Closing the loop: our journey to a circular economy
Renewi hosted its Capital Markets Day on 4th October 2023. Otto de Bont, Chief Executive Officer was joined by Annemieke den Otter, Chief Financial Officer, Marc den Hartog, Managing Director Commercial Waste Netherlands, Jan-Pedro Vis, Director PMI Commercial Waste Netherlands, Kevin Bell, Managing Director Maltha, Ernst-Jan Mul, Innovation Manager and Kim Meulenbroeks, Manager Innovation. You can view the presentation here.
Capitalising on sector growth momentum
During the presentation our experts in construction and demolition, glass, organics and plastics material streams as well as zero waste solutions talked us through how each is helping contribute to Renewi’s growth journey.
Construction and Demolition – Jan-Pedro Vis, Director PMI Commercial Waste Netherlands
In the European Union, C&D waste constitutes a significant portion, amounting to over a third of all waste generated. Within the EU, a staggering 600 million tons of C&D waste are produced annually, with 455 million tons being successfully recycled, and the remaining 145 million tons ending up in landfills. Renewi holds the position of being the Dutch market leader in advanced sorting of C&D waste and works closely with both local and national construction companies. Jan-Pedro Vis talks further about this, discussing the C&D sector as whole, looking at Renewi’s position within it and highlighting how Renewi are helping one of the highest carbon industries become more circular.
Glass – Kevin Bell, Managing Director Maltha
As part of the European initiative, there's a target to increase glass recycling collection rates from 79% in 2020 to an ambitious 90% by 2030. Within this 90% collection target, a minimum of 70% should be dedicated to cullet remelting for the creation of new glass products. The recycling process involves transforming flat and container glass into cullet and glass powder, which can be reused in both the glass and construction industries. Kevin Bell talks us through Renewi’s focus on optimising container glass recycling, opportunities in the flat glass sector, collaborations with clients and how Renewi is capitalisng on the opportunity that glass is endlessly recyclable.
Organics - Ernst-Jan, Innovation Manager
Organic materials have the ability to utilise the CO2 recently captured to produce raw materials and products, replacing the need for fossil fuels and consequently reducing carbon emissions. In the Netherlands, there's a goal to produce 3 billion cubic meters of green gas by 2030, made from residual organics. Additionally, the EU has set a target to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, placing a particular emphasis on carbon removal through biobased building materials. The growth of organics is indeed a reality, and Ernst-Jan guides us through how Renewi is well-prepared to capitalise on the opportunities it offers.
Plastics - Kim Meulenbroeks, Manager Innovation
We can’t seem to live without plastics, but the European Commission is putting in place legislation to get more plastic recycled. They have said by 2030, 55% of all the plastics being used for packaging in the European market needs to be recycled. At Renewi, we are well positioned to help with the demand for recycled plastic, in 2022 alone, we collected, converted and processed 100 kilotons of plastic. Kim Meulenbroeks, talks further about Renewi’s commitment to plastic, as well as Renewi’s current plastic recycling footprint, partnerships and plans for growth in the sector.
Zero Waste Solutions - Marc den Hartog, Managing Director Commercial Waste Netherlands
To get the most out of waste management, it's crucial to start by sorting waste at the source. When waste is all mixed together, it's harder to recover valuable materials compared to when it's separated from the beginning. Usually, mixed waste ends up being burned. However, redirecting mixed waste towards specific collection streams that are separated from the start is essential for promoting a circular economy. This is what we at Renewi call our Zero Waste Solution, and Marc Den Hartog explains how we’re guiding customers to a zero residual waste future.