Microsoft Word - Environmental benefits of recycling 2010 update.doc

Plastics‐ n°2
Title LCAplastics^ of^ management^ options^ for^ mixed^ waste^
Year 2008
Author Shonfield

Case

Material composition

Sub‐scenario Landfill Incinerationrecovery^ with^ energy^ recyclingPyrolysis for^ of PPPET^ and and^ PE PVC)^ (+^ Pyrolysisrecycling^ of for^ PP, PET^ PE and^ and PVC)^ PS^ (+^

Virgin material

Material marginal: which? / / No inf. No inf.

Electricity marginal: which? / / average UK electricity mix average UK electricity mix

Steam marginal: which? / / No inf. No inf.

Co‐products dealt with? / / No inf. No inf.

Recovered material

Material marginal: which? / / No inf. No inf.

Electricity marginal: which? / / average UK electricity mix average UK electricity mix

Steam marginal: which? / / No inf. No inf.

Co‐products dealt with? / / No inf. No inf.

Material recovery included? / / Yes Yes

Type of recycling / / Mechanical^ recycling,loop^ closed^ Mechanical^ recycling,loop^ closed^

In which ratio does recycled material substitute

virgin material? //11

General

Technology collection,landfill^ gas leachate^ and^ leachate treatment^ 23% efficiency

Near‐infrared sorting, BP

polymer cracking process

suitable for polyolefins

Near‐infrared sorting, Ozmotech

process

Infrastructures taken into account? No No No No

Transport included? Yes Yes Yes Yes

Energy production No Yes Yes Yes

Produced energy substitutes electricity? / gas‐fired power plant gasincineration‐fired^ power of^ plant residues^ for^ the^ gasincineration‐fired^ power of^ plant residues^ for^ the^

Produced energy substitutes steam? / NoNoNo

Avoided processes ‐ credits / /

naphta, paraffin, refinery gas

production for pyrolysis; virgin

plastic production for recycling

diesel oil production for

pyrolysis; virgin plastic

production for recycling

Material substitutes / / / /

Carbon sequestration issue taken into account? No sequestration///

Waste characteristics

Heating value /

PE: 42,47 MJ/kg

PP: 30,78 MJ/kg

PET: 22,95 MJ/kg

PS: 38,67 MJ/kg

PVC:  21 ,5 1  MJ/kg

//

Degradation rate (over  100  years) No inf. / / /

Incineration

Alternative use of incineration capacity included? / No inf. / /

Composting

Compost spreading for composting taken into

account? ////

Compost leaching after spreading taken into

account? ////

Reference to EN 13432:2000 (Requirements for

Packaging Recoverable Through Composting and

Biodegradation)?

////

Landfill

Methane emissions included? Yes / / /

2  [MIX]

plastics mix (40% PP, 17% PET, 15% PE, 11% PVC, 6% PS, others)

Material

production

Material

recovery

Material

disposal