The production of valuable products and fuel from plastic waste in Africa

Amankwa, Mark Opoku; Tetteh, Emmanuel Kweinor; Mohale, G. Thabang; Dagba, Gershon; Opoku, Prince

doi:10.1007/s43621-021-00040-z

Cited by 25 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…Common plastic wastes primarily include polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density PE (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP), and it is estimated that over 60% of plastic waste urban solids are composed of polyolefins, mainly low-density PE (LDPE), linear LDPE, HDPE, and PP [229]. Plastic waste from these polymers has complex mixtures of additives to configure specific properties in the final material, including, for example, thermal stabilizers, lubricating pigments, heat and light stabilizers, antioxidants, flame retardants and plasticizers [230,231]. The literature has reported that some of these additives have characteristics of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as bisphenol A (BPA) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) [231], and these and other additives were classified as persistent contaminants [231].…”

Section: Accumulation Of Plastic Waste In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Plastic waste from these polymers has complex mixtures of additives to configure specific properties in the final material, including, for example, thermal stabilizers, lubricating pigments, heat and light stabilizers, antioxidants, flame retardants and plasticizers [230,231]. The literature has reported that some of these additives have characteristics of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as bisphenol A (BPA) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) [231], and these and other additives were classified as persistent contaminants [231]. As the content of additives in different waste products with different purposes can vary greatly, the chemical composition of recycled plastic is often unknown [232], which causes concern about the inappropriate disposal of this plastic waste into the environment, and the high degree of contamination, mainly in water bodies, with contaminants that are normally difficult to remove in conventional treatments.…”

Section: Accumulation Of Plastic Waste In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Accumulation Of Plastic Waste In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…flame retardants and plasticizers [230,231]. The literature has reported that some of these additives have characteristics of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as bisphenol A (BPA) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) [231], and these and other additives were classified as persistent contaminants [231].…”

Section: Accumulation Of Plastic Waste In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To understand the processes used to transform plastic waste into valuable products to pursue sustainable development, it is essential to understand the different plastics, the waste management chain, and the distribution components. This is essential to understand the nature of the problem and perform the best measures to reduce plastic waste improperly dumped into the environment [231]. Importantly, the use of evolving innovative technologies and practices can increase the efficiency of supply chains as well as organizations, while reducing environmental Importantly, the use of evolving innovative technologies and practices can increase the efficiency of supply chains as well as organizations, while reducing environmental degradation through its economic flourishing.…”

Section: Accumulation Of Plastic Waste In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conversion of Plastic Waste into Supports for Nanostructured Heterogeneous Catalysts: Application in Environmental Remediation

et al. 2021

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Plastics are ubiquitous in our society and are used in many industries, such as packaging, electronics, the automotive industry, and medical and health sectors, and plastic waste is among the types of waste of higher environmental concern. The increase in the amount of plastic waste produced daily has increased environmental problems, such as pollution by micro-plastics, contamination of the food chain, biodiversity degradation and economic losses. The selective and efficient conversion of plastic waste for applications in environmental remediation, such as by obtaining composites, is a strategy of the scientific community for the recovery of plastic waste. The development of polymeric supports for efficient, sustainable, and low-cost heterogeneous catalysts for the treatment of organic/inorganic contaminants is highly desirable yet still a great challenge; this will be the main focus of this work. Common commercial polymers, like polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene therephthalate, polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride, are addressed herein, as are their main physicochemical properties, such as molecular mass, degree of crystallinity and others. Additionally, we discuss the environmental and health risks of plastic debris and the main recycling technologies as well as their issues and environmental impact. The use of nanomaterials raises concerns about toxicity and reinforces the need to apply supports; this means that the recycling of plastics in this way may tackle two issues. Finally, we dissert about the advances in turning plastic waste into support for nanocatalysts for environmental remediation, mainly metal and metal oxide nanoparticles.

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Section: Accumulation Of Plastic Waste In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Accumulation Of Plastic Waste In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Accumulation Of Plastic Waste In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Accumulation Of Plastic Waste In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Accumulation Of Plastic Waste In the Environmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conversion of Plastic Waste into Supports for Nanostructured Heterogeneous Catalysts: Application in Environmental Remediation

et al. 2021

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A review of the co‐liquefaction of biomass feedstocks and plastic wastes for biofuel production

Baloyi,

Patel

2024

Biofuels Bioprod Bioref

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Interest has emerged recently in addressing the long‐standing issue of waste plastic disposal and environmental challenges through the co‐liquefaction of waste plastics with eco‐friendly renewable biomass resources, including microalgae biomass and lignocellulosic biomass, to produce biofuels. Co‐liquefaction provides a viable alternative for managing plastic waste while contributing to biofuel production. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the advances in the co‐liquefaction of various mixtures of plastic waste and different types of biomass feedstocks (lignocellulosic and algal) for the production of biofuels.The influence of various reaction parameters, such as feedstock composition (blending ratio), temperature, catalyst type and loading, solvents, and reaction time on the product yield are explored. The synergistic interaction during the co‐liquefaction of biomass and plastic and the distribution and properties of biofuel products are also discussed.The findings demonstrate that maximum product yields vary depending on the final temperature, and the blending ratio plays a crucial role in determining the distribution of liquefaction products. Of particular interest is biocrude oil, the components of which are influenced by the composition of the feedstock material. The distribution of organic elements in the biochar is contingent upon the type of plastic used. Although the analysis of gas‐phase components is often overlooked, the reaction medium's composition is shown to impact the resulting gas composition.Finally, based on the insights gleaned from the literature, this review presents future perspectives on the subject matter. In general, the co‐liquefaction process offers a viable option for sustainable biofuel production and is a promising approach to address the waste plastics disposal challenges effectively, contributing to the valorization of plastic waste to achieve a circular bioeconomy in the future.

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