This news article was originally written in Spanish. It has been automatically translated for your convenience. Reasonable efforts have been made to provide an accurate translation, however, no automated translation is perfect nor is it intended to replace a human translator. The original article in Spanish can be viewed at Cicloplast cumple diez años de compromiso con el medio ambiente

Tenth report of results of recovery of plastics

Cicloplast celebrates ten years of commitment to the environment

Drafting PU01/02/2007

Cicloplast celebrated its tenth anniversary. During these first ten years of life, Cicloplast has established itself as the voice of the plastics industry in Spain in its commitment to the environment, managing to meet the ambitious goal of recycling of the packaging directive. Since its inception, this commitment has had two clear premises: prevention in the generation of plastic waste and the recovery of these at the end of its useful life.

From now on, newly released its Strategic Plan to 2010 and a new President, Cicloplast continues to work for new challenges as the goal of 100 per cent of agricultural plastics recovery in Andalusia or 22.5 percent of recycling of packaging wasteboth for the year 2008, as well as the recycling of PVC for the 2010 target.

The main objective of Cicloplast in its first stage was 15 per cent of recycling of packaging waste, and the sector met and even exceeded that goal by 4 percentage points. The entry into force of new legal requirements and environmental commitment of the plastics industry has been Cicloplast to diversify its activities appearing in other sectors of application such as in agriculture or construction.

The new directives on "Vehicles no longer in use" and "Electrical and electronic equipment", make these areas new waste streams to Cicloplast.

Annual statistics of recycling and recovery of plastics Cicloplast has been doing since 1996, allow to quantify the results of the efforts made by Cicloplast on behalf of the plastics industry in figures.

Also, communication and awareness-raising citizen continues to be one of the main activities of Cicloplast. In addition to the campaign on the responsible use of plastic bags, launched in June 2006, the exhibition touring "the plastic with the environment", continues traveling Spanish municipalities showing in plain language the unknown materials and plastic products and encouraging citizens to participate in the experience of selective waste collection plastics, by promoting the necessary changes in our daily activity, reinforcing sustainable behaviors that we have internalized.

The tenth statistical reports on "Consumption, generation, recycling, recovery and markets plastics 2005"

Looking at the period of five years (1999-2005), shows that, while the average annual growth of the consumption of plastics in Spain has been a 3.16 percent, the recovery of plastic waste derived grew by 16.5 per cent in the same period.

In 2005 a total of 749.011 tons of plastics, of which 62 per cent is recycled and the remainder to energy recovery have trailed in Spain.

Taking into account all the applications of the plastics, the sector with greater index of recycled is the one of containers representing the 70,2 percent of the recycled total, followed of the agricultural (13,5 percent), electrical and electronic devices (1,1 percent), construction (0.5 percent), automotive sector (0.2 percent) ; etc.

For the concrete case of the containers, in the period comprised between 1999-2005, the consumption of plastic containers has increased a 5,73 percent of annual average, whereas his recycled has situated in the 14,6 percent of average.

The greater contribution to the recycled of plastic containers comes given by the domestic containers, whose recycled has increased a 711 percent from 1999 thanks to the implantation of the System of Green Point of Ecoembes.

The index of recycled for the plastics in the year 2005 has been of the 20.75 percent in front of the aim of the 22,5 percent that it will be necessary to reach in the year 2008.

In 2005 a total of 749.011 tons of plastics, of which 62 per cent is recycled and the remainder to energy recovery have trailed in Spain.

Rate of recycling of plastic containers in Spain

Comparing Spain with Europe and according to the report by the European Association EPRO (European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisations), to which Cicloplast belongs, Spain ranks 5th of a total of 11 countries, ahead of United Kingdom (14%)Portugal (12 percent) and France (19 percent), although still below Italy (25%), Sweden (21.4 per cent) or Belgium (35 percent).

End markets for recycled plastics.

The main markets of application of the plastic recycled in Spain, reflect in the following chart:

The analysis of markets realised by Cicloplast in countries like United States and other Europeans has carried us to the conclusion that products of simile wood for parks, fences, urban equipment, etc. offer an interesting market for the plastic recycled.

Cicloplast Represents the commitment of the industry of plastics with the Environingingment, in the promotion of the recycled and the recovery of the plastics at the end of his useful life.