A new report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, World Economic Forum and McKinsey, suggests that by applying circular economy principles, the role of plastics and plastic packaging could be reshaped. The report, The new plastics economy: Rethinking the future of plastics, does not come up with a detailed proposal for the restructuring, but it does present a range of thinking to contribute to a new approach.

The data presented in the report can be somewhat stark at times. Global plastics production rose from 15 million metric tons in 1964 to 311 million metric tons in 2014. This is expected to double to more than 600 million metric tons in the next 20 years. Plastic packaging represents a quarter of the total volume of plastic production and around 95% of the value of plastic packaging material. A staggering 32% of plastic packaging escapes collection systems, generating significant economic costs by reducing the productivity of vital natural systems such as the ocean and clogging urban infrastructure. The cost of such after-use externalities for plastic packaging, plus the cost associated with greenhouse gas emissions from its production, is conservatively estimated at US$ 40 billion annually — exceeding the plastic packaging industry’s profit pool. The report indicates that in future, these costs will have to be covered.

The Report suggests that stakeholders need to evolve systems and responses which would address the following:-

1. Create an effective after-use plastics economy by improving the economics and uptake of recycling, reuse and controlling biodegradation for targeted applications.
2. Drastically reduce “leakage” of plastics into natural systems (in particular, the ocean) and other negative externalities.
3. Decouple plastics from fossil fuel feedstocks by, in addition to reducing cycle losses and dematerialising, exploring and adapting renewably sourced feedstocks.

The report was disappointing in that it recognised both the significant environmental impacts of plastics and the expected massive growth of plastic production, yet gave no clear action plans or targets to reduce the environmental impacts in balance to the increased production. Sadly, production and pollution will continue whereas action to minimise the externalities is not prioritised or targeted.

A Cape town-based company, EWIZZ electric vehicles, is pushing electric powered scooters as the economic, environmentally friendly way of the future. They are selling a range of five electrically powered scooters which they claim cost R0.05 per kilometre for fuel and cut out many of the polluting components of a combustion engine vehicle such as petrol, gas and particulate emissions, oil, filters, radiators and spark plugs.

In a trip around the Cape Peninsula, a Volt 6 electric motorbike  driven at 50 -60 km per hour with an 80 kg rider was tested at 155 km for one electric charge. Batteries are either lithium ion or lead acid and charge rates vary, with the fastest being the lithium ion battery. There are two types of charger, on board and external (15 amp wall socket). There are an increasing number of public charging points at shops, cafes and restaurants which are operated rather like WiFi hot spots. The establishments offer the recharge, free of cost, adding to the low cost of operation.

One of the scooters available is a delivery bike option which makes operating costs for a delivery service very attractive and low.

The company’s website at http://www.ewizz.co.za/ provides full details to enable prospective buyers to assess the benefits of the scooters. The company is also looking for new dealers around the country.

A new major road construction (the Tinsley Link) in the North of England, has used pulverized fuel ash for a bridge approach embankment.  The embankment, a 500m-long mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall on piled foundations, was constructed utilizing a geogrid reinforcement and enabling the beneficial use of pulverized fuel ash (PFA).

The PFA, a waste product of pulverized fuel from fired power stations, was supplied by the nearby EDF West Burton and Cottam power stations. The MSE walls were built up to 11m in height in order to achieve the required grade separation of the proposed link road alignment.

The engineering thinking behind this use of PVA could assist South African projects requiring additional “fill” in areas close to power stations with supplies of PVA that could be utilised. South Africa’s reliance upon coal fired power stations to supply over 90% of the country’s electricity means that massive quantities of PVA are generated and need to be disposed of in expensive, carefully designed waste dumps.