Page 38 - Plastics News April 2023

FEATURE

A Sustainable Plastics Economy Is Feasible, Say Researchers
according to the researchers.

Increasing the recycling rate to 74%
globally is a very ambitious goal, ac-
knowledged André Bardow, profes-
sor of energy and process systems
engineering at ETH Zürich, who led
the study. It is unlikely that it can be
achieved by 2030 — 2050 is more re-
alistic, he said — and during that time-
frame even more plastic products will
be manufactured, continually moving
the goalpost in terms of respecting
planetary boundaries. Consequently,
the researchers recommend also ad-
new study exploring the sus- published in Nature on March 6, dressing demand and rethinking our
A tainability of plastics is bound 2023, is anchored by a determination perception of plastics. “Plastic is con-
to make some heads explode. The of whether the plastics industry can sidered cheap, which for a long time
headline of an article summarizing the respect “planetary boundaries.” De- was a blessing but has now become
research on the website of Zürich’s fined as a “measure of comprehensive a curse,” commented Bardow. “Given
technical university, ETH, forthrightly sustainability,” planetary boundaries its outstanding properties, we should
sets the tone: “A wholly sustainable go beyond energy and climate issues view plastic as the high-quality mate-
plastics economy is feasible.” I have to include impacts on land and water rial it truly is. That way, it would be
to say it’s a nice change of pace to resources, ecosystems, and biodiver- okay for it to cost a little more, and its
report on a positive development sity, notes the article. The research- recycling, too.”
in our “Dispatches from the War on ers conclude that the plastics industry,
Plastics” section, instead of pushing indeed, can achieve this goal through "More recycling of plastic always leads
back on dubious scientific claims and the following measures: to more sustainability"
overwrought calls to almost entirely 1. At least 74% of plastic would The study also calls for greater collab-
eliminate plastics. Folks on the other need to be recycled. Consider- oration between manufacturers and
side of the barricades will disagree, of ing that Europe today recycles recyclers along with some form of ex-
course, once they piece themselves around 15% of plastics — and it’s tended producer responsibility. “To-
back together. day, responsibility often ends when
a world leader — that may seem
The researchers from ETH Zürich, like a Herculean task. Although the product leaves the factory gates,”
RWTH Aachen University in Germa- it has its detractors, chemical writes Fabio Bergamin in the article
ny, and UC Santa Barbara in California recycling can help in achieving on the ETH Zürich website. “The
posit that a vast increase in recycling, this goal, especially with plastics scientists therefore call for product
targeted use of carbon capture and that are not easily recycled by stewardship to encompass the entire
biomass in the production process, conventional mechanical means. life cycle — including disposal and re-
and enlightened product steward- The authors of the study take the cycling — as the basis for optimizing
ship by the plastics industry could lead technology into consideration in the design of sustainable processes.”
the way to “absolute sustainability.” the paper published in Nature. In the final analysis, the main takeaway
They readily acknowledge that get- 2. For the remaining maximum 26% from this study, according to Bardow,
ting there will require a good deal of of plastics, sustainability goals can should be that recycling efforts ought
heavy lifting. to be intensified whenever possible.
be met during the production
Respecting "planetary boundaries" process through carbon capture “As a good rule of thumb: More re-

A core part of the study, which was and the use of biomass feedstock, cycling of plastic always leads to more
sustainability.”

38 PLASTICS NEWS April 2023