
Expanding the collection portfolio of plastic packaging : impact on quantity and quality of sorted plastic waste fractions
- Author
- Martijn Roosen (UGent) , Nicolas Mys (UGent) , Kerstin Kleinhans, Irdanto Saputra Lase (UGent) , Sophie Huysveld (UGent) , Marieke Brouwer, Eggo U. Thoden van Velzen, Kevin Van Geem (UGent) , Jo Dewulf (UGent) , Kim Ragaert (UGent) , Ann Dumoulin (UGent) and Steven De Meester (UGent)
- Organization
- Project
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- MATTER: Mechanical and Thermochemical Recycling of mixed plastic waste
- OPTIMA (OPTIMA: PrOcess intensification and innovation in olefin ProducTion by Multiscale Analysis and design)
- Abstract
- Expanding the curbside collection system for household plastic packaging could help in accomplishing the ambitious recycling targets set by the European Union. In this study, the effects of such expansion in terms of quality and quantity of sorted plastic waste fractions were investigated. By applying a validated sorting model, the flows of packages in Belgium from their use phase until the output of the sorting plant and the quantity and composition of sorted waste fractions were simulated. These data were subsequently used to calculate existing performance indicators, such as grade and recovery, as well as new indicators, such as the Simpson’s Diversity Index (SDI), which is a measure for the compositional diversity of sorted waste fractions. The highest SDI was calculated for the fraction named ‘other films’, namely 82%, showing that this fraction comprised the most diverse polymer mixture. Results indicated that certain sorted fractions achieve high product grade levels, e.g. more than 99% for the PS rigid fraction, whereas others had significantly lower product grades of approximately 80% for the PE films. Material Flow Analysis showed that by expanding the collection portfolio the collection rate of plastic packaging increased from 33.6 to 64.4 m%, of which 77.3% is simulated to be separated in the targeted waste fractions. However, this will be insufficient to meet the recycling target of 50% by 2025 as in total only 49.8% of plastic packaging is sorted correctly. Hence, additional improvements in both recycling technologies and packaging design are needed to further increase plastic recycling rates
- Keywords
- Packaging waste, Performance indicators, Plastic recycling, Material flow analysis, Compositional data, PERFORMANCE INDICATORS, RECYCLING SYSTEM, PYROLYSIS, OIL, PET
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8729398
- MLA
- Roosen, Martijn, et al. “Expanding the Collection Portfolio of Plastic Packaging : Impact on Quantity and Quality of Sorted Plastic Waste Fractions.” RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING, vol. 178, 2022, doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.106025.
- APA
- Roosen, M., Mys, N., Kleinhans, K., Lase, I. S., Huysveld, S., Brouwer, M., … De Meester, S. (2022). Expanding the collection portfolio of plastic packaging : impact on quantity and quality of sorted plastic waste fractions. RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING, 178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.106025
- Chicago author-date
- Roosen, Martijn, Nicolas Mys, Kerstin Kleinhans, Irdanto Saputra Lase, Sophie Huysveld, Marieke Brouwer, Eggo U. Thoden van Velzen, et al. 2022. “Expanding the Collection Portfolio of Plastic Packaging : Impact on Quantity and Quality of Sorted Plastic Waste Fractions.” RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING 178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.106025.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Roosen, Martijn, Nicolas Mys, Kerstin Kleinhans, Irdanto Saputra Lase, Sophie Huysveld, Marieke Brouwer, Eggo U. Thoden van Velzen, Kevin Van Geem, Jo Dewulf, Kim Ragaert, Ann Dumoulin, and Steven De Meester. 2022. “Expanding the Collection Portfolio of Plastic Packaging : Impact on Quantity and Quality of Sorted Plastic Waste Fractions.” RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING 178. doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.106025.
- Vancouver
- 1.Roosen M, Mys N, Kleinhans K, Lase IS, Huysveld S, Brouwer M, et al. Expanding the collection portfolio of plastic packaging : impact on quantity and quality of sorted plastic waste fractions. RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING. 2022;178.
- IEEE
- [1]M. Roosen et al., “Expanding the collection portfolio of plastic packaging : impact on quantity and quality of sorted plastic waste fractions,” RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING, vol. 178, 2022.
@article{8729398, abstract = {{Expanding the curbside collection system for household plastic packaging could help in accomplishing the ambitious recycling targets set by the European Union. In this study, the effects of such expansion in terms of quality and quantity of sorted plastic waste fractions were investigated. By applying a validated sorting model, the flows of packages in Belgium from their use phase until the output of the sorting plant and the quantity and composition of sorted waste fractions were simulated. These data were subsequently used to calculate existing performance indicators, such as grade and recovery, as well as new indicators, such as the Simpson’s Diversity Index (SDI), which is a measure for the compositional diversity of sorted waste fractions. The highest SDI was calculated for the fraction named ‘other films’, namely 82%, showing that this fraction comprised the most diverse polymer mixture. Results indicated that certain sorted fractions achieve high product grade levels, e.g. more than 99% for the PS rigid fraction, whereas others had significantly lower product grades of approximately 80% for the PE films. Material Flow Analysis showed that by expanding the collection portfolio the collection rate of plastic packaging increased from 33.6 to 64.4 m%, of which 77.3% is simulated to be separated in the targeted waste fractions. However, this will be insufficient to meet the recycling target of 50% by 2025 as in total only 49.8% of plastic packaging is sorted correctly. Hence, additional improvements in both recycling technologies and packaging design are needed to further increase plastic recycling rates}}, articleno = {{106025}}, author = {{Roosen, Martijn and Mys, Nicolas and Kleinhans, Kerstin and Lase, Irdanto Saputra and Huysveld, Sophie and Brouwer, Marieke and Thoden van Velzen, Eggo U. and Van Geem, Kevin and Dewulf, Jo and Ragaert, Kim and Dumoulin, Ann and De Meester, Steven}}, issn = {{0921-3449}}, journal = {{RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING}}, keywords = {{Packaging waste,Performance indicators,Plastic recycling,Material flow analysis,Compositional data,PERFORMANCE INDICATORS,RECYCLING SYSTEM,PYROLYSIS,OIL,PET}}, language = {{eng}}, pages = {{13}}, title = {{Expanding the collection portfolio of plastic packaging : impact on quantity and quality of sorted plastic waste fractions}}, url = {{http://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.106025}}, volume = {{178}}, year = {{2022}}, }
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