Open AccessTowards a Plastic Circular Economy: Bio-derived Plastics and their End-of-life Strategies
Author(s) -
Simon B. C. Verstraeten,
Antoine P. van Muyden,
Félix D. Bobbink
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
chimia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.387
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 2673-2424
pISSN - 0009-4293
DOI - 10.2533/chimia.2021.744
Subject(s) - circular economy , polyolefin , biomass (ecology) , sustainability , pyrolysis , emerging technologies , life cycle assessment , renewable energy , business , waste management , environmental science , biochemical engineering , engineering , economics , materials science , nanotechnology , production (economics) , ecology , electrical engineering , macroeconomics , layer (electronics) , biology
Herein, we describe the status of bio-derived plastics as well as the existing and emerging technologies that are available for their post-consumer end-of-life valorization. We first present how bio-derived plastics can be produced from renewable materials such as biomass and CO2. In the second section, we present an overview of the technologies available for the end-of-life, including pyrolysis and gasification and how they can be leveraged towards a circular economy. We continue the discussion with the presentation of an emerging technology, polyolefin hydrocracking. Finally, the concepts are discussed in light of life cycle analysis that aid in assessing the sustainability of manufacture (and recycling) methods.