Ways of help to face packaging management obligations

Shared responsibility

All participants agreed on the importance of correct advice and its monitoring, in times, as López Rubio pointed out, “of the regulatory tsunami (even of cyclogenesis), in an environment in which there is already a European commissioner for the circular economy and in which we scrap participate in a system of competition, as well as collaboration, to accompany companies in this new legislative development. An activity to guarantee the traceability of the entire process, for all types of companies and sectors, to walk on a path of ecological transformation, economic development and, therefore, social development.

In the case of Goyena, he highlighted how this tsunami will generate (in fact, it already generates, all kinds of doubts) and how “scrap will facilitate the development of models with legal certainty, as well as support, in addition, in aspects such as the traceability of data, or in the management of new IT tools, with real challenges, as in the cases of SMEs or in economic sectors such as construction.

Another complex sector was that represented by Castillo, the agricultural and livestock sector, “which has evolved a lot, but there is still work to be done and to learn how to correctly separate dangerous components, innovate in logistics, create more collection points and also itinerant ones, etc. .». The representative of Aevae agreed on the importance of adequate information and communication as an essential basis of the process, and on the reinterpretation of the motto “who pollutes, pays”, already a classic in European regulation, which takes on a new meaning under the prism of extended producer responsibility.

Rivadulla stressed the role of innovation (on which everyone agreed) and the particularities of Signus’ work: «We dedicate many resources to innovation, launching projects to give a second life to the tire at the end of its useful life and convert a residue in resource. Until now, the main applications of rubber from tire recycling have focused on its application in safety floors for playgrounds, filling in soccer fields or roads. But Rivadulla announced that they are working on projects for its use in sectors such as textiles and construction.

Present, future

Laura Sanz from Syria, general coordinator of Implica, participated in the second table; Esther Colino, Director of Business and Public Affairs at ProCircular and Sandra Anguiano, Director of Public Affairs at Ecovidrio. «In these moments prior to the entry into force of the new legal obligations (commented Sanz de Syria), the scraps are facing tasks more typical of the public administration, such as in the case of information (and training) to companies, with the challenge of complying with traceability without increasing costs… a necessary task, since we perceive how the majority of companies need this help.

There is work to do, as Colino pointed out: «Currently, there are about 36,000 companies in the Producer Registry, a clearly insufficient number – the total number should reach 180,000. For this reason, the information work of the scraps is so relevant, as a national service in which a (complex) legislation must be explained well to companies, and in which we must contribute to simplifying the entire process as much as possible. ».

In this environment of essential public-private collaboration, Anguiano pointed out, in his scope of action, “the importance of the hospitality sector (50% of the use of single-use packaging), part of a social commitment in which co-responsibility (from public administrations to companies) is essential. And in which the simplification of bureaucratic tasks and technological applications, such as those of artificial intelligence, will also be. A scenario of innovation in its broadest sense (to act now and predict future actions) and, in any case, social responsibility to promote a more sustainable planet.