Resource efficiency and circular economy on the agenda in Flanders

1. Resource efficiency and circular economy on the agenda in Flanders Putting resource efficiency back on the agenda – FoEE – 24 november 2014 Mieke De Schoenmakere Belgian coordinator Resource efficiency/Circular economy Mieke De Schoenmakere Government of Flanders – International Environmental Policy Division

2. Is resource efficiency slipping off the agenda? • It shouldn’tbe! • Roadmap Resource efficiency = covering a wide range of areas • Confrontedwithmanyproblems • But also a lot of opportunities at environmentaland at economic level • Through resource efficiency andcirculareconomy

3. Is resource efficiency slipping off the agenda? • Who is responsibleforit? • EU? • MS? • Business? • NGO’s? • Consumers? • … • Shared responsibility! • Complicated issues askfor a mix of solutions at different levels

4. Circular economy in Belgium The BelgianPresidency of the EU • Second half 2010 • Council conclusions on ‘Sustainable materials management and sustainableproductionandconsumption: keycontributionto a resource-efficientEurope’ allkeystakeholders, including business, trade unions, scientists/academia, NGOs, as well as national and regional governments and local authorities, with a view to creating an EU platform for the transition to resource-efficienteconomy cross sectoral approach Roadmapto a Resource efficient Europe • September 2011 • One of the objectives: nationalstrategy on resource efficiency • Including actions on Circulareconomy • Belgium • Competences spread • Federal level • Regional level: Brussel CapitalRegion, Flanders, WalloonRegion

5. Circular economy in Flanders • Action at different levels • Legislation: transposition of the Waste Framework Directive (2010) from‘Waste decree’ to ‘Materialsdecree’ from ‘Waste hierarachyto ‘Materialshierarchy’ = result of transitionthatstartedyearsbefor • Action Plan: FlemishMaterialsProgramme http://www.vlaamsmaterialenprogramma.be/ (English version of the brochure is available)

6. Circular economy in Flanders(2) • People, profit, planetapproach - economic, ecological and the social dimension. • Focus on cooperation and sharing responsibility: • Government as facilitator • industry • science and knowledge institutes • civil society. • Experience in Flanders so far: RE/CE has helped to create an understanding between societal actors that we are tackling the same challenge.

7. The Flemish Materials Programme • Business world, authorities, knowledge institutions and civil society • join forces • and combine ambitious long-term development, policy-relevant research and concrete actions. • respectively done within • Plan C (a transition network) • SUMMA (a policy research centre) and • an operational plan with 9 levers and 45 priority and concrete actions.

8. The Flemish Materials Programme: 9 levers

9. Flemish Materials Programme: specific sector Example: Critical metals Content • End-of-life vehicles: • 500 000 cars exported / year from Port of Antwerp for second or third life in developing countries • Are we responsible for ESM end-of-life in developing countries? • What about loss of critical metals due to substandard recycling techniques in developing countries? • WorldLoopforcars: • setting up local collection and recycling facilities based on Flemish know-how • shipping hazardous elements + parts needing high-tech treatment (e.g. printed circuit boards) back to Flanders

10. Flemish Materials Programme: specific sector (2) Example: Critical metals Bottom-up / Top-down: available high-end recycling technology / safeguarding environmentally sound management & critical materials stocks Transition steps towards a circular economy: • Emerging business by combining beginning & end value chain • Public-private participation • North-South win-win

11. The Flemish Materials Programme: examples • Better cooperation • Symbiosis project • Smart investments • Materialsscan • Sustainable design • Eco-design in higher education • SIS toolkit • Ecolizer

12. Materialsscan – How does it work? • Overviewmaterialuse: kg and € • Lost costsbecomevisible > waste costs • Simulations on costsavings • Scan is for free More information (only in dutch): www.materialenscan.be • Materialbalancein permit ‘omgevingsvergunning ‘ from 2016 onwards

13. Materialsscan – Successes and barriers • Successes: • 30 scans executed, 35 scans in progress • Broad range: Building-, wood-, plastic-, textile-, metal- and foodsector • New insights at companies • Opportunities working together with other companies • Barriers: • Finding the right person • The right scope of scan • Difficult transfer of information from company to scanner (kg and €) • SMEsoftendon’tseeaddedvalue > toomuch time • Otherpriorities • No interest > we don’t have waste

14. Symbiosis • Exchange of materials, energy, water, infrastructure, … , between companies • Need of cooperation knowledge- and research institutes (better coordination design and end of life phase) • Strong link with materialsscan • What is (im)possible when it comes to high qualitative exchange of secundary materials and resources?

15. EHE Kit – SIS Toolkit – Ecolizer 2.0

16. Mieke De Schoenmakere mieke.deschoenmakere@lne.vlaanderen.be Questions?

17. Thank you for your attention!