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Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Potential of European Union’s Circularity Related Targets for Plastics

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Tenhunen-Lunkka

    (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd)

  • Tom Rommens

    (VITO)

  • Ive Vanderreydt

    (VITO)

  • Lars Mortensen

    (EEA European Environmental Agency)

Abstract

Current rising concerns about environmental and climate impacts in production, consumption and end-of-life of plastics have led to efforts to switch from linear to circular economy of plastics in Europe. Greenhouse gas emissions are likely to decrease with a transition to a circular system; however, a systematic and integrated perspective on plastics and the carbon cycle is currently missing in the debate on plastics. In this study, a model to estimate greenhouse gas emissions of the current mostly linear plastics value chain of the EU in 2018 and a future scenario, 2025 model, were created. By 2025 if current policy targets are reached, the plastic packaging recycling rate should be 50%, PET-based drinking bottles should include 25% recycled content, 77% collection target for plastic bottles, 10 Mt recyclates should enter the markets, uptake of bio-based plastics is estimated by European bioplastics to increase from current 1 to 1.32% and landfilling will continue to decrease according to the current trend at 3.85%. Total greenhouse gas emissions caused by the current plastics value chain are estimated at 208 million tonnes of CO2-eq. The 2025 model estimates that total plastics value chain emissions will be 182 Mt of CO2-eq. Reduction potential is approximately 26 Mt of CO2-eq or 13%.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:circec:v:3:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s43615-022-00192-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s43615-022-00192-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    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. 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.
    3. Liang Jing & Hassan M. El-Houjeiri & Jean-Christophe Monfort & Adam R. Brandt & Mohammad S. Masnadi & Deborah Gordon & Joule A. Bergerson, 2020. "Carbon intensity of global crude oil refining and mitigation potential," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(6), pages 526-532, June.
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