A study of the recycling and separation systems for waste materials in Asia : are they compatible with BillerudKorsnäs’ sustainability strategy?

Abstract: Global megatrends are driving change in the packaging industry. The demands are increasing in Asia and one of the packaging companies that wants to take part in this expansion is BillerudKorsnäs. The aim of the study was to give an overview of the recycling and separation systems for packaging materials of paper and plastic in some key Asian countries. The study also investigated if the systems are compatible with BillerudKorsnäs’ sustainability strategy. Five countries in Asia were selected (India, Indonesia, China, Thailand and Malaysia). Secondary data was gathered and analysed. The data used was gathered from official documents and literature studies of researchers and consultants’ reports. Data about separation and recycling in Sweden and EU was collected as a benchmark. The data from the selected countries was limited and in many cases not up to date. The collected data from the selected countries and the benchmark was mapped and analysed in an analytical framework. The findings show the different countries recycling rates, in relations to their legislation on waste management. All selected countries are encouraging and implementing stricter legislation on recycling activities and countries with stricter legislation on waste management also present higher recycling rates. The informal and private sectors play an important role for the recycling activities in the selected Asian countries. The most valuable waste materials are also the materials that foremost gets collected and recycled of the informal and private sectors. Comparisons between BillerudKorsnäs’ sustainability strategy and the existing recycling and separation systems were conducted. The first commitment in BillerudKorsnäs’ sustainability strategy (Promote responsibility from raw material supply and production to recycling) is compatible with the selected countries’ recycling and separation systems, since the countries have at least encouraging legislation on recycling activities.