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MILJØFORSK-Miljøforskning for en grønn samfunnsomstilling

Plastic Cycle (PLASTCYC); Optimizing Resource Efficiency while Minimizing Recycling of Hazardous Chemicals in a Circular Economy

Alternative title: Plastic Cycle (PLASTCYC);Optimalisering av ressurseffektivitet mens minimering av resirkulering av farlige kjemikalier i en sirkulær økonomi

Awarded: NOK 7.0 mill.

The stock and flows of the seven most used polymers in plastic products in Norway were successfully mapped in the PLASTCYC project. The project provided a dynamic probabilistic economy-wide material flow analysis (MFA) of seven plastic polymers (HDPE, LDPE, PP, PS, PVC, EPS, and PET) in Norway from 2000 to 2050. A total of 40 individual product categories aggregated into nine industrial sectors were taken into consideration. The results of this project depicted that 620 ± 23 kt or 114 kg/capita of these seven plastic polymers were put on the Norwegian market in 2020. Although ~50% of all plastic waste is collected separately from the waste stream, only around 25% is sorted for recycling. Overall, ~50% of plastic waste is incinerated, ~15% exported, and ~10% landfilled. Furthermore, the possible concentrations of chemical additives used in various plastic polymers in different industrial sectors coupled with the potential hazardous score of each chemical provided a comprehensive and effective tool to identify chemicals of concern in plastic products. The outcomes of this work can be used as a guideline for other countries to establish the stocks and flows of plastic polymers from various industrial sectors which is needed for the implementation of necessary regulatory actions and circular strategies.

1- The PLASTCYC project successfully mapped the stock and flow of the seven most used polymer types in Norway. 2- The details of the fraction of each waste plastic polymer that enters different waste management processes (recycling, incineration and export) in Norway was estimated. 3- An inventory of chemical additives in different polymer types was established 4- A database on the possible concentrations of chemical additives and hazardous properties of chemicals was created. 5- The fate of chemicals in waste plastic polymers was investigated. 6- Recommendations on the use and management of different polymer types per industrial sector are provided.

Despite the exponential growth of plastic production and consumption, the quantity of plastic waste being processed in a sound manner grows linearly. Today, recycling of plastic waste is considered as the most practical solution to maintain these materials in the closed loop of Circular Economy. However, the presence of hazardous chemicals as additives and/or contaminants prevents the recycling of a large quantity of plastics mainly due to the concerns regarding the unintended recycling of hazardous chemicals and the quality of recycled plastics. The mismanagement of plastic waste leads to the leakage of these materials to the marine environment. The solutions to this global problem must first address the management of plastic waste regionally, which requires thorough understanding of the quantity and quality of in-use plastics and their flows to the waste stream. The overarching goal of this project is to provide solutions to reduce plastics in the global environment. Towards this, PLASTCYC will provide a qualitative and quantitative analysis of plastic consumption and flows to the waste stream in Norway. By incorporating the knowledge and expertise of the waste stakeholders in Norway to the scientific findings, recommendation for best practices to optimize recycling while minimizing the recycling of hazardous chemicals will be provided. PLASTCYC is directly addressing SDG12 on sustainable production and consumption by providing solutions that will directly lead to reduction of our environmental footprint.

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MILJØFORSK-Miljøforskning for en grønn samfunnsomstilling