Labelling agricultural plastic waste for reuse or disposal

Objective

The extensive and expanding use of plastic in agriculture results in increased plastic waste in rural areas. The majority of this waste is left on the field or burnt uncontrollably releasing harmful substances. Although it is mandatory, only a small percentage of this plastic waste is collected recycled or used for energy recover due to the high collection cost and the low value of the waste. If the plastic waste meets certain specs by being collected properly, and is tested (that it meets the required specs) and labelled accordingly it can be transformed into a valuable commodity. The scope of this prenormative research work is to develop the collection, sampling and labelling procedures and the methodologies to valorise the agricultural plastic waste streams by facilitating their routing to the best disposal alternative (most environmental friendly and economically valuable). The labelling in addition to facilitating and improving the efficiency of the disposal alternatives will allow transport of labelled agricultural plastic waste across boundaries and valuation of the waste streams in an open European market simultaneously preserving valuable material resources and protecting the environment. The requirements of waste streams for each disposal alternative will be developed as well as the methodology (use and collection) to reach these requirements. This will provide the farmer with clean guideline on how to collect and sort the waste to reach the specs. Waste sampling and labelling methodology will be developed and field tested. The resulting labelled waste will allow the collection company to optimise the collection and transportation operation and maximize its profit and the disposal facility to receive a raw material guaranteed to meet the specs. The marketability of the product "waste" resulting from the standardization will provide strong incentives to achieve 100% waste collection rates resulting in a cleaner environment.

Fields of science

• social sciences › social geography › transport
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › waste management

Programme(s)

• FP6-SME - Horizontal research activities involving SMEs: Specific activities covering wider field of research under the Focusing and Integrating Community Research programme 2002-2006.

Topic(s)

• SME-2 - Collective Research (all areas of science and technology)

Call for proposal

FP6-2003-SME-2
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

Collective - SMEs-Collective research projects

Coordinator

AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS.

Address

Iera Odos 75
Athens
Greece

Participants (18)

EUROPEAN PLASTICS RECYLERS

Belgium

Address

Avenue De Cortenbergh, 66
Brussels

CICLOPLAST S.A.

Spain

Address

Principe De Vergara, 204-2A Esc -1°C
Madrid

PANHELLENIC CONFEDERATION OF UNIONS OF AGRICULTURAL COOPERATIVES

Greece

Address

16 Kifissias Ave
Athens

FEDERAZIONE REGIONALE AGRICOLTORI DI PUGLIA

Italy

Address

Via Amendola, 166/5
Bari

FEDERATION REGIONALE DES COOPERATIVES D'UTILISATION DU MATERIEL AGRICOLE DE MIDI-PYRENEES

France

Address

Zac Du Canal, 3 Passage De L'europe
Toulouse

PANAGROTIKOS SYNDESMOS CYPRUS

Cyprus

Address

15 K.matsi And Samou Corner, Elvasti Building No12
Nicosia

ALFA EDILE S.R.L.

Italy

Address

Via Alfredo Nobel N. 16 - Zona Industriale
Brindisi

INDUSTRIA SEVILLANA RECICLAJE DE PLASTICOS S.L.

Spain

Address

Poligono Industrial La Campina, Parcela 45
Ecija

P.A.T.I. S.P.A.

Italy

Address

Via Beltramini 50/52
S. Zenone Degli Ezzelini

SUOMEN UUSIOMUOVI OY

Finland

Address

Etelaranta 10
Helsinki

POLYECO S.A. MANAGEMENT AND VALORIZATION OF WASTE INDUSTRY

Greece

Address

16Th Klm Of Athens-corinth National Road
Aspropyrgos

EUROPEAN PLASTICS CONVERTERS

Belgium

Address

Ave De Cortenbergh, 66
Brussels

CENTRE NATIONAL DU MACHINISME AGRICOLE, DU GENIE RURAL, DES EAUX ET DES FORETS

France

Address

Parc De Tourvoie
Antony

FUNDACION GAIKER

Spain

Address

Parque Tecnologico De Zamudio, Edificio 202
Zamudio

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI BARI

Italy

Address

Piazza Umberto I, N. 1
Bari

UNIVERSITAET STUTTGART

Germany

Address

Keplerstrasse 7
Stuttgart

TITAN CEMENT COMPANY SA

Greece

Address

Halkidos Street 22 A
Athens

FEDERATION LANGUEDOCIENNE DE LA COOPERATION FRUITS ET LEGUMES

France

Address

Mas De La Bastide-route De Gernerac
Nimes