Growing in circles: A circular bioeconomy for plastics

Abstract

Introduction 1.1 Climate change & the impact of the plastics sector 1.2 Strategies for reducing GHG emissions and resource consumption in the plastics and chemicals sector 1.3 A circular bioeconomy for plastics 1.4 Assessing the GHG emissions and resource consumption reduction potential of a circular bioeconomy for plastics 2 The circular bioeconomy: Its elements and role in European bioeconomy clusters 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Materials and methods 2.2.1 CBE Literature review 2.2.2 Interviews with representatives of bioeconomy clusters 2.2.3 Analysing the cluster activities and strategies in the context of the CBE 2.3 Results 2.3.1 Defining the CBE and its elements 2.3.2 Strategies in European bioeconomy clusters 2.4 Discussion 2.4.1 Implementation of CBE elements in the clusters 2.4.2 Towards a sustainable, circular bioeconomy? 2.5 Conclusions and recommendations 2.6 Appendix A: Publications on the CBE concept 2.7 Appendix B: Keyword allocation to topics 2.8 Appendix C: Considered documents and homepages of the bioeconomy clusters 2.9 Appendix D: Comparison of keyword use in CBE and BE publications 2.10 Appendix E: Examples of biorefinery plants and concepts in the clusters3 The plastics integrated assessment model (PLAIA): Assessing emission mitigation pathways and circular economy strategies for the plastics sector 3.1 Overview of the model 3.1.1 Purpose of the model 3.1.2 The Non-energy demand and emissions (NEDE) model 3.1.3 Steps to enhance and further develop the NEDE model 3.1.4 Overview of the Plastics Integrated Assessment model (PLAIA) 3.2 Creating demand curves for chemicals from steam cracking 3.3 Integrating plastics demand into the model 3.3.1 Overview 3.3.2 Determining the energy content of plastics 3.3.3 Defining the upstream sources of plastic production 3.3.4 Adding refinery-sourced olefins to the model 3.3.5 Determining the demand for plastics 3.4 Primary plastic production 3.4.1 Upstream monomer production 3.4.2 Polymer production 3.4.3 Polymer transformation into products 3.5 Plastic stocks & plastic waste generation 3.6 Plastic waste collection 3.7 Plastic waste treatment 3.7.1 Overview 3.7.2 Data & assumptions for the waste treatment options 3.7.3 Defining the market shares of the waste treatment options 3.8 Carbon accounting 3.9 Model outputs 3.10 Discussion of limitations 3.10.1 Modelling the demand for plastics 3.10.2 Waste collection 3.10.3 Data bias, omissions, and simplified assumptions 3.10.4 Technological learning 3.10.5 Limitations in carbon accounting 3.10.6 Recommendations for further research 3.11 Appendix 4 Plastic futures and their CO 2 emissions 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Plastic production, waste, and stocks 4.3 Scenarios of feedstock use and emissions 4.4 Carbon storage and negative emissions 4.5 Benefits of circular strategies 4.6 Towards a sustainable plastics sector 4.7 Methods 4.7.1 The model framework 4.7.2 Modelling plastic demand 4.7.3 Plastic production 4.7.4 Waste treatment 4.7.5 Carbon accounting 4.7.6 Scenarios 4.7.7 Discussion of limitations and sensitivities 4.8 Append...