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Towards Higher Quality of Recycled Plastics: Limitations from the Material’s Perspective

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  • Ayah Alassali

    (Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Sustainable Resource and Waste Management, Hamburg University of Technology, Blohmstrasse 15, 21079 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Caterina Picuno

    (Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Sustainable Resource and Waste Management, Hamburg University of Technology, Blohmstrasse 15, 21079 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Zhi Kai Chong

    (Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Sustainable Resource and Waste Management, Hamburg University of Technology, Blohmstrasse 15, 21079 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Jinyang Guo

    (Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Sustainable Resource and Waste Management, Hamburg University of Technology, Blohmstrasse 15, 21079 Hamburg, Germany)

  • Roman Maletz

    (Institute of Waste Management and Circular Economy, Technische Universität Dresden, 01796 Pirna, Germany)

  • Kerstin Kuchta

    (Institute of Environmental Technology and Energy Economics, Sustainable Resource and Waste Management, Hamburg University of Technology, Blohmstrasse 15, 21079 Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

The increasing consumption of plastics and plastic products results in correspondingly substantial volumes of waste, which poses considerable environmental burdens. With the ongoing environmental actions, the application of circular economy on this waste stream is becoming inevitable. In this paper, the topics of plastics recycling, circular economy on plastics, and challenges to plastic waste recycling are critically reviewed. In the first part of this paper, the development of research on plastic recycling was viewed from 1950 until 2020 using the scientific database Web of Science, and 682 related studies were found and used to assess the changing research priorities along that timeline. The following sections discuss the potentials and requirements to enhance the quality of the produced recycled plastic, in connection with the factors that currently limit it. In conclusion, the quality of recycled plastic is generally determined by the homogeneity of the recovered plastic feed. There are various strategies which could be implemented to overcome the hindrances identified in the paper and to improve the quality of the recycled plastic, such as working on enhanced product designs for minimised waste heterogeneity and controlling the materials’ degree of contamination by applying advanced sorting.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:23:p:13266-:d:691845
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    8. Ayah Alassali & Caterina Picuno & Hanin Samara & Sascha Diedler & Silvia Fiore & Kerstin Kuchta, 2019. "Antimony Mining from PET Bottles and E-Waste Plastic Fractions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-14, July.
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    1. 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.
    2. Issam A. Al-Khatib & Jinyang Guo & Kerstin Kuchta & Anas A. Draidi & Sawsan Y. Abu Amara & Ayah Alassali, 2023. "Municipal Solid Waste Composition and Generation with Emphasis on Plastics in Nablus City, Palestine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-15, October.
    3. Christoph Stallkamp & Justus Steins & Manuel Ruck & Rebekka Volk & Frank Schultmann, 2022. "Designing a Recycling Network for the Circular Economy of Plastics with Different Multi-Criteria Optimization Approaches," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-23, September.

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