Sustainable Design of Structural and Functional Polymers for a Circular Economy

Abstract

To achieve a sustainable circular economy, polymer production must start transitioning to recycled and biobased feedstock and accomplish CO2 emission neutrality. This is not only true for structural polymers, such as in packaging or engineering applications, but also for functional polymers in liquid formulations, such as adhesives, lubricants, thickeners or dispersants. At their end of life, polymers must be either collected and recycled via a technical pathway, or be biodegradable if they are not collectable. Advances in polymer chemistry and applications, aided by computational material science, open the way to addressing these issues comprehensively by designing for recyclability and biodegradability. This Review explores how scientific progress, together with emerging regulatory frameworks, societal expectations and economic boundary conditions, paint pathways for the transformation towards a circular economy of polymers.

API Syntheses in Aqueous Media: Assessing the Environmental Footprint en route from Academic Discovery to Industrial Applications as “Green Opportunity” for Process Chemistry

“…Accordingly, major players such as BASF, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Merck KGaA aim to alleviate their environmental footprint as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies and their motivation to contribute through responsible care. However, economic factors also facilitate that transformation, i.e., by rising taxation rates for CO 2 .…”

Fragmentation and Mineralization of a Compostable Aromatic–Aliphatic Polyester during Industrial Composting

“…Being the largest single component in European municipal waste, if utilized properly, biowaste has a high potential to contribute to a circular economy by delivering valuable soil-improvers like compost, as well as biogas, a source of renewable energy. Certified compostable plastics are developed for specific applications where there is a benefit in using them . Compostable plastics could enable diverting organic wastes from landfill and incineration, reducing plastic contamination in the organic waste stream and with that support the goals of the EU Green Deal. , Certified industrially compostable plastics are designed to deliver performance during application, e.g., as food packaging or as bags for biowaste collection, and to biodegrade in their intended end of life. ,, The inevitable loss of structural integrity of a plastic article during composting incurs a potential to disintegrate into micro- and nanoplastic fragments, also as an interim phase of biodegradation. − Studies have investigated the presence of fragments from both conventional and biodegradable plastics in compost or soil. − However, systematic studies with blank and spike controls are still missing.…”

“…Certified compostable plastics are developed for specific applications where there is a benefit in using them . Compostable plastics could enable diverting organic wastes from landfill and incineration, reducing plastic contamination in the organic waste stream and with that support the goals of the EU Green Deal. , Certified industrially compostable plastics are designed to deliver performance during application, e.g., as food packaging or as bags for biowaste collection, and to biodegrade in their intended end of life. ,, The inevitable loss of structural integrity of a plastic article during composting incurs a potential to disintegrate into micro- and nanoplastic fragments, also as an interim phase of biodegradation. − Studies have investigated the presence of fragments from both conventional and biodegradable plastics in compost or soil. − However, systematic studies with blank and spike controls are still missing. Protocols developed for characterization of conventional microplastics require validation and possibly adaptation for soil-biodegradable and compostable plastics, because these plastics may inadvertently degrade during the sample preparation procedures. , In summary, certified compostable materials have proven to positively impact the amount of biowaste collected and its quality, − but their interim fragmentation must be addressed properly.…”

“…Here, biodegradation-induced fragments were systematically tested using several complementary methods with appropriate controls (i.e., with blank controls, spike controls, and prelabel controls). CO 2 evolution, size distribution, and composition of a certified industrially compostable plastic consisting of an aromatic–aliphatic polyester compound with polylactide (PLA) were tracked. , We focused on aerobic composting. Findings were compared against low-density polyethylene (LDPE) as the most relevant conventional plastic .…”

“…Certified compostable plastics are developed for specific applications where there is a benefit in using them. 2 Compostable plastics could enable diverting organic wastes from landfill and incineration, reducing plastic contamination in the organic waste stream and with that support the goals of the EU Green Deal. 3,4 Certified industrially compostable plastics are designed to deliver performance during application, e.g., as food packaging or as bags for biowaste collection, and to biodegrade in their intended end of life.…”