The
"Transitioning
to
a
Sustainable,
Circular
Economy
for
Plastics"
workshop,
coordinated
by
the
Bioenergy
Technologies
Office
(BETO)
and
Advanced
Materials
Manufacturing
(AMMTO)
in
collaboration
with
Climate
Pledge,
brought
together
diverse
group
of
stakeholders
discuss
current
challenges
opportunities
transitioning
sustainable,
circular
economy
plastics
United
States.
Input
from
workshop
will
be
used
ensure
U.S.
Department
Energy's
(DOE)
Strategy
Plastics
Innovation
(SPI)1
evolves
rapidly
changing
landscape.
Presentations,
panel
discussions,
breakout
sessions
provided
framework
sharing
information
building
direct
connections
among
across
value
chain.
This
document
summarizes
content
discussed
at
provide
an
update
on
state
plastic
sustainability
technological,
regulatory,
economic
landscape
related
use
recycling
is
changing.
focus
this
was
understand
which
metrics
are
being
inform
decisions
circularity,
as
well
what
technological
gaps
exist
along
supply
chain
that
would
facilitate
more
rapid
transition
economy.
Key
themes
may
identify
where
investments
research
development
can
most
substantially
lead
decarbonization.
structured
three
focusing
landscape,
how
it
changing,
future.
A
common
discussion
established
plenary
sessions'
presentations
panels,
followed
sessions,
were
forum
participants
opportunities.
Breakout
further
enabled
cross-pollination
between
industry,
academia,
national
labs,
nonprofit
organizations,
other
organizations
helped
gather
broad
stakeholder
input
overarching
themes.
discussions
highlighted
numerous
increased
circularity.
Several
emerged,
including:
•
Harmonization:
Inconsistent
policies
create
complex
investment
alignment.
variety
materials,
product
design,
infrastructure
limits
ability
recycle
safely
economically.
Improved
data,
insight,
tools
assessing
impact:
There
need
open
data
understandable,
credible,
actionable,
comparable
assess
impacts
human
health
environment.
Sensitivity
analysis
should
included
verify
whether
options
perceived
sustainable
align
real-world
outcomes.
Expanded
feedstock
amount
quality:
increase
access,
engage
consumers,
expand
infrastructure,
explore
novel
collection
solutions
recycling.
sortation
benefit
both
mechanical
advanced
better
matching
feedstocks
technologies.
New
business
models:
Innovations
reuse
refill
alternative
single-use
applications,
including
insights
into
consumer
acceptance,
have
potential
circularity
reduce
demand
virgin
material.
Material
technology
innovation:
technologies
material
developments
(bio-based,
recyclable,
biodegradable
plastics)
needed
address
currently
unrecycled
plastics.
Collaboration
key
enabler:
Advancing
small-scale
demonstration
through
pilot
scale
market
implementation
accelerated
partnerships
government.
alignment
industry
coalitions
pre-competitive
collaborations
around
design
systems
acceleration
innovations
scale.
Additionally,
insight
municipalities
(rural
urban)
interface
policy
support
adoption
integration.
Materials,
Год журнала:
2024,
Номер
17(12), С. 2991 - 2991
Опубликована: Июнь 18, 2024
Plastic
pollution
has
escalated
into
a
critical
global
issue,
with
production
soaring
from
2
million
metric
tons
in
1950
to
400.3
2022.
The
packaging
industry
alone
accounts
for
nearly
44%
of
this
production,
predominantly
utilizing
polyethylene
terephthalate
(PET).
Alarmingly,
over
90%
the
approximately
1
PET
bottles
sold
every
minute
end
up
landfills
or
oceans,
where
they
can
persist
centuries.
This
highlights
urgent
need
sustainable
management
and
recycling
solutions
mitigate
environmental
impact
waste.
To
better
understand
PET's
behavior
promote
its
within
circular
economy,
we
examined
chemical
physical
properties,
current
strategies
most
effective
methods
available
today.
Advancing
economy
framework
by
closing
industrial
loops
demonstrated
benefits
such
as
reduced
landfill
waste,
minimized
energy
consumption,
conserved
raw
resources.
end,
identified
various
based
on
R-imperatives
(ranging
3R
10R),
focusing
latest
approaches
aimed
at
significantly
reducing
waste
2040.
Additionally,
comparison
(including
primary,
secondary,
tertiary,
quaternary
recycling,
along
concepts
"zero-order"
biological
techniques)
was
envisaged.
Particular
attention
paid
heterogeneous
catalytic
glycolysis,
which
stands
out
rapid
reaction
time
(20-60
min),
high
monomer
yields
(>90%),
ease
catalyst
recovery
reuse,
lower
costs,
enhanced
durability.
Accordingly,
use
highly
efficient
oxide-based
catalysts
glycolytic
degradation
is
underscored
promising
solution
large-scale
applications.
Journal of Industrial Ecology,
Год журнала:
2024,
Номер
28(4), С. 916 - 927
Опубликована: Июнь 18, 2024
Abstract
In
the
United
States,
polyethylene
terephthalate
(PET)
bottle
collection
rates
have
not
increased
in
a
decade.
Recycling
remain
abysmal
while
industry
commitments
and
policy
targets
escalate
demand
for
recycled
plastics.
We
investigate
PET
recycling
system,
where
is
critical
bottleneck
supply
meeting
expected
demand.
characterize
(R‐PET),
analyze
scenarios
of
expanding
deposit
return
systems
(DRS),
quantify
cost
barriers
to
improving
recycling.
find
that
nation‐wide
DRS
can
increase
from
24%
82%,
supplying
approximately
2700
kt
annually.
With
stability
demand,
we
estimate
this
system
achieve
65%
bottle‐to‐bottle
circularity,
at
net
360
USD/tonne
recycled.
also
discuss
environmental
impacts,
stakeholder
implications,
producer
responsibility,
complimentary
policies
toward
an
efficient
effective
system.
Materials Advances,
Год журнала:
2024,
Номер
5(17), С. 6690 - 6701
Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2024
This
paper
discusses
the
scale-up
feasibility
and
industrial
adoption
of
polyhydroxyalkanoates
(PHAs),
emphasizing
need
to
link
PHA
development
with
recycling
technologies
highlighting
strategies
for
designing
PHAs
closed-loop
recycling.
Environments,
Год журнала:
2024,
Номер
11(2), С. 25 - 25
Опубликована: Янв. 25, 2024
The
recycling
and
proper
management
of
PET
bottles
is
needed
to
avoid
plastic
pollution,
as
well
achieve
a
circular
economy.
In
this
study,
we
examined
the
system
their
material
flows
by
life
cycle,
from
production
disposal
under
different
scenarios
with
reduced
consumption
for
bottles.
Korea,
bottle
has
been
managed
extended
producer
responsibility
since
2003.
As
2021,
annual
usage
per
capita
in
Korea
was
estimated
be
approximately
6.5
kg.
rate
after
collection
determined
79%
2021.
However,
recycled
(or
r-PET)
mechanical
mostly
used
low-grade
applications
such
short
fibers,
bands,
sheets.
More
than
112
thousand
tons
r-PET
chips
would
meet
30%
content
requirement
2030
regulation.
Thus,
there
an
urgent
need
high-quality
secondary
raw
materials
(i.e.,
food-grade)
adopting
advanced
sorting
technologies
content.
bottle-to-bottle
practices
can
ensure
move
toward
Green Materials,
Год журнала:
2025,
Номер
unknown, С. 1 - 17
Опубликована: Апрель 29, 2025
Polyethylene
terephthalate
(PET)
is
the
third
most
commonly
used
thermoplastic
in
post-consumer
plastic
packaging.
The
growing
popularity
of
PET
bottles,
valued
for
their
durability,
recyclability,
and
cost-efficiency,
has
led
to
increased
production
consumption,
resulting
environmental
harm
when
not
properly
disposed.
study
attempts
provide
a
comprehensive
review
state-of-the-art
literature,
highlighting
end-of-life
challenges
circularity
challenges,
future
research
directions
this
area.
Using
systematic
literature
approach,
it
identifies
gaps,
including
treatment
practices
impact
categories.
In
addition,
32
studies
allocated
four
stages
an
LCA
framework
intended
chart
paths.
Although
discernible
portion
recorded
found
on
results
showed
that
minute
proportion
covered
human
health
resources
stated
work
presents
originality
two
terms.
First,
adequate
discussing
applicable
industry.
Second,
outcome
way
paves
major
gaps
identified
through
studies.
