Technical Limits in Circularity for Plastic Packages

Marieke T. Brouwer, Eggo U. Thoden van Velzen, Kim Ragaert and Roland ten Klooster
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Marieke T. Brouwer: Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, Wageningen University & Research, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6709 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
Eggo U. Thoden van Velzen: Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, Wageningen University & Research, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6709 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
Kim Ragaert: Centre for Polymer and Material Technologies, Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Ghent University, Technologiepark 130, 9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
Roland ten Klooster: Faculty of Engineering Technology, University of Twente, De Horst 2, 7522 LW Enschede, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 23, 1-29

Abstract: The current Dutch recycling value chain for plastic packaging waste (PPW) has not reached its full circularity potential, as is apparent from two Circular Performance Indicators (CPIs): net packaging recycling rate and average polymer purity of the recycled plastics. The performance of the recycling value chain can be optimised at four stages: packaging design, collection, sorting, and recycling. This study explores the maximally achievable performance of a circular PPW recycling value chain, in case all stakeholders would implement the required radical improvement measures in a concerted action. The effects of the measures were modelled with material flow analysis. For such a utopic scenario, a net plastic packaging recycling rate of 72% can be attained and the produced recycled plastics will have an average polymeric purity of 97%. This is substantially more than the net packaging recycling rate of 37% for 2017 and will exceed the EU target of 50% for 2025. In such an ideal circular value chain more recycled plastics are produced for more demanding applications, such as food packaging, compared to the current recycling value chain. However, all stakeholders would need to implement drastic and coordinated changes, signifying unprecedented investments, to achieve this optimal circular PPW recycling value chain.

Keywords: plastic packaging waste; recycling; recycling targets; polymer purity; quality of recycled plastics; limits (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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