The RREUSE Network

(Reuse and Recycling European Union Social Enterprises)

Michal Len, RREUSE Director

Reuse Conference, Romania

27/11/2013

Presentation Outline

1. Introduction to RREUSE and its members

2. Main areas of work

3. Examples of member activities

• RREUSE established in 2001 • European platform representing national/regional networks of

social enterprises active in reuse, repair and recycling activities • Brussels based secretariat with 3 staff • 27 members from 15 Member States • represent around 40,000 FTE employees as well as 200,000

volunteers /trainees *

RREUSE statistics, 2010

RREUSE Background

RREUSE Members

Member Activities

Waste stream contains reusable products

• Significant amount of reusable items end up in waste

stream and directly recycled, burned or landfilled

• Extending the lifetime of a product through reuse saves on embodied energy, materials and chemicals that go into the production of a new product

• Reuse and repair activities – labour intensive and provide significant job opportunities

RREUSE policy work areas

– Waste Policy (e.g. Waste Framework and WEEE Directives, economic instruments such as EPR etc.): aim is to ensure a solid legal framework that will improve and enhance reuse and preparation for reuse activities

– Product Policy (e.g. Ecodesign Directive) – aim is to improve the reparability/durability of our products

– Employment / Fiscal Policies (e.g. Public Procurement law, reduced VAT rates relating to reuse and repair activities and promotion of social clauses)

“Reuse” and “Preparation for reuse” activities

Waste Prevention

Preparation for reuse

Recycling

Recovery

Disposal

Includes direct reuse where products, appliances do NOT enter the waste stream

checking, cleaning or repairing recovery operations, by which products or components of products that have become waste are prepared so that they can be re-used without any other pre-processing;

Key requirements for increased preparation for reuse activity in Europe

• Access to the Waste Stream for reuse centres to secure product input

• Logistics, collection and handling must be adequate to preserve reuse potential

• Flow of information from producers to the reuse centres e.g. repair manuals , location of hazardous components (mainly concerning WEEE)

• Binding objectives and targets within EU waste legislation

EU Waste Policy Review 2014

• In 2014, proposal for new targets and amendments to Waste Framework, Landfill and Packaging/Packaging Waste Directives

– Possibility to set separate targets for collection, preparation for reuse

and recycling targets e.g. for furniture and textiles

• Role of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

– Creation of golden rules at EU level for implementation of EPR

– EPR must reflect the waste hierarchy and support waste prevention and preparation for reuse activities

– In certain instances, good cooperation exists between social enterprise(s) and EPR schemes…but this is not the norm

WEEE Directive transposition

• Possible legislative proposal by 2016 for separate target for preparation for reuse

• Calls for access to waste collection points for reuse centres

• Calls for the creation of European standards for collection, logistics and preparation for reuse of WEEE (Article 11)

• Producers must provide information about products to reuse centres that helps preparation for reuse activities (Article 15)

Other key environmental items for RREUSE

• Waste Prevention Programmes

• Product Policy (reparability and durability of products)

Social Value in EU waste legislation

• Public Procurement Directive supports possibility of reserved

contracts in calls for tender for social enterprises • Social clauses can improve support of social value for preparation

for reuse activities carried out by social enterprises Example: French furniture legislation aims to help increase activity of social economy in furniture reuse

• Social clauses should be integrated within calls for tender in EPR

schemes

Examples of Member Activities

Komosie (BE) & Envie (FR)

Komosie – Belgium (Flanders)

RREUSE has two Regional members in Belgium: Komosie and Ressources

Belgian geography: – 3 regions: Wallonia, Flanders & Brussels

– Area: +/- 30 000 km² - 13 682 km² in Flanders

– 11 million inhabitants - 6.25 million in Flanders

Belgian political structures: – Federal

– Region / community

– Province

– Municipalities

Flemish Reuse centers: 31 individual organizations

KOMOSIE (Flanders, Belgium)

Federation of official Flemish Reuse centers (31) & Energy Savers (33) Activities: focus on environment & social employment

Shops (Kringwinkels):

118 shops: 4.08 million customers 35,3 mio € sales (1,3 € / kg)

Jobs:

4 968 employees or 3 630 FTE 20 % coaching & coordination 80 % social employment

Key statistics

Total collection: 59 694 tons (9,5 kg / inh) – Selective collection: 2 980 tons – Integral collection: 16 714 tons (textile & WEEE)

Reuse: 27 882 tons (47 % or 4,41 kg / inh)

Recycling:

– 29 127 tons – 49 % of total collection – 73 % = textile and WEEE

Waste: – 3 842 tons – 4 % of total collection

Flemish Reuse policy: objectives

• Creation of a network covering the Flemish Region and operating on a professional basis

• Each reuse centre (31) has a specific work area / region.

• Aim 2015: 5 kg reuse/inh <-> 4,41 kg/inh in 2011 + creation of 3000 jobs

• Role for reuse in takeback legislation WEEE

Envie Network

About the organisation

Social integration… : One objective: to give people distanced from the labour market

the desire to get a stable and qualified job.

… through economic activity. Envie proposes a real social project based on economic and

environmental activities through the reuse, repair and recycling (dismantling) of WEEE.

Since 1984, ENVIE gave to some 13,000 people the opportunity to re-start with an active professional life.

Envie in Figures

70 000 appliances refurbished and sold every year with one-year guarantee. ~ 120 000 ton/year of household WEEE collected ie 32,4% of the total French market ~ 107 000 ton of WEEE cleaned and depolluted according to the legislation

31 appliances repair workshops 50 shops 35 enterprises treating WEEE (collection and dismantling workshops)

1050 FTE for people on insertion contracts 1025 Employees with special contracts 400 permanent employees for the administration and tutoring 50% of the employees get a job or a professional training after leaving ENVIE

A big-size social project

A solid economic position A network Leader in

WEEE

Envie provides logistic services to the three WEEE EPR consortia in France : Eco-systèmes, Ecologic and ERP.

New perspectives

New waste streams are being structures in France: « DEA » Déchets d’Elements d’Ameublement (Furniture and

other bulky items).

Envie will work at two levels: Household furniture: Consortium Ecomobilier.

Business furniture: Consortium Valdelia.

Thank you

Contact Details

Michal Len

Michal.len@rreuse.org

+32(0)2 894 46 14

www.rreuse.org