LUDO DEbEVER


Ludo Debever has served the plastics industry >35 years in various international management functions including in operations, marketing, risk management, communication and finance. From 2001 until 2003 Ludo was general manager of the newly founded association EPPA. 

He held Board seats in EPPA (European Plastic Window profiles Association: 2007-2015) and Federplast.be (The Belgian Federation of Plastic Converters: 2011-2017) and Recovinyl (2019-2021). Ludo joined TEPPFA as General Manager in April 2017. In 2019 TEPPFA introduced its new visual identity and in 2021 the new TEPPFA vision 2025 with a strong focus on circular economy and sustainability. Ludo holds a Master of Arts in Multilingual Communication of the University of Ghent (Belgium)

 

  ABSTRACt

ID03

A Holistic Environmental Footprint assessment of the European Plastic Pipe business

Peter Sejersen - TEPPFA aisbl, Brussels, Belgium
Ludo Debever - TEPPFA aisbl, Brussels, Belgium


Abstract

The Circular Plastics Alliance is an initiative under the European Strategy for Plastics. TEPPFA is one of more than 300 signatures for the Alliance. We thereby committed to a significant contribution to boosting the EU market for recycled plastics to 10 million tonnes by 2025. Moreover, one of the must win battles of the new industry strategy is to contribute to the circular economy by paving the way to increase the use of recycled content whilst maintaining the performance of the systems.

The use of recycled materials in new products is scientifically recognized as one of the major tools to reduce the carbon footprint and to transition from a linear to a circular economy. The European plastic pipe industry is already now using more than 400.000 tons recycled materials per year in new products, which represents an average content of 10% in the products. The recycled materials are almost solely used in non-pressure products.

Although the industry is working for an increased uptake of recycled materials, we wanted a holistic view of our options to mitigate the climate change. We have therefore commissioned a study to elaborate and quantify our options.

To conduct the study a third-party company was chosen. The company is a global sustainability consultancy company that can combine broad and deep sustainability expertise with robust commercial and operational capabilities. Anthesis was supported by World Wildlife Fund in Switzerland who acted as a “critical friend and sparing partner” to us and secured us the correct focus throughout the project.

The study had three main components: A membership survey, a sectorial footprint study and a mitigation scenario study based on a hotspot analysis. We explored a set of potential ‘mitigation scenarios’, which could reduce the impact of the sector:

- Introduce recycled material
- Introduce biobased material
- Reduce metal parts in fittings and ancillary components
- Greener energy schemes for virgin material providers
- Recovery of pipes for further recycling

When all scenarios are applied together, the potential reduction could be 3-3.5 Mt CO2eq: 25-30% of current carbon emissions.

The paper will explain our findings in detail and also show the likely implementation costs, compared with the global abatement cost benchmarks from the International Energy Agency.

 Acknowledgement

TEPPFA

References

TEPPFA, Circular Plastics Alliance

Keywords (mandatory 3-5 keywords)

Recycling, bio-based, climate, WWF



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ID05

Microplastics and Plastic Pipes

Peter Sejersen - TEPPFA aisbl, Brussels, Belgium
Ludo Debever - TEPPFA aisbl, Brussels, Belgium


Abstract

Microplastics in drinking water and in food in general has been a topic with ever increasing interest since a publication of a study in the British newspaper The Guardian. The microplastics topic has also high focus on governmental level, e.g. in Germany where a report of Fraunhofer Umsicht estimates the amount of microplastics coming from plastic pipe systems to be 12 grams per year per capita. Since then, we have seen several attacks from producers of piping systems made of traditional materials: Copper, concrete and ductile iron.

Measuring microplastics is considered as being difficult. Although it is challeging, it is important for the plastic pipe industry to understand and follow the development of technologies. TEPPFA has therefor initiated several studies to investigate if plastic pipes are a source for microplastics and to quantify if possible. Two studies have been performed on pipes for drinking water and one study for storm water pipes.

In the first drinking water study the Raman method was used and in the second the particles were analysed using laser direct infrared imaging with a particle identification by help of a software.

The studies on drinking water pipes have been done in a test rig where a normal pattern for drinking water supply in buildings are simulated: A pressure of 4 bars, a water flow of 1,2m/s and a start/stop schedule.

In the first study PE80, PE100, PErt and PVC-U were investigated. In the second study more polymers were added and also PB, PVC-C, PP-rct and PPr were tested. Furthermore, the second study also included test at 60 degree Celsius.

Results of the studies were very encouraging although it also was evident how complicated it is to measure microplastics in an environment where you constantly have fibres and particles in the air in the laboratories.

The third study was concentrating on storm water gravity pipes. When comparing to sewer pipes, it must be expected that abrasion and wear inside the pipes are more likely to happen in pipes transporting surface water. A PVC and a PP storm water pipe, that has been in use in around 30 years in Denmark were dug up and inspected by an accredited institute. After inspection it could be concluded that no wear was found, and therefore storm water pipes cannot be a significant source of microplastics in the aquatic environment.

The paper will explain the test-set-up, the methods used and the results of both the study on drinking water and the study on storm water pipes.


Acknowledgement

The TEPPFA Working Group Product Safety and Water Quality


References

Fraunhofer, Kunststoffe in der Umwelt: Mikro- und makroplastik


Keywords (mandatory 3-5 keywords)

Microplastics, drinking water, abrasion,