1. Treating Waste as a Resource SMILE Project Co-ordinator
Resource Exchange
in Action
Treating Waste as a Resource
Katherine Corkery
SMILE Project Co-ordinator
25th October 2017
Add in all of the logos
SMILE
EPA – be green
Southern Region logo
Macroom E

2. About SMILE
Ireland’s Industrial Symbiosis Programme – one business’ waste can become another’s treasure
Acting as facilitators – connecting businesses – waste – resources
Support of TSCs – larger synergies, SMILE – smaller synergies

3. Technical Support Consultants
SMILE Timeline
2010
2011
2012
2014
2015
Now
Limerick
Clare
Kerry
Dublin
Cork
Technical Support Consultants
1,600+ Members
National Launch
Cork – 6 month pilot
National Launch – Enda Kenny
Introduction of TSCs in 3 Waste Management Regions
Ongoing/continued growth of members nationally

4. SMILE’s Key Objective versus
Move from linear economy to circular economy
i.e. move from take, make, consume, throw-away to sharing, leasing, reuse, repair, refurbishment and recycling, in a closed loop, where products and the materials they contain are highly valued.
Waste hierarchy – Prevention, Direct Reuse, Preparing to reuse, recycling, recovery, landfill
Reduce waste going to landfill – move waste higher up

5. Why SMILE?

6. SMILE Partners
SMILE is primarily funded by the EPA under the National Waste Prevention Programme (Delighted to have the support of the Southern Waste Management Region, Cork LEO, North & West)
LEOs and Cork County Council funded
Additional support from different local authorities and enterprise offices in Cork, Limerick, Clare, Kerry, Dublin.

7. Online platform www.smileexchange.ie Communication Campaigns
SMILE Approach
Online platform
Technical Support
SMILE Team – facilitate the smaller, more straight forward synergies e.g. cardboard, furniture
TSCs – facilitate the more complex synergies i.e. legal implications/legislation/licensing requirements e.g. mattresses, aluminium oxide
Ultimately, SMILE facilitates all/any type of synergy
Communication Campaigns

8. Introduced in 2015
One TSC in each of the three waste management regions

9. Southern Region Eastern Midlands Connacht Ulster
Technical Support
Southern
Region
Carlow
Clare
Cork
Kerry
Kilkenny
Limerick
Tipperary
Waterford
Wexford
Eastern
Midlands
Dublin
Kildare
Laois
Longford
Louth
Meath
Offaly
Wicklow
Westmeath
Connacht
Ulster
Cavan
Donegal
Galway
Leitrim
Mayo
Monaghan
Roscommon
Sligo

10. Cycle4Green Label-backing Liner
Estimated 3,000 tonnes landfilled annually
40+ tonnes collected and recycled
Cycle4Green
Difficult to ascertain sufficient information regarding tonnages of waste streams – estimated at 3,000 tonnes annually
This synergy was centred around scale i.e. the synergy could only be successfully progressed once there was sufficient stock of label liner. Otherwise, it wasn’t financially viable.
Also, label backing liner – gums up shredding machinery
Cycle-4-Green plant, Austria – Europe’s main closed-loop label-liner recycling facility – liner is mulched and turned back into paper products and new labels.
SMILE facilitated the companies in terms of connecting them, with the TSCs also working with the waste management companies to research and configure the logistical processes involved.
The two companies and C4G are now successfully working together and 40 Tonnes + collected and recycled by C4G
A lot more opportunities with other businesses
Europe’s closed-loop label liner recycling facility
Ongoing synergy – continuous supply

11. Polystyrene Fish Boxes
Storage and transportation costs problematic
24 Tonnes diverted from landfill
Over 200,000 diverted from landfill to recycling
2 fish processing facilities in Donegal & Mayo
€3,400 saved on landfill disposal costs
WasteMatters – mobile compacting and removal service – willing to collect from food processing plants in all parts of Ireland.
Increased tonnages diverted expected
New products e.g. Clothes hangers, DVD cases

12. Hotel and Office Furniture
Furniture needed to be removed urgently
Quick turnaround and high demand (40+ enquiries)
100 + pieces diverted from landfill
Hospital beds – 10 available – full working order – exchanged with nursing home
Hotel and office furniture – fast turnaround – storage costs avoided
SMILE members needed to tap into a network quickly given the urgency with renovations/storage space
SMILE was the correct route for this as will able to facilitate a quick exchange that benefitted all parties
Saving of €10,000 on purchasing costs for the NFP
Care home + hotel saved on disposal + purchasing costs
12 tonnes furniture diverted from landfill

13. Powder Paint €5,760 savings annually on disposal costs
32 tonnes being reused annually
€5,760 savings annually on disposal costs
Companies – confidential
8 tonnes on a quarterly basis
On going synergy
Hazardous waste – quality of the paint
€4,400 savings on purchasing

14. Resource Exchange in 2016 Additional 281 Synergies Supported
75 Successful Synergies between businesses
Additional 281 Synergies Supported
Costs Savings of €1.9m for businesses
Technical Consultant supporting businesses in 3 Waste Regions
Diversion of 11,741 tonnes to reuse and recycling
Winner of Pakman ‘Waste Prevention Business Award’
126,212 people reached through Social Media
Cost savings – based on actual savings to business (value of items) and costs savings on landfilling/disposal fees
Costs Savings of €1.9m for businesses in 2016
8,630 new visitors to

15. Thank You Katherine Corkery kcorkery@smileexchange.ie 026 20520
Register as a SMILE member, it’s free!