1. Waste options for our compostable packaging
Lucy Frankel, Vegware
@vegware

2. Composting = a form of recycling
In the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, organics recycling is equivalent to mechanical recycling.

3. Vegware in UK organics facilities
27 UK organics facilities accept Vegware
22 in-vessel composting
3 open windrow composting
2 equipped wet-AD
Products accepted at these facilities
23 - all Vegware products
3 - drinks waste only
1 - fibre-based Vegware only (PLA linings fine, but not 100% PLA)
Trials
Successful trials at 17 facilities
5 more trials underway (3 IVC, 2 OAW)
REA ORG monitored largest trial
9 of these 27 process Vegware on a regular basis
Driven by client demand in certain regions
Exciting – shows potential for growth
Challenges:
AD often cheaper gate fees due to subsidies; policy hostile to IVC
- Contamination must be minimal, so engagement is vital
- Gap is the collection infrastructure…

4. = 38% of UK (up from 2% in 2012, and 25% in January)
Regular trade collections - update 17th June ‘19
CLOSE THE LOOP (Vegware's own collections)
Bristol, Worcester, Stroud, Cheltenham, Gloucester & region
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Central Belt, Borders, Dundee & parts of Fife, Oban, Fort William, Stranraer
FOR LARGE SITES - skips
New  Ipswich, Norwich & Colchester
Cambridge & area, Ely, parts of Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Huntingdonshire, Peterborough, Bury St Edmunds
COMPOSTING REGIONS
Basingstoke, Guildford, Reading, Woking, Bracknell, Swindon, Oxford, Salisbury, Winchester
Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton, Telford, Shropshire, Staffs & parts of Powys
Nottingham & Derby region 
Hull & surroundings
Highlands of Scotland, Aberdeenshire 
New  Birmingham
New  Most of Northern Ireland
New  Leeds, York, Harrogate, Wetherby, Knaresborough & area
Soon  Home counties – St Albans, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Watford, Dacorum
DRINKS WASTE ONLY 
Isle of Man
Somerset
More in development
FIBRE-BASED PRODUCTS ONLY 
London – bagged collection
Dedicated routes
Other regions always developing
More London options in development
New post-back service with First Mile - all UK. Ideal for small events / cafes
Trade collections for used Vegware now in 1,179 UK postcode districts
= 38% of UK (up from 2% in 2012, and 25% in January)

5. Compostable polymers are vital – fibre alone isn’t a major solution
Polymer only (35%)
PLA clear cups, deli containers
CPLA cutlery, hot cup lids
Bin liners - MaterBi
PLA & PBAT carrier bags, food prep gloves
Ecovio or PLA straws
Fibre only (22%)
Bagasse plates, bowls, takeaway boxes
Paper bags, straws, sheets
Wooden cutlery
Card sleeves, trays
Pulp trays
Palm leaf plates
Napkins & roll
NatureFlex 
Polymer-only products
Mixed:
~90% fibre +
~10% polymer window or lining
Fibre-only products
Plastics tax…
Will UK penalize compostable polymers for not being RPET?
Mixed (43%)
Paper cups, soup containers
Sandwich wedges, salad boxes

6. “If you're gonna do it, do it right”

7. Costs of a compostable SME
Current costs
Compostability lab testing ~ €14,000 per family of products or per material
Compostability certification (OK Compost, Din Certco, BPI, CMA etc) ~ £20,000+ per year
Food safety certification ~ £5,000+ per year
New product development - £180,000 spent on tooling this year
PRNs ~ £14,000 (but none of that goes to organics recycling facilities )
3 full time Recycling Advisors & staff time to create bespoke bin signage etc
BBIA & REA ORG memberships 
Future?
UK plastics tax
? Penalized for not being trad plastic?
? If 30% bio-based = exemption / lower rate, do we need to invest in certification proving bio-based content? What will that cost, and will we get support?
PRN / EPR reform
10-18-fold increase expected – but will the organics recycling sector benefit?
Life Cycle Analyses?
We have 300+ products, a global supply chain, and sell to 70 countries.
LCAs are complex & expensive.
If these are to be required, will there be a standardised system & financial support?

8. Thank you Lucy.Frankel@vegware.co.uk
vegware.com/composting – detailed FAQs
– advice on waste options