An overview of the challenges and trade-offs in closing the loop of post-consumer plastic waste (PCPW): Focus on recycling

We present an overview of how design, production, collection and sorting of PCPW present challenges for its recycling, which in turn result to a number of trade-offs. We explain that the evaluation of the multi-dimensional implications of trade-offs, arising from the PCPW recycling, is essential in measuring the long-term sustainability of such systems. This work scrutinises the sustainability of closing the plastic waste loops and sets a future research agenda.Graphical abstract
Source: Journal of Hazardous Materials - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research