Microsoft Word - Environmental benefits of recycling 2010 update.doc

Plastics‐ n°6
Title Solid Waste Management and Greenhouse Gases
Year 2006
Author US EPA

Case

Material composition

Sub‐scenario Recycling Incinerationrecovery^ with^ energy^ Landfill

Virgin material

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

Electricity marginal: which? US average grid mix US average grid mix US average grid mix

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

Co‐products dealt with? NoNoNo

Recovered material

Material marginal: which? No inf. //

Electricity marginal: which? US average fossil fuel mix / /

Steam marginal: which? No inf. //

Co‐products dealt with? No / /

Material recovery included? Yes / /

Type of recycling Mechanicalrecyclin^ closedg‐loop^ //

In which ratio does recycled material substitute virgin material? 1 / /

General

Technology National average National average National average

Infrastructures taken into account? No inf. No inf. No inf.

Transport included? Yes Yes Yes

Energy production No Yes landfillsYes,^ for^ withthe^ proportion energy recovery^ of^ US^

Produced energy substitutes electricity? / Yes, US average grid mix Yes, US average grid mix

Produced energy substitutes steam? / No No

Avoided processes ‐ credits virgin LDPE production / /

Material substitutes / / /

Carbon sequestration issue taken into account? / LDPE^ 84%converted^ carbon,^ to98% CO2^ of^ carbon^ /

Waste characteristics

Heating value / 18 687  BTU per pound /

Degradation rate (over  100  years) / /

Incineration

Alternative use of incineration capacity included?

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? / / No methane emissions

Material

production

Material

recovery

Material

disposal

6[LDPE]

LDPE