Greenhouse gas benefits from direct chemical recycling of mixed plastic waste

Mitchell K. van der Hulst; Anne B. Ottenbros; Bram van der Drift; Špela Ferjan; Toon van Harmelen; Anna E. Schwarz; Ernst Worrell; Rosalie van Zelm; Mark A.J. Huijbregts; Mara Hauck

doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106582

Greenhouse gas benefits from direct chemical recycling of mixed plastic waste

Mitchell K. van der Hulst, Anne B. Ottenbros, Bram van der Drift, Špela Ferjan, Toon van Harmelen, Anna E. Schwarz, Ernst Worrell, Rosalie van Zelm, Mark A.J. Huijbregts, Mara Hauck

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Dealing with heterogeneous plastic waste – i.e., high polymer heterogeneity, additives, and contaminants – and lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from plastic production requires integrated solutions. Here, we quantified current and future GHG footprints of direct chemical conversion of heterogeneous post-consumer plastic waste feedstock to olefins, a base material for plastics. The net GHG footprint of this recycling system is −0.04 kg CO2-eq./kg waste feedstock treated, including credits from avoided production of virgin olefins, electricity, heat, and credits for the partial biogenic content of the waste feedstock. Comparing chemical recycling of this feedstock to incineration with energy recovery presents GHG benefits of 0.82 kg CO2-eq./kg waste feedstock treated. These benefits were found to increase to 1.37 kg CO2-eq./kg waste feedstock treated for year 2030 when including (i) decarbonization of steam and electricity production and (ii) process optimizations to increase olefin yield through carbon capture and utilization and conversion of side-products.

Original language	English
Article number	106582
Pages (from-to)	1-10
Number of pages	10
Journal	Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Volume	186
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2022.106582
Publication status	Published - Nov 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Mitchell van der Hulst and Mark Huijbregts were financed by a grant from the Dutch research foundation for the project Global environmental trade-offs of renewable energy technologies (016.Vici.170.190).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022

Keywords

Carbon capture and utilization (CCU)
Emerging technology
High value chemicals
Industry decarbonization
Life cycle assessment (LCA)
Prospective

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

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abstract = "Dealing with heterogeneous plastic waste – i.e., high polymer heterogeneity, additives, and contaminants – and lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from plastic production requires integrated solutions. Here, we quantified current and future GHG footprints of direct chemical conversion of heterogeneous post-consumer plastic waste feedstock to olefins, a base material for plastics. The net GHG footprint of this recycling system is −0.04 kg CO2-eq./kg waste feedstock treated, including credits from avoided production of virgin olefins, electricity, heat, and credits for the partial biogenic content of the waste feedstock. Comparing chemical recycling of this feedstock to incineration with energy recovery presents GHG benefits of 0.82 kg CO2-eq./kg waste feedstock treated. These benefits were found to increase to 1.37 kg CO2-eq./kg waste feedstock treated for year 2030 when including (i) decarbonization of steam and electricity production and (ii) process optimizations to increase olefin yield through carbon capture and utilization and conversion of side-products.",

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AU - Ottenbros, Anne B.

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AU - Schwarz, Anna E.

AU - Worrell, Ernst

AU - Zelm, Rosalie van

AU - Huijbregts, Mark A.J.

AU - Hauck, Mara

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Greenhouse gas benefits from direct chemical recycling of mixed plastic waste

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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