Our people

Geert Bergsma

Geert Bergsma
manager Supply Chain Analysis | team leader Raw Material Supply Chains

The common thread running through my work is my passion for disentangling complex environmental problems, paving the way for concrete steps in dialogue between government, industry and NGOs.

About Geert

Expertise:

  • LCA, supply chain analysis of products and packaging
  • Waste, raw materials and circular economy
  • Government and company environmental policy
  • Dialogue between government, industry and NGOs
  • Biomass: environmental footprint, technology and policy
  • Mechanical and Chemical recycling

I’ve had the pleasure of working at CE Delft since 1992, first in the Energy group, working on topics like heat supply, hydrogen and biomass, later as head of the Waste & Materials department. I’m now manager of the Supply Chain Analysis sector, which works for both government and industry.

The common thread running through my work is my passion for disentangling complex environmental problems, paving the way for concrete steps in dialogue between government, industry and NGOs. Particularly on biomass, packaging and packaging deposits I’ve led numerous studies that have helped move the debate forward. Over the past few years I’ve been able to employ my talents on a series of analyses on chemical recycling.

I’m team leader, Raw Material Supply Chains, a theme where the focus has shifted from packaging to the products in that packaging. There’s still plenty of room for improvement on both the product and packaging side: enhanced designs using less materials, a choice for sustainable materials, recycling and above all designs with a far longer service life. Life Cycle Assessment is an excellent tool for weighing up the pros and cons of complex materials and energy issues. In collaboration with our Circular Economy colleagues we’re working on sustainable economic concepts like packaging deposits and increased trade in second-hand goods. We’re also exploring introduction of a mandatory recyclate percentage for plastics across Europe.

A growing number of our studies are now on food – from analyses of alternative proteins to development of a protein transition target. The environmental benefits of reduced meat and dairy consumption are on a par with those accruing from more sustainable forms of mobility and governments would do well to address these, too.

I provide government, industry and NGOs with strategic advice on sustainability issues. I feel most in my element on the interface between government policy and its implementation at company level and in facilitating vigorous debate on environmental policy between government, industry and advocacy groups. In discussions on tricky issues like packaging, biomass and chemical recycling I try and elucidate the perspectives of the various parties, with due respect for their different positions, and suggest concrete solutions to the good of the environment. The trickier the discussion, the more fun I generally have with it.

Would you like to discuss the above or any other issues? Then don’t hesitate to contact me!

Rapporten waar Geert Bergsma auteur is

CO2 benefits of plastic recyclate. An overview of CO2 emission factors for mechanical plastic recyclate on behalf of NRK Recycling
January 2023
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Environmental gains from more second-hand trading in Rotterdam. How can the municipality encourage this?
September 2022
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Environmental benefit of recyclate in paint buckets. Analysis for the buyer group paint buckets
May 2022
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Show all reports from Geert Bergsma