Plastic waste chemical recycling industry could open gate to ‘circular economy’: Study

New research conducted by Cornell University has aimed to ease the process of plastic waste chemical recycling. The paper, published in the journal, ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineeing, highlights the benefits of consequential life-cycle optimisation when compared to more traditional analytical tools. The study was conducted keeping in mind the booming plastic recycling industry, that converts wasteful one-time-use materials into natural resources.

The study highlights that plastic chemical recycling depends on a myriad of factors, including the composition of the waste, variants of plastic- polythene, products like fuel and hydrocarbons. "It's a chemical process and there are so many possibilities," researchers said in the paper, titled 'Consequential Life Cycle Assessment and Optimisation of High-Density Polyethylene Waste Chemical Recycling', plastic waste chemical recycling not only helps in nature conservation but also opens the gate for billions of dollars worth of business.

Chemical recycling creates a 'circular economy'

According to the study, billions of tons of plastic have been produced since the 1950s, yet most of it (91%), has not been recycled. While growing landfills and contaminated environments are a cause of concern, the failure to reduce and reuse plastic is also seen by some as a missed economic opportunity. Hence, researchers are engaged in helping to "identify optimal technologies for chemical recycling and providing a roadmap for the future of the industry," the study reports.

Explaining the environmental consequences of plastic chemical recycling, researcher Fengqi You said, " (It) depends on variables such as supplier process of chemical feedstocks and products. For instance, the framework found that producing butene onsite as opposed to having it supplied can reduce photochemical air pollution from recycling plants by nearly 20%, while onsite use of natural gas increases more than 37% of potentially harmful ionizing radiation. Not only does chemical recycling create a 'circular economy,' in which a waste product can be turned back into a natural resource, but it opens the door for plastics such as high-density polyethylene -- used to produce items such as rigid bottles, toys, underground pipes, and mail package envelopes -- to be recycled more commonly."

The paper is the first comprehensive analysis that quantifies the life-cycle environmental impacts of plastic waste chemical recycling, such as climate change and human toxicity, the preface to the study mentioned. It also helps to elaborate on the market dynamics that a typical life-cycle sustainability assessment would overlook.

(With inputs from ANI, Image: Unsplash/Representative)