Discussion on plastic waste management hierarchy

Journal title RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA'
Author/s Max J.A. Romero, Cristina Moliner, Elisabetta Arato
Publishing Year 2024 Issue 2024/1
Language English Pages 20 P. 121-140 File size 154 KB
DOI 10.3280/RISS2024-001008
DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation click here

Below, you can see the article first page

If you want to buy this article in PDF format, you can do it, following the instructions to buy download credits

Article preview

FrancoAngeli is member of Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA), a not-for-profit association which run the CrossRef service enabling links to and from online scholarly content.

Although recycling is one of the main solutions proposed in the waste hierarchy established by the Waste Framework Directive, the effective recycling of plastic packaging waste in Italy is still insufficient. Through a review of European Union and Italian legislation, recycling strategies and technological innovations, such as the use of bioplastics and chemical recycling, this work aims to help fill possible knowledge gaps and guide decisions in both, the public sector and the private sector, in the development of policies that enhance the management of plastic packaging waste. Among the results it was found that the low recycling rate of plastic packaging is in partly due to the technical and regulatory limitations that exist at European level for the growth of innovative solutions in the plastic industry. These limitations include the complexity of plastic packaging waste streams and the lack of a single European Union Directive that harmonizes the laws of the Member States regarding the use of bioplastics, chemical recycling technologies and value-added products obtained.

Keywords: recycling, packaging, plastic, bioplastics, chemical, management policies.

  1. BASF (2023). Chemical Recycling, turning trash into treasure. Text available on the site: -- https://plastics-rubber.basf.com/global/en/performance_polymers/ sustainability/chemcycling.html.
  2. Bio-Fed (2024). Le nostre bioplastiche. Text available on the site: -- https://bio-fed. com/it/i-nostri-biomateriali/.
  3. Bio-Plastics Europe (2024). Policy White Paper. Text available on the site: -- https://bioplasticseurope.eu/downloads/public-deliverables.
  4. Bridgwater A. (2012). Review of fast pyrolysis of biomass and product upgrading. Biomass Bioenergy, (38): 68-94.
  5. European Commission (2018). A European strategy for plastics in the circular economy. Text available on the site: -- https://www.europarc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Eu-plastics-strategy-brochure.pdf.
  6. European Commission (2022). Communication - EU policy framework on biobased, biodegradable and compostable plastics. Text available on the site: -- https:// environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/communication-eu-policy-framework-biobased-biodegradable-and-compostable-plastics_en.
  7. European Commission (2023). Waste Early Warning Report. Text available on the site: -- https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/waste-early-warning- report_en.
  8. CONAI (2023). Rapporto Integrato di Sostenibilità. Text available on the site: -- https://www.conai.org/comunicazione/rapporto-di-sostenibilita/.
  9. CONAI (2022). Programma generale di prevenzione e di gestione degli imballaggi e dei rifiuti di imballaggio. Text available on the site: -- https://www.conai.org/ download/programma-generale-di-prevenzione-e-gestione-degli-imballaggi-e-dei-rifiuti-di-imballaggio-2023/.
  10. European Council (2020). Decision 2020/2053/UE-Euratom on the system of own resources of the European Union and repealing Decision 2014/335/EU-Euratom.
  11. COREPLA (2022). Rapporto di sostenibilità 2022. Text available on the site: -- https://www.corepla.it/sites/default/files/documenti/corepla_rapporto_di_sostenilita _2022.pdf.
  12. COREPLA (2023a). Polimeri degli imballaggi. Text available on the site: -- https://www.corepla.it/polimeri-degli-imballaggi.
  13. COREPLA (2023b). Recupero energetico. Text available on the site: -- https://www.corepla.it/recupero-energetico.
  14. Dow (2022). Dow and Mura Technology announce largest commitment of its kind to scale advanced recycling of plastics. Text available on the site: -- https://investors. dow.com/en/news/news-details/2022/Dow-and-Mura-Technology-announce- largest-commitment-of-its-kind-to-scale-advanced-recycling-of-plastics/default.aspx.
  15. EEA (2022a). Early warning assessment related to the 2025 targets for municipal waste and packaging waste: Belgium. Text available on the site: -- https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/many-eu-member-states/belgium/view.
  16. EEA (2022b). Early warning assessment related to the 2025 targets for municipal waste and packaging waste: Netherlands. Text available on the site: -- https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/many-eu-member-states/netherlands/view.
  17. EEA (2022c). Early warning assessment related to the 2025 targets for municipal waste and packaging waste: Romania. Text available on the site: -- https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/many-eu-member-states/romania/view.
  18. EEA (2022d). Early warning assessment related to the 2025 targets for municipal waste and packaging waste: Croatia. Text available on the site: -- https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/many-eu-member-states/croatia/view.
  19. Finocchio E., Moliner C., Lagazzo A., Caputo S. and Arato E. (2023). Water absorption behavior and physico-chemical and mechanical performance of PLA-based biopolymers filled with degradable glass fibers. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 140(43), e54578.
  20. Fondazione per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (2023). Il riciclo in Italia rapporto 2023. Text available on the site: -- https://www.ricicloinitalia.it/il-rapporto-2023/.
  21. IPPR (2022). Materie plastiche riciclate utilizzate in Italia – IPPR. Text available on the site: -- https://www.corepla.it/materie-plastiche-riciclate-utilizzate-italia-ippr.
  22. INEOS Styrolution (2024). Depolymerisation of polystyrene. Text available on the site: -- https://styrolution-eco.com/.
  23. Lagazzo A., Moliner C., Bosio B., Botter R. and Arato E. (2019). Evaluation of the Mechanical and Thermal Properties Decay of PHBV/Sisal and PLA/Sisal Biocomposites at Different Recycle Steps. Polymers, 11(9), 1477.
  24. Moliner C., Finocchio E., Arato E., Ramis G. and Lagazzo A. (2020). Influence of the Degradation Medium on Water Uptake, Morphology, and Chemical Structure of Poly(Lactic Acid)-Sisal Bio-Composites. Materials, 13(18), 3974.
  25. Moliner C., Pasquale G. and Arato E. (2024). Municipal Plastic Waste Recycling through Pyrogasification. Energies, 17(5), 1206.
  26. Neste (2023). Neste, Uponor, Wastewise Group and Borealis enable chemical recycling of hard-to-recycle plastic waste into new high-quality plastic pipes. Text available on the site: -- https://www.neste.com/releases-and-news/circular-economy/neste-uponor-wastewise-group-and-borealis-enable-chemical-recycling-hard-recycle-plastic-waste-new.
  27. NextChem (2022). NextChem completa il 1° impianto dimostrativo in italia di riciclo chimico di pet e poliestere da tessuti. Text available on the site: -- https://www.nextchem.it/it/newsroom/comunicati-stampa/dettaglio/primo-impianto-italia-riciclo-chimico-pet-poliestere-tessuti/.
  28. Novamont (2023). Relazione d’impatto 2022. Text available on the site: -- https://www.novamont.com/public/Bilancio%20di%20sostenibilit%C3%A0/No vamont%20Relazione%20Impatto_2022.pdf.
  29. OECD (2018). Improving Markets for Recycled Plastics: Trends, Prospects and Policy Responses, OECD Publishing, Paris.
  30. The European Parliament and of the Council (1994). Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste.
  31. The European Parliament and of the Council (2008). Directive 2008/98/CE on waste and repealing certain Directives.
  32. The European Parliament and of the Council (2018a). Directive 2018/852/CE amending Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste.
  33. The European Parliament and of the Council (2018b). Directive 2018/851/CE amending Directive 2008/98/EC on waste.
  34. The European Parliament and of the Council (2019). Directive 2019/904/UE on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment.
  35. The European Parliament (2024). Deal on new rules for more sustainable packaging in the EU. Text available on the site: -- https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/ it/press-room/20240301IPR18595/deal-on-new-rules-for-more-sustainable-packaging-in-the-eu.
  36. Plastics Europe (2023). Chemical recycling and the role of mass balance. Text available on the site: -- https://plasticseurope.org/sustainability/circularity/recycling/chemical-recycling/.
  37. Romero M., Capuano D. and Miranda C. (2022a). Economic and Environmental Performance of Biowaste-to-energy Technologies for Small-scale Electricity Generation. Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy, (10): 12-18.
  38. Romero M., Duca D. and Toscano G. (2022b). Advancements in the Conversion of Lipid-Rich Biowastes and Lignocellulosic Residues into High-Quality Road and Jet Biofuels Using Nanomaterials as Catalysts. Processes, (10): 187.
  39. Saimpen (2023). Saipem e Garbo insieme per lo sviluppo di una nuova tecnologia per il riciclo delle plastiche. Text available on the site: -- https://www.saipem.com/it/media/comunicati-stampa/2023-03-15/saipem-e-garbo-insieme-lo-sviluppo-di-una-nuova-tecnologia-il.
  40. Sirmax (2024). Soluzioni Bio: BioComp. Text available on the site: -- https://www.sirmax.com/it/compound/soluzioni-bio.
  41. Schwarz Group (2023). Circular systems. Text available on the site: -- https://gruppe.schwarz/en/sustainability/circular-systems#packaging.
  42. The European Chemicals Agency (2021). Chemical Recycling of Polymeric Materials from Waste in the Circular Economy. Text available on the site: -- https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/1459379/chem_recycling_final_report _en.pdf/887c4182-8327-e197-0bc4-17a5d608de6e.
  43. Versalis (2023). Versalis: a Mantova aperto il cantiere per l’impianto per il riciclo chimico delle plastiche. Text available on the site: -- https://versalis.eni.com/it-IT/news/comunicati-stampa/2023/mantova-hoop.html.
  44. Zimmermann L., Dombrowski A., Volker C. and Wagner M. (2020). Are bioplastics and plant-based materials safer than conventional plastics? In vitro toxicity and chemical composition. Environment International, 145, 106066.

Max J.A. Romero, Cristina Moliner, Elisabetta Arato, Discussion on plastic waste management hierarchy in "RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA'" 1/2024, pp 121-140, DOI: 10.3280/RISS2024-001008