IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i24p16476-d998130.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Challenges and Strategies for Bio-Based and Biodegradable Plastic Waste Management in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Žaneta Stasiškienė

    (Institute of Environmental Engineering, Kaunas University of Technology, Gedimino St. 50, LT-44239 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Jelena Barbir

    (Research and Transfer Centre “Sustainable Development & Climate Change Management” (FTZ-NK), Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, D-21033 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Lina Draudvilienė

    (Institute of Environmental Engineering, Kaunas University of Technology, Gedimino St. 50, LT-44239 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Zhi Kai Chong

    (Institute of Circular Resource Engineering and Management (CREM), Hamburg University of Technology, D-21073 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Kerstin Kuchta

    (Institute of Circular Resource Engineering and Management (CREM), Hamburg University of Technology, D-21073 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Viktoria Voronova

    (Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Tallinn University of Technology, EE-19086 Tallinn, Estonia)

  • Walter Leal Filho

    (Research and Transfer Centre “Sustainable Development & Climate Change Management” (FTZ-NK), Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, D-21033 Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

In recent years, an increasing trend towards replacement of conventional fossil-based plastics with bio-based plastics was noticed, i.e., production of plastics partly or fully made from biomass is rapidly expanding. Currently, bio-based and biodegradable plastics have a very small market size, approximately only 1% of all plastics produced. However, the forecast of the global bioplastics production capacities predicts an increase from approximately 2.417 million tonnes in 2021 to approximately 7.593 million tonnes in 2026, more than three times the current capacity. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the challenges and identify the barriers for bio-based and biodegradable plastics for waste management and to evaluate the effectiveness of current plastic waste management strategies for the efficient waste management of bio-based and biodegradable plastics. The main barriers and motivators of the biodegradable and biodegradable plastics market that have been identified include macroeconomic factors, regulatory factors, technological factors, and social factors. The bio-based and biodegradable plastics have to be separately collected and treated under mostly controlled, regulated conditions. However, currently, there are no legal provisions providing for the separate collection of bio-based plastics, leading to their disposal with either hazardous waste, conventional plastics, or municipal waste. Since the effective plastic waste management strategy relates to good performance in each step of the waste management process, bio-based and biodegradable plastic waste management could, therefore, be based on an effective strategy for the management of plastic waste. However, there is a need for standardizing waste collection systems and creating a harmonized waste collection infrastructure, which would lead to effective sorting of bio-based plastic waste.

Suggested Citation

  • Žaneta Stasiškienė & Jelena Barbir & Lina Draudvilienė & Zhi Kai Chong & Kerstin Kuchta & Viktoria Voronova & Walter Leal Filho, 2022. "Challenges and Strategies for Bio-Based and Biodegradable Plastic Waste Management in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-17, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:24:p:16476-:d:998130
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/24/16476/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/24/16476/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chunhui Wang & Junhong Tang & Haixia Yu & Yiyi Wang & Huanxuan Li & Shaodan Xu & Gang Li & Qian Zhou, 2022. "Microplastic Pollution in the Soil Environment: Characteristics, Influencing Factors, and Risks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Cristina L. Popa & Simona I. Dontu & Dan Savastru & Elfrida M. Carstea, 2022. "Role of Citizen Scientists in Environmental Plastic Litter Research—A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-13, October.
    3. Jiajia Zheng & Sangwon Suh, 2019. "Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(5), pages 374-378, May.
    4. Sivappirakasam Kamalakkannan & Amila Abeynayaka & Asela K. Kulatunga & Rajeev Kumar Singh & Miwa Tatsuno & Premakumara Jagath Dickella Gamaralalage, 2022. "Life Cycle Assessment of Selected Single-Use Plastic Products towards Evidence-Based Policy Recommendations in Sri Lanka," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-25, October.
    5. Ricard Garrido & Luisa F. Cabeza & Victor Falguera, 2021. "An Overview of Bioplastic Research on Its Relation to National Policies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-36, July.
    6. Caterina Picuno & Emile Van Eygen & Marieke T. Brouwer & Kerstin Kuchta & Eggo U. Thoden van Velzen, 2021. "Factors Shaping the Recycling Systems for Plastic Packaging Waste—A Comparison between Austria, Germany and The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-17, June.
    7. Oecd, 2013. "Policies for Bioplastics in the Context of a Bioeconomy," OECD Science, Technology and Industry Policy Papers 10, OECD Publishing.
    8. Angelica Bianco & Monica Passananti, 2020. "Atmospheric Micro and Nanoplastics: An Enormous Microscopic Problem," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-17, September.
    9. Ayah Alassali & Caterina Picuno & Zhi Kai Chong & Jinyang Guo & Roman Maletz & Kerstin Kuchta, 2021. "Towards Higher Quality of Recycled Plastics: Limitations from the Material’s Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-22, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Elias W. Gabisa & Chavalit Ratanatamskul & Shabbir H. Gheewala, 2023. "Recycling of Plastics as a Strategy to Reduce Life Cycle GHG Emission, Microplastics and Resource Depletion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-13, July.
    2. Sebastian Spierling & Venkateshwaran Venkatachalam & Marina Mudersbach & Nico Becker & Christoph Herrmann & Hans-Josef Endres, 2020. "End-of-Life Options for Bio-Based Plastics in a Circular Economy—Status Quo and Potential from a Life Cycle Assessment Perspective," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Konrad, Kai A. & Lommerud, Kjell Erik, 2021. "Effective climate policy needs non-combustion uses for hydrocarbons," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    4. N. O. Kapustin & D. A. Grushevenko, 2023. "Assessment of Long-Term Prospects for Demand in the Plastics Market in the Face of Industry Transformation," Studies on Russian Economic Development, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 243-253, April.
    5. Baoqing Chen & Jixiao Cui & Wenyi Dong & Changrong Yan, 2023. "Effects of Biodegradable Plastic Film on Carbon Footprint of Crop Production," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-9, March.
    6. Sven Wydra, 2019. "Value Chains for Industrial Biotechnology in the Bioeconomy-Innovation System Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-16, April.
    7. Ana Fonseca & Edgar Ramalho & Ana Gouveia & Filipa Figueiredo & João Nunes, 2023. "Life Cycle Assessment of PLA Products: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-19, August.
    8. Escobar, Neus & Haddad, Salwa & Britz, Wolfgang, 2018. "Economic and environmental implications of a target for bioplastics consumption: A CGE analysis," Conference papers 332940, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    9. Ólafur Ögmundarson & Laura Sophie Kalweit & Venkateshwaran Venkatachalam & Rakel Kristjánsdóttir & Hans-Josef Endres & Sebastian Spierling, 2022. "Plastic Packaging Waste Management in Iceland: Challenges and Opportunities from a Life Cycle Assessment Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-18, December.
    10. Erfan Oliaei & Peter Olsén & Tom Lindström & Lars A. Berglund, 2022. "Highly reinforced and degradable lignocellulose biocomposites by polymerization of new polyester oligomers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    11. Daniela Thomas & Berit Schütze & Wiebke Mareile Heinze & Zacharias Steinmetz, 2020. "Sample Preparation Techniques for the Analysis of Microplastics in Soil—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-28, October.
    12. Livia Cabernard & Stephan Pfister & Christopher Oberschelp & Stefanie Hellweg, 2022. "Growing environmental footprint of plastics driven by coal combustion," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(2), pages 139-148, February.
    13. Quan-Hoang Vuong & Manh-Tung Ho & Hong-Kong To Nguyen & Minh-Hoang Nguyen, 2019. "The trilemma of sustainable industrial growth: evidence from a piloting OECD’s Green city," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-14, December.
    14. Aditya Chidepatil & Prabhleen Bindra & Devyani Kulkarni & Mustafa Qazi & Meghana Kshirsagar & Krishnaswamy Sankaran, 2020. "From Trash to Cash: How Blockchain and Multi-Sensor-Driven Artificial Intelligence Can Transform Circular Economy of Plastic Waste?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-16, April.
    15. Hunt, Julian David & Nascimento, Andreas & Nascimento, Nazem & Vieira, Lara Werncke & Romero, Oldrich Joel, 2022. "Possible pathways for oil and gas companies in a sustainable future: From the perspective of a hydrogen economy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    16. Luca Di Paolo & Simona Abbate & Eliseo Celani & Davide Di Battista & Giovanni Candeloro, 2022. "Carbon Footprint of Single-Use Plastic Items and Their Substitution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-16, December.
    17. Pavel A. Kots & Tianjun Xie & Brandon C. Vance & Caitlin M. Quinn & Matheus Dorneles Mello & J. Anibal Boscoboinik & Cong Wang & Pawan Kumar & Eric A. Stach & Nebojsa S. Marinkovic & Lu Ma & Steven N., 2022. "Electronic modulation of metal-support interactions improves polypropylene hydrogenolysis over ruthenium catalysts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    18. Maurizio Prosperi & Roberta Sisto & Mariarosaria Lombardi & Xueqin Zhu, 2018. "Production of bioplastics for agricultural purposes: A supply chain study," RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA', FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2018(1), pages 119-136.
    19. Yu Qi & Ruying Gong & Xianlai Zeng & Junfeng Wang, 2022. "Examining the Temporal and Spatial Models of China’s Circular Economy Based upon Detailed Data of E-Plastic Recycling," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-10, February.
    20. Jolanta Dąbrowska & Marcin Sobota & Małgorzata Świąder & Paweł Borowski & Andrzej Moryl & Radosław Stodolak & Ewa Kucharczak & Zofia Zięba & Jan K. Kazak, 2021. "Marine Waste—Sources, Fate, Risks, Challenges and Research Needs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-17, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:24:p:16476-:d:998130. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.