IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v357y2024ics0306261923019074.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Energy-environment-economic (3E) hub for sustainable plastic management – Upgraded recycling, chemical valorization, and bioplastics

Author

Listed:
  • Patria, Raffel Dharma
  • Rehman, Shazia
  • Yuen, Chun-Bong
  • Lee, Duu-Jong
  • Vuppaladadiyam, Arun K.
  • Leu, Shao-Yuan

Abstract

This research aims to clarify the energy, environment, and economic (3E) aspects of petroleum-based plastics, bioplastics, and all end-of-life methods including landfill, incineration, composting, and recycling. Production and utilization of bioplastic, associated with recycling techniques to produce valuable building block chemicals, are considered as long-term solutions to the plastic crisis. However, this target seems to be unachievable in decades mostly due to unclear information on energy consumption and operational costs of different techniques. Although numerous studies of life cycle analysis (LCA) of bioplastics have been published in literature, the energy and environmental impacts of bioplastics are still uncertain, due to the non-standardization of the analyses. To standardize the current findings, this study proposed a novel standardization method and categorized the latest life cycle studies to correlate the energy requirement, global warming potential, and paramount factors which significantly influence the environmental impact of bioplastics production. Economic considerations were evaluated through standardization of independent techno-economic studies in literature, followed by a comparative analysis of the profitability between traditional waste management practices, such as landfilling and incineration, and recycling. Finally, it was found that recycling is beneficial from energy, environmental, and economic perspectives, but some assessments were based on ideal assumptions where efficiency of recycling and logistics of plastic waste collection was high. Real-life applications of recycling and bio-based plastics are hindered by various challenges. Overcoming these challenges may be the key to creating sustainable circular bioeconomy of plastics.

Suggested Citation

  • Patria, Raffel Dharma & Rehman, Shazia & Yuen, Chun-Bong & Lee, Duu-Jong & Vuppaladadiyam, Arun K. & Leu, Shao-Yuan, 2024. "Energy-environment-economic (3E) hub for sustainable plastic management – Upgraded recycling, chemical valorization, and bioplastics," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 357(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:357:y:2024:i:c:s0306261923019074
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.122543
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261923019074
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.122543?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. 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.
    2. Kunnika Changwichan & Thapat Silalertruksa & Shabbir H. Gheewala, 2018. "Eco-Efficiency Assessment of Bioplastics Production Systems and End-of-Life Options," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-15, March.
    3. Qinqin Xia & Chaoji Chen & Yonggang Yao & Jianguo Li & Shuaiming He & Yubing Zhou & Teng Li & Xuejun Pan & Yuan Yao & Liangbing Hu, 2021. "Author Correction: A strong, biodegradable and recyclable lignocellulosic bioplastic," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(9), pages 830-830, September.
    4. Rehman, Shazia & Islam, Md Khairul & Khanzada, Noman Khalid & Zhuang, Huichuan & Wang, Huaimin & Chaiprapat, Sumate & Leu, Shao-Yuan, 2021. "Sustainability index accounting food and carbon benefits on circular 2,3-butanediol biorefinery with oil palm empty fruit bunches," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    5. Kunwar, Bidhya & Cheng, H.N. & Chandrashekaran, Sriram R & Sharma, Brajendra K, 2016. "Plastics to fuel: a review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 421-428.
    6. Rebekka Volk & Christoph Stallkamp & Justus J. Steins & Savina Padumane Yogish & Richard C. Müller & Dieter Stapf & Frank Schultmann, 2021. "Techno‐economic assessment and comparison of different plastic recycling pathways: A German case study," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(5), pages 1318-1337, October.
    7. Qinqin Xia & Chaoji Chen & Yonggang Yao & Jianguo Li & Shuaiming He & Yubing Zhou & Teng Li & Xuejun Pan & Yuan Yao & Liangbing Hu, 2021. "A strong, biodegradable and recyclable lignocellulosic bioplastic," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(7), pages 627-635, July.
    8. Jiajia Zheng & Sangwon Suh, 2019. "Publisher Correction: Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(7), pages 567-567, July.
    9. Hottle, Troy A. & Bilec, Melissa M. & Landis, Amy E., 2017. "Biopolymer production and end of life comparisons using life cycle assessment," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 295-306.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Choi, Seungyeong & Bang, Minho & Park, Hee Seung & Heo, Jeonghun & Cho, Myung Hwan & Cho, Hyung Hee, 2024. "Machine learning-assisted effective thermal management of rotor-stator systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).

    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. 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.
    2. Halayit Abrha & Jonnathan Cabrera & Yexin Dai & Muhammad Irfan & Abrham Toma & Shipu Jiao & Xianhua Liu, 2022. "Bio-Based Plastics Production, Impact and End of Life: A Literature Review and Content Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, April.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. Konrad, Kai A. & Lommerud, Kjell Erik, 2021. "Effective climate policy needs non-combustion uses for hydrocarbons," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    6. 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.
    7. Guanjun Ji & Di Tang & Junxiong Wang & Zheng Liang & Haocheng Ji & Jun Ma & Zhaofeng Zhuang & Song Liu & Guangmin Zhou & Hui-Ming Cheng, 2024. "Sustainable upcycling of mixed spent cathodes to a high-voltage polyanionic cathode material," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    8. Gilbert Moyen Massa & Vasiliki-Maria Archodoulaki, 2024. "An Imported Environmental Crisis: Plastic Mismanagement in Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-18, January.
    9. 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.
    10. David Duindam, 2022. "Transitioning to Sustainable Healthcare: Decarbonising Healthcare Clinics, a Literature Review," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-20, December.
    11. Chrysanthos Maraveas, 2020. "Environmental Sustainability of Plastic in Agriculture," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-15, July.
    12. Siyuan Fang & Xingyi Lyu & Tian Tong & Aniqa Ibnat Lim & Tao Li & Jiming Bao & Yun Hang Hu, 2023. "Turning dead leaves into an active multifunctional material as evaporator, photocatalyst, and bioplastic," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    13. Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Fan, Yee Van & Tan, Raymond R. & Jiang, Peng, 2020. "Minimising the present and future plastic waste, energy and environmental footprints related to COVID-19," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    14. 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.
    15. 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.
    16. Bauer, Fredric & Fontenit, Germain, 2021. "Plastic dinosaurs – Digging deep into the accelerating carbon lock-in of plastics," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    17. Daniel Holzer & Claudia Mair-Bauernfeind & Michael Kriechbaum & Romana Rauter & Tobias Stern, 2023. "Different but the Same? Comparing Drivers and Barriers for Circular Economy Innovation Systems in Wood- and Plastic-Based Industries," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 983-1011, June.
    18. Anna Tenhunen-Lunkka & Tom Rommens & Ive Vanderreydt & Lars Mortensen, 2023. "Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Potential of European Union’s Circularity Related Targets for Plastics," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 475-510, March.
    19. 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).
    20. Song, Wenlu & He, Yu & Huang, Rui & Li, Jianfeng & Yu, Yujie & Xia, Peng, 2023. "Life cycle assessment of deep-eutectic-solvent-assisted hydrothermal disintegration of microalgae for biodiesel and biogas co-production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).

    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:eee:appene:v:357:y:2024:i:c:s0306261923019074. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    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.