PVC Dechlorination for Facilitating Plastic Chemical Recycling: A Systematic Literature Review of Technical Advances, Modeling and Assessment

Abstract

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins are widely used in modern society due to their acid and alkali resistance, low cost, and strong insulation properties. However, the high chlorine (Cl) content in PVC poses significant challenges for its recycling. This study reviews the treatment processes, model construction, and economic and environmental assessments to construct a methodological framework for the sustainable development of emerging dechlorination technologies. In terms of treatment processes, this study summarizes three types of processes, pretreatment, simultaneous dechlorination during chemical recycling, product purification, and emphasizes the necessity of dechlorination treatment from a systematic perspective. Additionally, the construction of models for dechlorination processes is investigated from the laboratory to the industrial production system to macro-scale material, in order to evaluate the potential inventory data and material metabolism behaviors. This review also summarized the methodology framework of Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which can be applied for evaluation of the economic and environmental performance of the dechlorination processes. Overall, this review provides readers with a comprehensive perspective on the state-of-the-art for PVC dechlorination technologies, meanwhile offering sustainable guidance for future research and industrial applications of chemical recycling of PVC waste.