Design for Recycling Strategies Based on the Life Cycle Assessment and End of Life Options of Plastics in a Circular Economy

Abstract

The plastic economy, despite offering unique properties in fulfilling the functions of products in different industrial sectors over decades, has so far been mainly linear, that is, "take-make and dispose" with only a small fraction of plastics being recycled worldwide. With ever-increasing circular economy initiatives and the urge to conserve resources and prevent plastic pollution from affecting ecosystems, more emphasis on the resource recovery of plastic products after its use has been made over the last few years. It is necessary for manufacturers to understand the value chain as early as the design phase while manufacturing and distributing plastic products across the world. The current study provides an overview of the status quo of plastic waste management and analyzes the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies of different End-of-Life (EoL) options for plastics. Based on the LCA studies, a preliminary, country-specific Circular Footprint (CF) is calculated and Design for Recycling (DfR) strategies are identified. Results show that the environmental impacts of different EoL options differ significantly for different plastics. The CF highlights the lack of data regarding the composition and recovery of plastics in different countries thus showing the necessity to consider the whole lifecycle when quantifying the environmental impacts of plastics.

Special Issue: Enabling Research in Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging

“…The properties of plastics mean they will continue to play a role in society for the foreseeable future, and we believe that the growing appreciation of sustainability and circularity at a global level will see the design and development of novel processes and products involving polymers included in next generation plastics 19–21 . Understanding plastic stock and flows at a global level 22, 23 underpins the effective management of these resources within a circular economy 24–26 . We hope this collection inspires scholars from a range of disciplinary backgrounds to engage with the sustainability and circularity agenda.…”

“…[19][20][21] Understanding plastic stock and flows at a global level 22,23 underpins the effective management of these resources within a circular economy. [24][25][26] We hope this collection inspires scholars from a range of disciplinary backgrounds to engage with the sustainability and circularity agenda.…”

Circular Supply Chain Management in Developing Countries: Challenges, Opportunities and Pathways to Sustainability

“…This challenge is particularly pronounced in the context of the circular economy, where the efficient retrieval and reintroduction of materials into the production cycle are paramount. A well-functioning circular system hinges on the ability to reclaim materials from end-of-life products, a process greatly hindered by the absence of proper waste infrastructure (Venkatachalam et al, 2022). Addressing this challenge demands a multifaceted approach involving policy interventions, investment in waste management technologies, and community engagement.…”

Catalytic Consequences of Hierarchical Pore Architectures within MFI and FAU Zeolites for Polyethylene Conversion

“…While mechanical recycling remains the most prevalent way of recycling solid plastic waste, , it is typically limited to high-purity plastic waste, since the presence of contaminants and additives within the waste mixture will degrade the final quality of the recycled products. , More recently, thermochemical recycling has been touted as a prospective solution that can address certain shortcomings of mechanical recycling, while still providing environmental advantages over landfilling and incineration. − Regardless of the thermochemical recycling technology (e.g., gasification or pyrolysis), the utilization of catalysts within these processes lowers the reaction temperature required to attain a similar degree of polymer deconstruction or product yields. − Furthermore, catalysts, particularly ones with size-and-shape selectivity, i.e., zeolites, can also enable fine-tuning of the final product distribution and allow for higher selectivity to desired, high-value products.…”