco-design (out-lined below), which are not at the very heart of the subject area of this roadmap, however which constitute influential parameters for waste production and which are integrated into the phase determining the long-term visions;

• health issues, particularly connected to the emergence of new products (e.g.: bio-sourced products, nanomaterials), new tech-nologies or new practices;

• climate changes and associated adaptation or reduction policies in the different fields of activity;

• delocalised energy production and the man-agement of power distribution grids fed by energy derived from waste.

• The following, however, are excluded from the subject area of this roadmap: radioactive waste and deposits. Extracted deposits and surface deposits are covered within the scope of the roadmap entitled “Integrated management of polluted soils, groundwater and sediments”.

Extended producer responsibility

Extended producer responsibility (EPR), originating from the 1975 law introduc-ing the Polluter Pays principle, is defined by Article 8 of the directive 2008/98/EC relating to waste.

Producers, product importers and own brand distributers must assume, par-ticularly in financial terms, all or part of the operations for the selective collec-tion and recycling or treatment of waste originating from these products. The rise to power of these industries,which has been taking place since the mid-90’s,has led to significant progress in terms of re-cycling waste.

Reclamation

According to the French system for classifying activities (NAF rev.2 - Insee, 2008), reclamation is an activity whereby waste or other items are transformed by mechanical or chemical processes into secondary raw materials. The processes involved are: crushing, compacting, clean-ing, sorting, dismantling derelict items of all kinds (including ELVs and WEEE) and sorting for reclamation purposes. Recla-mation does not include wholesale trad-ing in reclaimed material, or collecting and sorting unsorted reclaimed materi-als with the purpose of selling them on without having operated any real recov-ery process.

Eco-design

Eco-design consists of building environ-mental protection into the design of as-sets and services. It leads to the manufac-ture and sale of products that are more environmentally friendly throughout their lifecycle, i.e., from the extraction of raw materials and the waste generated in the manufacturing process, to the use and ultimate disposal of the products.

2 Key issuesWaste collection, sorting, recycling and recov-ery currently provides a solution and in a long-term perspective will continue to provide a solution to the unavoidable challenges encoun-tered, both on a local and international level, i.e.:

• saving raw materials or energy and their se-curity of supply;

• reducing global warming;

• preserving human health and protecting the environment and ecosystems;

• controlling costs and employment growth;

• developing technologies on an industrial scale.

Saving raw materials or energy and their security of supply

Saving raw materials or energy is a major chal-lenge encountered throughout the world.

Recycled raw materials contribute in a positive manner to saving unused raw materials (out-lined below).

In France in 2008, the proportion of recycled raw materials (25 million tonnes collected) in manufactured products differs according to the material9, with 44% for steel, 42% for non-fer-rous metals, 60% for paper and cardboard, 5% for plastics and 44% for glass10.

Reclamation companies (sorting non-hazardous waste, recovering recyclable materials and used products) recorded a 2008 and 2009 turno-ver of 9.2 and 6.5 billion euros respectively11 and the 2010 outlook indicates a turnover of 9.5 billion euros. This market has experienced almost exponential growth in value since 2003, in particular with figures in 2007 being double that in 2003. Information regarding waste pro-duction in France in 2008 is outlined below.

9. ADEME, 2010, «Recycling report 1999-2008».10. At this moment in time, little data exists regarding the quantity of material present in waste stocks and their associated collection, recovery and elimination industries, which makes it impossible to calculate the real savings made in terms of unused raw materials by the use of recycled raw materi-als. Failing additional available information, the indicator provided in this roadmap consists of assessing the share of recycled raw materials in material production.11. ADEME, 2010, «Markets and employment in waste-related activities, Situation 2008/2009 – outlook 2010».12. ADEME, 2011 (to be published), «Waste figures for France in 2008».

Recycled raw materials

Recycled raw materials are re-covered from used, discarded products, with the exception of discards result-ing from a primary production process. This term is slowly replacing the term “secondary raw material” to avoid con-sidering these recycled raw materials as second best to unused raw mate-rials. From the moment that they meet the technical properties required by the user, there is no reason to consider these as secondary.

Quantity of waste produced in France

In France in 200812, national waste pro-duction reached 771 million tonnes (Mt), almost half of which originated from ag-riculture and forestry (374 Mt) and al-most one third of which from construc-tion and public works (253 Mt). Waste activities (excluding agriculture and pub-lic works) represent 106 Mt. Household waste and municipal waste represent volumes of 32 and 5 Mt respectively.


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* Including waste from economic activities ** Including organic waste from the AFIs (44 Mt) WWTP: wastewater treatment plant; HR: household rubbish; HSR: house-hold and similar rubbish; AFIs: agri-food industries.

With regard to aggregates (mineral matter in-tended for the construction industry), out of the 438 Mt marketed in 2008, 15 Mt originated from the recycling of waste concrete and 8 Mt from industrial sources (iron and steel slags, in-cineration clinkers, carbonaceous shales). Fur-thermore, almost 115 Mt of waste originating from worksite excess was used to build struc-tures, thus limiting materials quarried (source: French national union of aggregate producers). This does not take into account the 6.5 Mt of coated aggregates recovered yearly and 80% of which is recycled in the manufacture of new bitumen products (25% according to the Syn-dicate union of the French road industry) or transformed for other road uses (55% accord-ing to a joint study conducted by the French national federation for public works and the ADEME).

The circular economy (outlined opposite) can also preserve a method of preserving non-renewable energy resources. In 2008 in France, for all materials (excluding organic and inert waste from public works), recycling waste products led to a saving of 5.8 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) in non-renewable energy, i.e. approximately 2.2% of the total amount of non-renewable energy consumed in France. Energy recovery from waste also contributes to producing renewable energy due to the fraction derived from the biomass contained within this waste. With a primary renewable energy production assessed at 1.5 Mtoe from incineration (1.2 Mtoe) and biogas (0.3 Mtoe), energy recovery from household waste repre-sented approximately 11% of the primary re-newable energy produced in 2009 in mainland France (20.3 Mtoe)13.

Municipal waste Household waste Waste from economic

activities

Agricultural and forestry

waste

Construction and public

works waste

5,3 32,6 106 374 253

Roadways and markets

3.0

Waste dis-posal facilities

and bulky items*

11.7

HR in the strictest sense

20.8

Non-hazard-ous waste**

98

Hazardous waste

8

Sludge WWTP (dry)

1.3

Hazardous waste

0.1

Of which collected with

HR5.6

Green waste1.0

Municipal waste 43

Household and similar waste 38

HSR 26

13. Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport and Housing, 2010, «2009 French renewable energy report».

On the other hand, our economy today is highly dependent on raw material supplies, the availa-bility of which is becoming ever more restricted by producers, who are sometimes highly con-centrated in a limited number of countries. The works of the European commission on critical materials in particular identify 14 critical materi-als (out of a total of 41 materials), for which security of supply must be sought. Recycling contributes to strengthening our national level of independence with regard to imported re-sources.

Several levers contribute to the economy and the security of supply of unused raw materials or energy, including:

• the mobilisation of waste stocks,

• quality control and material circulation,

• product sustainability, product manufacture – either in part or in full – from parts of these same used products (remanufacturing), reuse, short market circuits,

• improving the quality of the recycling chain and sorting efficiency,

• the existence of a recycled raw materials market at an acceptable price,

• improving the acceptability of the materials and energy recovered from waste,

• optimising industrial methods for using recy-cled raw materials,

• adapting supply to meet demand.

Reducing global warming

Waste, from a general point of view, plays a ma-jor role in the fight to reduce global warming, on the one hand as an emitting field of activity, and on the other hand due to the emissions saved via prevention, recycling or transforming waste.

Greenhouse gas emission inventories identify the contributions made by the waste treat-ment industry to have equalled approximately 2% of the nation’s emissions in 2007 (10 mil-lion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, MtCO2e). How-ever, for a more global vision, this figure must be added to the emissions connected to col-lecting and transporting waste, to incinerators with energy recovery and to recycling methods, whose emissions are counted in the inventories of the transport, energy and industrial sectors respectively.

In 2008 in France, for all materials (excluding organic and inert waste from public works), recycling led to a saving of 19 MtCO2e, i.e. ap-proximately 3.6% of raw greenhouse gas emis-sions ( excluding carbon sink)9.

This national data must be compared with the maximum savings worldwide, estimated to equal a total of 500 Mt CO2 saved by recycling metals (427 Mt CO2 of which was saved by recycling ferrous metals and 57 of which by re-cycling aluminium), paper and cardboard (5 Mt CO2 saved)16.

Circular economy

The circular economy is based on six main elements :• the moderate and most efficient pos-

sible use of nonrenewable resources,• exploitation of renewable resources

according to their renewal conditions,• eco-design and clean production,• environmentally-friendly consumption,• recovery of waste as a resource,• pollution-free waste treatment.

14. J.-C. LEVY, L’économie circulaire : l’urgence écologique ?, Presse de l’école nationale des ponts et chaussées, 2009.15. European Commission, July 2010.16. Bureau of International Recycling, 2008.


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The greenhouse gas emissions generated and saved for public service waste (household waste and municipal waste) is outlined below.

To reduce its impact on global warming, waste boasts three additional levers, i.e.:

• by preventing waste production, in particular for industrial processes,

• by reducing the emissions generated by waste management devices, by optimising, where applicable, logistics steps or waste treatment methods,

• by increasing the amount of emissions saved by developing and optimising energy and ma-terial recovery from waste. Indeed, the en-ergy produced by some waste management devices (incineration with energy recovery, anaerobic digestion, etc.) or by devices man-aging materials extracted from waste, ob-tained by waste sorting and recovery, enables us, by substitution, to avoid resorting to «clas-sic» energy sources or unused raw material recovery methods.

Various waste-related actions can involve sev-eral of these levers, however not necessarily in the same manner. In such cases, by integrating all emissions generated and saved for all waste management steps, it must be ensured that the actions implemented lead to an overall im-provement of the greenhouse gas footprint.

Preserving human health and pro-tecting the environment and eco-systems

Activities involving waste collection, transport, recycling, recovery and elimination (landfill) af-fect the environment to differing degrees with regard to the air, water, soil or ecosystems: wa-ter emissions, particulate matter, chemical or biological agents and noise or olfactory pol-lution. The populations potentially exposed in particular include workers and residents living near to waste storage and treatment facilities. Ecosystems can be affected, for example by the land treatment of waste.

With regard to the use of unused raw materi-als, recycling contributes to preserving natural resources, including energy resources, and in general leads to many environmental benefits (reduced water consumption, eutrophication

17. ADEME, 2009, «Waste and the greenhouse effect, Reflection and explanation».

Example of public service waste

The orders of magnitude in terms of their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions are as follows17: • total emissions generated were meas-

ured at between 8.5 and 10 MtCO2e, with:• 1.25 MtCO2e/year of emissions gen-

erated by selective and mixed collec-tion processes, or via waste disposal facilities (1 MtCO2e/year) and by transport (0.25 MtCO2e);

• between 7.2 and 8.7 MtCO2e of emissions generated by the main treatment processes (0.2 MtCO2e for biological management, 4 Mt-CO2e for incineration* and between 3 and 4.5 MtCO2e for storage);

• the total emissions saved were meas-ured at between 6.8 and 8.3 MtCO2e, with: • between 4.5 to 6 MtCO2e for recy-

cling and material recovery;• 0.1 MtCO2e for the recovery of or-

ganic matter;• 2.2 MtCO2e for energy recovery

(1.8 MtCO2e for incineration* with energy recovery and 0.44 MtCO2e for biogas).

* Even if treatment by incineration emits more CO

2 than it saves, it remains ben-

eficial in relation to the greenhouse gas effect when compared to other possible treatment modes: other solutions (biologi-cal treatment, storage) would lead to much higher relative CO

2 emissions (CO

2 emitted

minus CO2 saved).

ment of municipal waste on the one hand (8 billion euros) and industrial waste on the other hand (4.4 billion euros). Traditional mixed waste collection activities are no longer increas-ing, whereas selective waste collection activities and environmentally-friendly treatment modes (sorting and incineration with energy recovery) are on the rise. With regard to industrial waste management, the use of specialised companies represents the main component of this expend-iture (3.2 billion euros of daily expenses). Half of the financing is provided by companies, 32% by households and 18% by the public authorities.

This development of costs must be assessed in terms of the environmental benefits provided thereby. This cost-benefit analysis thus requires the attribution of a monetary value to all en-vironmental benefits and costs20. The level of internalisation, i.e. the proportion already in-tegrated into prices (taxes, fees and emission permits included), must also be specified for the different environmental effects. This exer-cise was performed for glass and aluminium recycling efforts. One conclusion stipulated that significant environmental benefits were seen: between 140 and 280 million euros for glass21 and between 980 and 1 080 million euros for aluminium. Nearly half of these benefits for glass and nearly two thirds for aluminium are not internalised. In this example, the recycling costs are therefore largely covered by the ben-efits produced.

In 2010, the waste industry, excluding agricul-ture, forestry, construction and public works, represented a total of 128,000 public and pri-vate jobs (source: Ministry of Ecology), distrib-uted in the following manner:

• 86,000 jobs in waste collection;

• 34,000 jobs in material recovery;

• 8,000 jobs in energy recovery, agronomy and waste removal.

phenomena and production of non-hazardous waste) as shown by the life cycle analyses per-formed for each industry11.

Waste treatment and removal technologies currently implemented are governed by regu-lations to reduce emissions and protect the workers and populations exposed. Eco-design also plays a role in reducing impacts.

The application of the Reach18 regulation, com-bined with national prevention policies, should lead to reductions in the amount of hazardous waste produced. As provided for within the framework directive on waste, the end-of-waste status could also require certain recycled raw materials to pass via the Reach record system.

In an area undergoing constant development for substances and materials used in industrial or agricultural production, works should be con-tinued to increase knowledge on waste proper-ties, forecast the development of new product compositions and pollution emissions, and act in consequence to control the health and environ-mental risks connected to these activities.

Controlling costs and employment growth

Waste management costs have significantly in-creased over the past years due to the rise in waste production, the modernisation of treat-ment facilities and due to a higher level of limi-tations for environmental impacts. National ex-penditure for waste management was assessed to equal 14 billion euros in 2008, compared to the 10 billion euros spent in the year 200019. This counts both investments and daily expens-es. Investments, which represent 12% of the total expenditure, have been falling since 2006 after significant growth connected to the com-pliance of incinerators to new European stand-ards before the end of 2005. Daily expenses stagnated in 2008 at 12.4 billion euros. These can be mainly broken down into the manage-

18. Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals.19. Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and the Sea (MEEDDM), Statistics and Observation Service.20. Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development, 2007, «Monetisation of the environmental impacts connected to recycling, Methodological guide and applications».21. Hypotheses: between €60 and €120/t for glass with 2.365 million tonnes recycled in 2008 and between €2,100 and €2,300/t for aluminium with a little over one million tonnes recycled in 2008.22. Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Employment, December 2008, «Developing eco-industries in France», summary report drafted by the Boston Consulting Group.


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Average annual growth was measured at + 3.3% per year over the period 2004-2008. The highest progression rate was observed in recycling with + 5% per year22 since 2002.

Job numbers connected to activities for waste produced from public works (demolition, sort-ing and recovery) are estimated at approxi-mately 13,000 (source: ADEME, according to the data provided by the French national syn-dicate for demolition companies and the public works recyclers syndicate).

Cost management passes by the reasonable use of efficient methods and techniques and by environmental efficiency objectives optimising the cost-benefit ratio. Improving environmen-tal impacts, in particular by recycling, generates benefits, the monetisation of which forebodes high development possibilities. The society’s ca-pacity to absorb additional costs should be tak-en into account, even though externalities do not have any direct and immediate economic consequences. With this in mind, specific eco-nomic instruments must be developed.

Within the context of increasing pollution con-trol requirements and environmental impact limitations, the employment growth generated by recycling and transforming waste occurs by:

• an increase in the tonnage of waste treated;

• an increase in technicality;

• an increase in the usage value of recycled raw materials.

The industrial development of sectors

Waste collection, sorting, recycling and recov-ery offer a certain number of industrial devel-opment opportunities, the main trends and magnitude of which are presented in this road-map.

Organisational and technological innovation support is a key factor for successfully strength-ening the competitiveness of French companies and promoting access to new markets on both national and international territory: productivity gains, labour cost control, the development of treatment capacities for new and increasingly complex flows and the increased introduction of recycled raw materials in industry.

Research demonstrators, technology platforms (outlined opposite) and preindustrial experi-ments meeting the research and development needs identified in this roadmap will contribute to supporting this industrial development.

22. Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Employment, December 2008, «Developing eco-industries in France», summary report drafted by the Boston Consulting Group.

Research demonstrator

The research demonstrator stage aims at testing a technological option under real operating conditions. The choice in size of the demonstrator passes from the laboratory stage to a size enabling the technologies to be validated on a scale intended for industrialisation. The demonstrator cannot be used for com-mercial purposes. The marketing of tech-nology is often considered in the long-term. Given the market expiry dates for technology and the technical and economic risks, grants for research and development, complemented where ap-propriate by other modes of interven-tion (refundable advances, acquisition of intellectual property rights, loans, share acquisitions, etc.) are the most adapted to suit this project stage.

environment23 as significant growth relays, and should provide a major contribution to reach-ing the ambitious recovery objectives set out in public policies.

It should be noted that, in some cases, the in-dustrial development of stakeholders can be confronted, or even hindered, by the dominant positions held by service providers, prime man-ufacturers or industrial sectors for the mate-rial. Nevertheless, these dominant positions can also have a positive influence due to the con-centration of flows enabling market develop-ment or leading to foundations strong enough to access international markets.

The activities undertaken by equipment manu-facturers, although today dominated by foreign stakeholders (German, Italian, Scandinavian, etc.) are experiencing significant development, both upstream (access to material) and down-stream (quality control, continuous composi-tion measures and knowledge of the materials produced). New high added value technologies, implementing numerous networked equip-ment manufacturers, are required to adapt to specific flows, increase the production rates for quality materials and where applicable, extract polluting products (decontamination) or reuse parts, before or after crushing.

On an industrial level, the implementation of recycled raw material and the adaptation of production processes are major axes for de-veloping a circular economy and have a signifi-cant and direct impact on the volume of waste transformed.

France currently therefore boasts industrial stakeholders, leaders in their fields, ranging from micro-businesses-SMEs to large groups, technical centres, academic structures and first rate competitive clusters in the field of Waste collection, sorting, recycling and recovery. Their synergy and the sharing of their skills for ambi-tious research and development projects thus contributes to the positive development of in-dustrial activity and the circular economy, both in France and abroad.

The main development expected to take place in the years to come is the passage from bulk recycling (of mass materials such as rubble and worksite waste, etc.) with low treatment costs, to human, high-tech recycling. In other terms, for current waste management industries, the «job per tonne» ratio should continue to drop to become less than or equal to 1 job for 1,000 tonnes, yet be compensated by an increase in the volume of waste collected, sorted and transformed. For new human and high-tech industries, the «job per tonne» ratio should re-main high (> 3 jobs for 1,000 tonnes) with a significant increase in the volume of waste col-lected and transformed, which has a multiplying effect on employment growth.

A certain number of industries today have a high level of development potential given the volumes that can be mobilised and/or the added value connected to their recovery. This is the particular case of strategic metals, poly-mers and elastomers, waste from construction and public works or waste from agriculture and the agri-food industry, etc. These industries are identified in the key technologies for the

23. Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry, 2011, «Key technologies for 2015».

Technology test platform

In many technical fields, technology ex-periments presume the availability of testing means and dedicated skills. These can be shared between different proto-types, in particular in order to minimise costs. These devices could be assumed within the scope of the Future Invest-ments programme in the form of aid for required testing equipment (electrical connection devices for renewable energy or collective industrial platforms carried by a company or technical centre, etc.). However, the purpose of this aid is not to support long-term research teams or real-estate infrastructures. Aid could be strengthened by grants, share acquisi-tions, the intellectual property rights gen-erated, loans or refundable advances.


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3 Visions The purpose of the long-term visions drawn up within the scope of this roadmap is to broadly describe Waste collection, sorting, recycling and recovery situations for the year 2050 when compared to the current situation.

These visions do not claim to describe the re-ality in 2050, but to define that which is pos-sible so as to deduce a wide range of obstacles, research priorities and research demonstrator needs associated with the realisation of these long-term visions. Reality will probably be a combination of these 2050 visions.

One medium-term 2020 vision is also intro-duced at the end of this chapter in order to describe the effects of the implementation of the Grenelle de l’Environnement and the Euro-pean directives setting the target figures to be achieved over the period 2015-2020. This 2020 vision constitutes a transition point, strictly reg-ulatory in nature, occurring before the different long-term visions.

2050 visions

The construction of long-term scenarios is based on the identification of key parameters, variables whose contrasted evolution will lead to radically different visions. Given that these scenarios have the main purpose of informing decision makers, the number of key parameters and therefore the number of visions resulting thereof have been limited.

These key parameters are not exhaustive, how-ever aim at highlighting the few variables which, according to the group of experts, are capable of significantly affecting Waste collection, sort-ing, recycling and recovery by the year 2050.

The construction of four visions at most is an ideational exercise that deliberately moves away from choosing strategic orientations or defining priority objectives.

The experts have underlined the intensity and nature of the European public regulations as a structuring parameter relevant in building long-term scenarios. High-intensity is represented by the implementation of all possible control and incentive mechanisms by the different pub-lic authorities (local, national and European). Conversely, low intensity is represented by a lack of public intervention and the independ-ent organisation of stakeholders. The nature of the public regulations relates both to waste and the climate (regulations, taxation, EPR, etc.). It complements intensity and, according to the mechanism chosen, influences waste manage-ment conditions.

On the other hand, by studying the circular economy, the other decisive parameter identi-fied relates to the tensions existing in develop-ing countries between the supply and demand of raw materials, including energies. This partic-ularly targets China, however may also involve some African countries according to their level of development in the year 2050. These ten-sions, the origin of which is outside of the scope of this roadmap, exert increasing pressure on the circular economy on a European level. A significant increase in raw material needs is ex-pected in these regions in order to satisfy their domestic market. High tensions in these devel-oping countries result in a limited supply, the need to control the demand in raw materials or fossil energies and the need to secure supply, specifically by importing waste from developed countries, in particular Europe. Conversely, low tensions result in a supply of unused or recycled raw materials meeting demand in developing countries, or even exceeding demand which may be low or even zero in some cases (the case of organic matter).

22. Ministry of the Economy, Industry and Employment, December 2008, «Developing eco-industries in France», summary report drafted by the Boston Consulting Group.

Vision 1: localised recycling in devel-oping countries, in a new standard-ised global economic order

In this vision, no tensions exist in developing countries between the supply and demand of raw materials (including energies) and Europe does not set up any specific public regulations.

The European industry acquires unused and recycled raw materials from the international market, where supply is abundant. Recycled raw materials are available at low costs (com-pared to the other visions) within the context of a globalised economy void of any tensions.

The lack of tensions between supply and de-mand in developing countries, despite real pres-sure in terms of their domestic demand, can be explained by a new standardised economic order, characterised in these countries by:

• an abundant, accessible and available supply of unused raw materials;

• alternative supplies (recycled raw materials, energy derived from waste) developed when unused raw material stocks are limited;

• security of supply on an international level.

National waste collection, sorting and recovery activities are reduced to only a few economically profitable industries, and Europe is witnessing de-veloping countries dominate the recycling industry.

In Europe, development of a circular economy is partial and varies according to the materi-als: high for some high added value materials available on the international market, low for

limited or negative added value waste, such as certain waste types originating from agriculture or public works.

Vision 2: European common policy for raw materials

As in vision 1, no tensions exist in developing countries between the supply and demand of raw materials. Despite this, Europe sets up strict public regulations, both in nature, by the diversity of implementation mechanisms, and intensity, by the choice to control this to the highest possible degree. This is the choice made by a society that has gained a high level of envi-ronmental awareness with regard to waste and the climate, and that is ready to head towards a mode of consumption built around a circular economy.

Ambitious policies are implemented, relating to prevention, eco-design and in the fight against climate change targeting households and eco-nomic stakeholders.

Waste collection, sorting, recycling and re-covery activities are also developed as far as technically possible, for each type of waste, on a local scale for waste derived from agriculture or public works, and on a European scale for strategic materials.

By artificially creating recycled raw material stocks due to the strict regulations implement-ed, Europe thus improves its security of supply of raw materials and is prepared for any pos-sible tensions occurring with regard to certain imported materials.

Intensity and nature of the public regulations on a European level

Weak public regulations Strong public regulations

Tensions between supply and demand of raw materials, including ener-

gies, in developing countries

Low tensions

Vision 1Localised recycling in

developing countries, in a new standardised global

economic order

Vision 2European common policy

for raw materials

High tensionsVision 3

one-way traffic for raw materials

Vision 4the European

proactive response

The four 2050 visions


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Vision 3: one-way traffic for raw materials

Unlike in the two previous visions, high tensions ex-ist in developing countries between the supply and demand of raw materials. Nevertheless, Europe does not set up any specific public regulations.

The high tensions between supply and demand can be explained by the combination of:

• high demand;

• a non-secure, poorly available and/or acces-sible supply;

• poorly developed alternative supplies (recy-cled raw materials, energy derived from waste).

This leads to a suction effect, from developing countries, of the main European waste and re-cycled raw material flows, with the exception of bulk materials such as waste originating from public works and organic matter. This concen-tration contributes to very high international raw material rates.

For economic reasons, recycling is almost ex-clusively developed in developing countries.

Economic activity is made fragile in Europe by the absence of any supply guarantee and the highly volatile nature of raw material prices. The few circular economy activities in place are limited to economically profitable sectors with high added value raw materials.

Vision 4: the European proactive re-sponse

As in vision 3, high tensions exist in developing countries between the supply and demand of raw materials, with a suction effect on Europe-an waste and recycled raw material flows. The international raw material price is both high and extremely volatile.

As in vision 2, Europe sets up strict public regula-tions, both in nature and diversity, to direct its so-cietal choices towards a circular economy, thanks to a high level of environmental awareness.

European Waste collection, sorting, recycling and recovery activities are therefore driven by two engines: regulations and the economy. Under the effects of public regulations and restricted by the high level of demand from developing countries, the European circular economy targets:

• strategic material stocks, for security of supply purposes;

• prevention and eco-design for households and economic stakeholders;

• local management systems for organic waste and waste from public works;

• highly developed recycling facilities for all ma-terials;

• the recycled raw materials market, active in Europe, with high levels of domestic con-sumption.

The 2020 medium-term vision

What are the effects of the objectives set by the Grenelle de l’Environnement and the Eu-ropean directives over the period 2015-2020?

The objectives focus on reducing waste pro-duction, increasing collection and recycling rates for end-of-life materials and products, improv-ing energy recovery and reducing the overall quantity of waste transported for incineration or storage. The hierarchy of waste treatment modes stipulated in the current regulations24, shows the following order or priority: prepara-tion in view of reuse, recycling, any other re-covery, in particular energy recovery, and finally elimination. In compliance with the Grenelle 1 Law25, France achieves its objectives set for 2012, i.e.:

• 75% of household packaging and normal cor-porate waste (excluding building and public works, agriculture, agri-food industries and specific activities) are recycled;

• the quantities of waste transported for incin-eration or storage is reduced by 15% com-pared to that of 2009.

24. French order No. 2010-1579 of 17/12/10 relating to various provisions for adapting European Union waste law (Official Journal No. 293 of 18 December 2010).25. French programme law dated 3 August 2009 relating to the implementation of the Grenelle Environment project (article 46).

In 2015, 85% of end-of-life vehicles are reused or recycled (compared to 79.5% in 2008 in France) and 95% of which are reused or trans-formed (compared to 81% in France in 2008)26. This same year, the rate of recycling organic matter and materials derived from household and similar waste is 45%.

In 2016, 45% of batteries and accumulators27 are collected with a minimum recycling rate, for example, varying between 50 and 75% for nickel-cadmium batteries and accumulators. This same year, 65% of household and profes-sional WEEE is collected, 50 to 80% of which is reused and recycled (according to the differ-ent WEEE), and 70 to 80% of which is trans-formed28.

2012 thermal regulation led to a reduction in the primary energy consumed by buildings of 150 billion kilowatt-hours between 2013 and 2020 via large housing renovation works. Nev-ertheless, this also led to an increase in the pro-duction of certain waste products (insulators, flat glass, products and finishes, joinery work, etc.) and significant modifications to waste ty-pology.

In 2020, 50% of the paper, metal, glass and plas-tic contained in household waste and potential-ly in waste from other sources, insofar as these waste flows are similar to household waste, are prepared in view of their reuse or are recycled. 70% of construction and demolition waste is prepared for reuse29.

In a more long-term prospective vision for the year 2050, the period 2015-2020 must be considered as a consolidation step for the traditional industries according to a trend-type scenario, however also marks an essential tran-sition towards a new circular economy organi-sation mode. Indeed, the perseverance of the current waste policy beyond the year 2020 would enable us to reach the asymptotes for collection, recycling and energy recovery rates, as already observed in certain industries. The last percentages would be difficult to obtain with the current organisational systems and technologies, with high costs, probably high en-ergy consumption rates and uncertain environ-mental benefits.

26. European Directive 2000/53/EC on ELVs.27. European Directive 2006/66/EC on batteries and accumulators.28. European Directive on WEEE being drafted.29. European Directive 2008/98/EC of 19 November 2008 on waste.


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4 ObstaclesObstacles are the elements that prevent the previously de-fined visions from being reached. They are technological, economic, sociologic or regulatory in nature and may appear separately or together. Six families of obstacles have been identified.

Technological obstacles

Obstacle V1.1: the capacity of the equip-ment and dismantling, comminution, crushing, sorting, preparation and recovery methods and techniques to:

• detect and separate materials with a high flow rate;

• be flexible and adapt to the rhythm of the ap-pearance of new products and new materials;

• manufacture high quality recycled raw materi-als according to an optimum technico-eco-nomic system.

These methods and techniques are decisive in directing flows towards the most pertinent in-dustries, in guaranteeing the regularity and qual-ity of recycled raw material stocks over time, in preserving raw material value and in meeting ever stricter technical specifications .

Obstacle V1.2: the capacity of the equip-ment and recycling methods and techniques to:

• substitute unused materials with recycled ma-terials. Some industrial equipment and meth-ods are actually designed to exclusively oper-ate with unused raw materials and cannot be used with recycled raw materials;

• manufacture innovative products containing recycled raw materials for new applications;

• extract substances, contaminants, pollutants and additives etc. from waste.

Obstacle V1.3: the efficiency of the equip-ment and of the methods and techniques for recovering energy from waste:

• the energy efficiency of technical solutions combining heat treatments, recycled fuels or waste;

• the efficiency of the techniques for using bi-ogas and improving biogas quality.

Obstacle V1.4: innovative methods for re-covering energy and biofuel from waste.

Obstacles connected to the char-acterisation of material and waste stocks

Obstacle V2.1: in-depth, real-time knowl-edge of the composition of waste mixtures, of the waste itself and of recycled raw materials (different organic matter, strategic metals, al-loys, etc.), of their pollutant, contaminant and biogenic carbon30 content and of their energy value; metrology associated with these charac-terisations.

Obstacle V2.2: forecasting the composition of waste stocks in a relatively long-term per-spective.

Obstacles connected to logistics and traceability

Obstacle V3.1: the capacity of the collec-tion process to mobilise mixed and widespread waste stocks (given the geographic, seasonal and intrinsic heterogeneities, etc.) and to control the quality of the materials in view of meeting the needs of the upstream links in this industry.

Obstacle V3.2: the traceability of materials and substances throughout the industrial chain (specific materials, hazardous chemical or bio-logical agents, nanomaterials, etc).

30. For the purpose of this document, biogenic carbon is considered as carbon of biological origin (biomass, wood, paper, etc.) as opposed to carbon of fossil origin (coal, petrol, etc).

Obstacles related to the economy, politics, regulations and organisa-tion of stakeholders

Obstacle V4.1: knowledge of the effects of public policies and associated instruments on the recycling economy, knowledge of market mechanisms and innovative economic models.

Obstacle V4.2: high collection and pre-collection costs, low profitability for the con-centration of widespread materials and volatile raw material and energy prices. Environmental externalities are therefore taken into account in an incomplete manner in material economic exchanges and for arbitrations taking place be-tween energy recovery and material recycling.

Obstacle V4.3: lack of visibility for opera-tors given the volatile nature of raw material and energy prices, and lack of economic instru-ments (cover instruments, recycling certificates, etc.) to manage this volatility.

Obstacle V4.4: capacity of the stakehold-ers to cooperate within the scope of industrial sectors, in particular for emerging industries; dif-ficulty in creating an industry for a new waste stock without spontaneous demand; lack of raw material users within the geographical pe-rimeter of the stock for low value materials or bulk materials; critical size of some stakeholders, with sometimes insufficient economic activity, which limits their capacity to invest in research and development.

Obstacle V4.5: the existence of regulatory and legal devices unjustified by the environ-mental issues, regarding recycled raw materials and waste-derived fuels; insufficient incentives devices; insufficient border controls; inappropri-ate circulation of flows and international trans-port.

Obstacle V4.6: availability of waste stor-age facilities in addition to the lack of significant demand in recycled raw material. This point hinders the short-term development of the re-cycling industry. In the long-term, the pressure exerted by the low availability of unused raw materials should promote the development of recycled raw materials.

Sociologic obstacles

Obstacle V5.1: adaptation to the economic changes connected to the appearance and dis-appearance of economic activities. The lack of a positive image with regard to the general public and industrialists consuming these products is detrimental to this sector’s activity and devel-opment.

Obstacle V5.2: behavioural changes, the ac-ceptability of recycled materials and innovative products containing recycled materials and the acceptability of domestic waste management systems for households.

Obstacle V5.3: conflicting situations con-nected to the real and perceived health and environmental impacts of industrial sorting and recycling facilities.

Obstacles connected to environ-mental and health impacts

Obstacle V6.1: in-depth knowledge of the environmental impacts on global warming from recycling waste.

Obstacle V6.2: knowledge of the local envi-ronmental and health impacts and professional risks.

Obstacle V6.3: tools and methods for as-sessing and monitoring impacts.


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5 Priority research and development needs

This chapter identifies the priority needs for research and de-velopment works in order to overcome the obstacles previously identified, in compliance with the aforementioned challenges.

This involves four successive research and de-velopment phases, i.e.: fundamental research or new knowledge, industrial research, experi-mental development and finally preindustrial experimentation (see the Appendix).

The activities connected to recovering energy and material from waste are integrated into a value system comprising all value chains of company stakeholders, from waste collection to the production of goods, services or ener-gies. The creation of value for companies and for the entire system can be optimised by ac-tions undertaken regarding the main activities, from sorting to implementing the material, and regarding connected activities, such as acquiring knowledge on these materials, logistics, market-ing and services associated to the production of recycled materials and energy. R&D for new knowledge and organisational and techno-logical innovations are levers working towards optimising value for these different activities. Creating value for the society, excluding the development of employment, involves minimis-ing the health and environmental impacts of these economic activities. The development of industries on a European scale also depends on the public policies, control modes, markets and economic agents in place.

This scope of analysis leads to the definition of six approaches for research and innovation:

• approach 1: sorting and preparing used products and materials,

• approach 2: transforming and implement-ing used products and materials,

• approach 3: characterising waste and ma-terials and metrology,

• approach 4: optimising the value chain of these industries,

• approach 5: public policies, markets and stakeholders,

• approach 6: environmental and health im-pacts.

Approaches 1 and 2 are essentially technologi-cal in nature and cover all material, agronomic or energy recovery chains. Technological inno-vations may correspond to new technologies, combinations of existing technologies or even the transfer of technologies from other fields of application to the field of waste.

The group of experts does not identify prior-ity R&D technological needs specific to waste collection. These shall be covered in the trans-versal approach 3, for waste collection and its final recovery.

Approach 1: sorting and preparing used products and materials

Research and development activities on meth-ods and technologies for sorting and preparing materials are required in view of increasing and regulating flows and optimising the quality of recycled materials, while reducing the quantity of non-transformed rejects, in particular on:

• dismantling methods (disassembly and pollution removal) adapted to suit the differ-ent categories of used products (electrical and electronic equipment, end-of-life vehicles, end-of-life tyres, furnishings and waste from building and public works, etc.);

• comminution and crushing tech-niques;

• the association of automated sort-ing technologies for mixed materi-als enabling materials to be identified, ex-tracted and/or separated;

• the integration of new informa-tion technologies (sensors, signal pro-cessing technology, data processing software, etc.) into material preparation and sorting methods;

• any other method for preparing waste for recovering substances, materials or products intended for recovery;

• methods for preparing used prod-ucts before reuse.

The technologies will meet the needs of high-flow systems and quality control in real time.

Long-life products (glass wool, plaster, large electrical goods, etc.) now appear in the waste circuit whereas recycling technologies or in-dustries have not yet been created and/or this waste contains substances that are currently forbidden.

Technologies must evolve with the develop-ment of new technical solutions for producing consumables, connected to the substitution of materials (for example: different generations of batteries for mobile phones). They must be able to follow the fast market penetration rhythm shown by new goods and their ever shorter lifespan.

Methods must be capable of being adapted to suit increasingly complex materials in miniaturised components: composite materials (metallic, ceramic or polymer resin matrix reinforced with glass fibres or carbon fibres, etc.), hybrid materials, nanomaterials (artificial hybrid nanomaterials, etc.), adaptive advanced materials known as “smart” materials (shape memory metal alloys, superplastic alloys, quasicrystals, amorphous alloys).

Methods are also required to prepare and transform biomaterials produced from biomass, which will be developed in con-struction materials, composite materials for the motor and aerospace industries, high-tech membranes, industrial textiles and packaging materials, etc.

Approach 2: transforming and im-plementing used products and ma-terials

Approach 2.1 Transforming sub-stances and materials

Three types of recycling can be defined:1. closed loop recycling: the use of recycling material for an identical purpose and destina-tion;2. open loop recycling: the use of recycled material for a different destination, however by substituting unused raw material;3. material recovery: the use of recycled ma-terial for a product that would not have been manufactured from unused material.

In a general manner, recycling can affect the product’s mechanical, rheological, colour, ap-pearance and/or smell properties. This there-fore involves directing research efforts on implementing recycled raw materials to the fol-lowing main approaches:

• allocating more value to recycled raw materials by developing new recovery processes for used prod-ucts and materials:– adapting and consolidating production pro-

cesses in the existing fields of application to integrate more recycled raw materials and improve product quality (no technological breakthrough);

– developing methods for implementing re-cycled raw materials to widen their fields of application and to produce new prod-ucts (technological breakthrough);

– increasing knowledge on the relationships between efficiency and the properties of products containing recycled raw materials;

• developing new products, mate-rials or substances from recycled materials for new markets. These in-novations can be motivated, on the one hand, by the notion of meeting the specific proper-ties that could not be obtained from unused raw material and, on the other hand, by the lack of objective in terms of quality.


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Approach 2.2 Recovery of organic matter

The process of returning waste-derived organic matter back to the ground is a major recov-ery path, also applicable after energy recovery processes such as anaerobic digestion, and via the agronomic recovery of digestates and com-posts.

R&D is required for biological treatment methods (anaerobic digestion, composting), in view of increasing and regulating flows, op-timising the quality of the material produced, including energy, while reducing the quantity of non-transformed rejects.

New equipment material needs emerge from researching the poten-tial uses of exogenous organic mat-ter other than that of agricultural origin. The areas concerned show organic matter needs for reconstituting soils, however access to the latter is often difficult (steep slopes, numerous obstacles, etc.) and which of-ten hinders spreading operations and requires specific equipment.

New techniques must be developed for extracting substances from or-ganic matter and meeting the usage needs with high added value (for example the extraction of aromatic compounds).

Approach 2.3 Energy recovery from waste

Research relating to energy recovery mainly re-volves around the development of:

• technologies adapted to suit solid recovered fuels;

• new thermal methods which must demonstrate optimised energy efficiency;

• anaerobic digestion of organic waste and biogas production, with research to improve the energy and environ-mental footprint of this industry;

• technologies aiming at transform-ing biogas and free heat (motors, turbines, combined cycles, etc.), their op-timisation and technologies aiming at im-proving the quality of the waste-derived biogas, by purging it of its trace compounds, according to its future use (fuel biogas, injection into power grids, electricity generation or heat production, etc.);

• new methods for producing energy from waste (e.g.: hydrogen production for fuel cells);

• methods for producing advanced bi-ofuels from household waste, industrial waste and agricultural waste.

Approach 3: characterising waste and materials and metrology

Characterising materials is required, from waste collection to the material’s final recovery, in or-der to properly adapt waste treatment equip-ment to the nature and volumes of flow, to direct flows towards adequate recovery indus-tries, to extract pollutants, to “track” substances and materials and to assess the impact of waste recovery operations on the environment and human health.

Particular attention shall be especially paid to:

• the energy value of the material, in particular for heterogeneous flows, in order to improve the energy efficiency of energy production methods;

• the biogenic carbon and fossil con-tent of waste, in order to better assess the impact on global warming;

• the pollutant and contaminant content of the waste being trans-formed and of recycled materials (pesticides, medication residues, endocrine disrupters, asbestos, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants and additives, etc.), in or-der to better characterise waste upstream (capacity to refuse waste or adapt recovery methods) and assess the downstream impact of waste recovery on the environment and public health.

For this purpose, metrology is looking to adapt to suit the simple implementation and informa-tion needs in real time, in particular for organic matter, plastics, strategic metals and combusti-ble waste. These technologies range from ma-terial recognition to molecular characterisation. Research on sampling methods is also required.

Approach 4: optimising the value chain of these industries

Approach 4.1 Logistics

Collection is a key part of waste management, above all when waste stocks are widespread and fluctuate both in time and according to the geographic area. Furthermore, mobility prob-lems exist for stocks that cannot be stored for long periods of time (for example biowaste). Reverse logistics31 also plays an increasing role in post-consumption waste with the development of extended producer responsibility sectors.

Research on logistics will lead to the optimisation of collection or-ganisation operations and the mass treatment of certain waste flows to reduce both the costs and environ-mental impact of their recovery.

Waste monitoring procedures should improve traceability and optimise the functioning of mo-bilisation logistics and sorting centres via chain modules that can be modified according to the qualification of entering waste.

Research is also required on logistics for supply-ing recycled materials to user industries.

31. This consists in using delivery logistics to collect and regroup waste products at distribution centres: unused medication is therefore collected in pharmacies via delivery vehicles.


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Approach 4.2 Processing informa-tion on material flows

Controlling information on waste flows is an important issue in waste management. This is one of the emerging uses of informa-tion and communication technolo-gies (ICTs) and image and signal pro-cessing. It meets the requirements involving identifying the waste (characteristics, variability over time, etc.) far upstream, and of passing from a picking or skimming logic to an indus-trialisation logic for maximum recovery. Several devices could contribute to this, for example:

• radio frequency identification (RFID), which rationalises waste collection and automated data processing, improves waste traceability in particular for hazardous waste and eases the separation of waste and its components;

• technologies for marking material when de-signing goods and products;

• the use of geographic information systems or GPS tracking, etc.

Today, deployment is rare, above all in France, where this mode of application for NICTs in waste management remains at the experimen-tation stage involving pilot projects.

Approach 4.3 Associated services

One possible method for optimising value involves providing services associated with the products marketed. Innova-tive products in terms of services could arise for mobilising waste (machines issuing compen-sations and recording certain data, compacting waste, etc.), using recycled materials (advice on the use of recycled materials, compost spread-ing services, waste grants, etc.), repeatedly using and reusing used objects (reuse of components, repair services, etc.), or developing financial tools (certification market, etc.).

Approach 5: public policies, markets and stakeholders

The research and development activities identi-fied in this field can be broken down into three main approaches.

Approach 5.1 Public policies and their instruments

• The international control and or-ganisation of a raw material mar-ket including recycled raw mate-rials: the different questions to be studied involve the existence or non-existence of a spontaneous organisation system, the influ-ence of regulations and the choice of control mechanisms to be set up.

• Public policies promoting recycling and the management of waste, products and resources: by studying the different public policies and their devel-opment in time, positive combinations com-prising beneficial governance and control modes can be assessed.

• Public innovation policies and their role on developing the recycling industry.

• Public policy instruments: an analy-sis of public policy instruments is required to determine their persuasive or dissuasive po-tential with regard to recycling and recovery: price volatility, EPR sectors, general tax on high-pollution activities, VAT differentials be-tween materials, the integration of externali-ties in economic transactions and the regula-tory and legal devices, etc.

• Public decision aid tools, and in this case the monetary assessment of externalities: improving methods and developing new models in view of acquiring reliable monetary data and taking into ac-count the sensitivity of exchanges to long-term variations in transport costs, etc.

Approach 5.2 Cooperation between economic agents and individual be-haviour

• Cooperation between economic agents: analysing stakeholder systems, cooperation modes and value distribution modes within industries ranging from the production of goods for consumption to recycling materials, analysing innovative eco-nomic cooperation models (industrial ecol-ogy, etc.) and forecasting resistance between stakeholders and discussion procedures spe-cific to solving conflicts.

• Social agreement and behavioural changes in stakeholders: studies on social representations and practices involving the consumption, sorting, recycling, reuse, re-peated use, and acceptability of recycled ma-terials, trends and change factors in addition to weak signals.

Approach 5.3 Economic models and markets

• Market models for unused and re-cycled raw materials: is there a way out of the grey economy in the field of recycling, and if so, how can we achieve this? What are the market models and economic models? Are there any models that are geographically differentiated according to the material?

• Economic models for services and their associated stakeholders: de-velopment of innovative projects.

• Market analysis tools for quickly mapping sources and stocks of re-cycled materials (per stakeholder, per geographic zone, etc.).

• The economic and social impacts of the emergence of new markets and economic models (new activities and economic stakeholders, the disappear-ance of certain fields of activity, impact on employment, etc.).

Approach 6: environmental and health impacts

The various waste management modes in ad-dition to the reuse or repeated use of recycled waste raise many questions on the environ-mental and health impacts that may arise. The R&D needs in this domain can be broken down into three topics.

Approach 6.1 Global impacts

One R&D priority involves improving knowl-edge on the influence of different waste man-agement modes and the nature and level of the greenhouse gas emissions generated on climate change. This enables us to adapt management modes and technologies in view of reducing these emissions.

For example: improved knowledge of the fossil or biogenic carbon content, monitoring smoke or gas treatment technologies, management modes limiting the emission of gases with sig-nificant greenhouse effects (methane, nitrous oxide, etc.), taking into account carbon sink connected to back to the ground operations or to other management modes.

Determining the health and environmental im-pacts connected to the repeated use and reuse of the materials or goods constitutes another R&D topic, whether this results from a higher level of integration of recycled raw materials in construction products or the reuse of ageing goods containing materials that are either for-bidden today or high energy consuming.


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Approach 6.2 Local impacts

Many questions remain unanswered with re-gard to the future of exogenous substances in the environment and their impact on health. Pollutant synergies, the toxicity of mixtures, the measurement of emerging pollutants (pesti-cides, medication residues, endocrine disrupt-ers, asbestos, additives, etc.) and pollutant ac-cumulation are priority fields that must be investigated.

Health concerns are high in relation to the working conditions of employees and waste treatment facilities in addition to new technolo-gies: dust, ambient air, noise, chemical, biologi-cal and organisational risks and the ergonomy of workstations. Their integration into research and development projects will contribute to preventing professional risks from the very de-sign and development phases for waste facilities.

Approach 6.3 The development of methods and tools for assessing and monitoring impacts

One major issue involves improving the integra-tion of environmental and health impacts into tools for assessing waste management systems. Very few efficient tools exist in this area. This integration is based on monitoring impacts and therefore on developing methodology tools and determining the factors to be taken into account when designing modelling tools.

6 The functions of research demon-strators, technology test platforms and preindustrial experiments

Research demonstrators, technology test platforms and prein-dustrial experiments represent tools designed to meet all or part of the research and development needs previously identified.

In order to guarantee their efficiency and strength when faced with market tensions on raw materials and any possible regulatory de-velopments, these tools must dispose of a cer-tain number of specific functions, including:

• their adaptation to waste categories of strategic interest (in particular strategic metals, polymers and elastomers) for signifi-cantly increasing their economic value, while reducing environmental impacts;

• their adaptation to waste categories of strategic interest (in particular waste from construction and public works, agricul-tural waste and waste from the agri-food in-dustry) for significantly increasing the capacity to transform large volumes, while reduc-ing environmental impacts;

• the extension of fields of application to pro-duce new products or high-value products from recycled raw material;

• the adaptation of production processes in the existing fields of application to integrate more recycled raw materials and improve product quality;

• the flexibility and modularity of sorting tools, combining different tech-niques to suit waste flows of varying natures and fluctuating over time;

• the integration of technological solu-tions associating the different in-dustrial stakeholders in an industry in order to technically and eco-nomically optimise each method according to the specifications of the resulting material or product user and be capable of analysing the total value of the entire sector;

• the integration, within consortiums, of economic stakeholders from comple-mentary fields of activity and of complemen-tary sizes throughout all sectors of an industry to strengthen innovations, and, insofar as pos-sible, of stakeholders throughout the recycling chain, including equipment manufacturers;

• the accessibility of technology validation and testing spaces or technology integration spac-es for SMEs;

• new services associated with the supply of recycled raw materials, energy or recycled used products;

• the traceability of materials to in-crease the efficiency of the value chain, in particular by controlling the health and environmental impacts and by detecting materials for their recovery;

• the coherency with European standardisa-tion works underway, for example on solid recovered fuels, organic matter, plastics and aggregates, etc.

• increasing regional attractiveness by creating collaboration spaces for materialis-ing synergies between research and industrial stakeholders, by strengthening the regional R&D base promoting new jobs;

• compliance with sustainable develop-ment objectives;

• conciliation with public policy objectives relat-ing to waste, the climate, energy, raw materi-als and products, etc.


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Appendix: The four research and development phases

Research and development activities can be broken down into four successive phases before resulting in commercial deployment.

These are the phases of fundamental research or new knowledge, industrial research, experi-mental development and finally preindustrial experimentation (see the figure page opposite)32.

Fundamental research or new knowledge involves activities aiming at in-creasing scientific and technical knowledge not directly connected to the industrial or com-mercial objectives set. The results are released openly within the scientific community and more widely in the community of experts in the targeted field of knowledge.

Industrial research comprises scheduled research or critical surveys aiming at acquiring new knowledge and skills in view of developing new products, methods or services, or lead-ing to a considerable improvement in existing products, methods or services. It includes the creation of components for complex systems required for industrial research, in particular for validating generic technologies, with the excep-tion of commercially marketable prototypes.

Experimental development involves the materialisation of industrial research results within a plan, outline or drawing for new, modi-fied or improved products, methods or servic-es, whether intended to be sold or used, includ-ing the creation of non-marketable prototypes. This can also comprise the conceptual formula-tion and drawing of other products, methods or services in addition to experimental or pilot projects, provided that these projects cannot be marketed or used in an industrial manner.

Preindustrial experimentation takes place downstream of the research demonstra-tors and in particular involves experimenting with technologies on a pre-series scale before moving on to industrialisation. The develop-ment of new technologies in the fields of re-cycling, the investment cycles of which are par-ticularly long, presents high risk factors, including in the downstream technological development phases. Preindustrial demonstration operations could also be considered for a piece of equip-ment having reached a first development stage (having overcome the technological obstacles), however whose mass manufacture relies on demonstrating its technico-economic viability.

32. The first three phases are defined in the Community Framework for State Aid for Research, Development and Innovation (communication 2006/C 323/01).

Industrialexperimentation

Experimentaldevelopment

Industrialresearch

Fundamentalresearchornewknowledge

Commercialdeployment

Industrial demonstrator

Research demonstrator

Research platform

Technologicaltools

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About ADEME

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vironment, energy and sustainable development.

To enable them to establish and consolidate

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