| Title | Increasing packaging grade recovery rates of plastic milk bottles in Australia: A material flow analysis approach |
|---|---|
| ID_Doc | 15940 |
| Authors | Madden, B; Jazbec, M; Florin, N |
| Title | Increasing packaging grade recovery rates of plastic milk bottles in Australia: A material flow analysis approach |
| Year | 2023 |
| Published | |
| Abstract | With Australians consuming over 2-billion litres of fresh milk annually, milk bottle packaging is a significant source of plastic packaging waste in Australia. Fresh milk consumed in Australia used-48,000 t of high -density-polyethylene (HDPE) plastic in 2019-20 with a recycled content of only-5 %. Owing to the low recycling rates it contributes significantly to overall HDPE packaging waste. To identify sustainable approaches to address this waste stream, this study developed a detailed model of the milk bottle supply and end-of-life management system for Australian used milk bottles in 2019-20 for the first time. Using milk consumption statistics, data from milk bottle label manufacturing, and HDPE packaging management data, a material flow analysis was performed to quantify flows of used milk bottles, and to evaluate possible system changes to improve recycling rates. Results indicated 39 % of milk bottles were recovered in 2019-20, with the majority of HDPE recovered utilised for non -packaging applications. A poor collection rate is the most significant factor limiting circularity of the waste stream, with only 41 % of all used milk bottles collected for recycling. Improving the collection of used milk bot-tles, through for example dedicated container collections, could result in recovery rates of approximately 60 % being achieved, with up to 50 % of recyclate generated utilised for new packaging applications. Findings from this study are relevant to other packaging material streams because the interventions considered could be broadly adopted for other plastic packaging streams to support a transition to a circular packaging economy.(c) 2023 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. |
Similar Articles
| ID | Score | Article |
|---|---|---|
23049
|
Madden, B; Florin, N Characterisation of household single-use packaging flows through a municipal waste system: A material flow analysis for New South Wales, Australia(2024)Heliyon, 10.0, 12 | |
| 7121
|
Blanco, A; Juan, RF; Istrate, R; Paredes, B; Martin-Gamboa, M; Domínguez, C; Dufour, J; García-Muñoz, RA Assessing the circularity of post-consumer HDPE milk bottles through open-loop recycling and their environmental impact(2024) | |
| 19504
|
Gritsch, L; Breslmayer, G; Rainer, R; Stipanovic, H; Tischberger-Aldrian, A; Lederer, J Critical properties of plastic packaging waste for recycling: A case study on non-beverage plastic bottles in an urban MSW system in Austria(2024) | |
| 25409
|
van Velzen, EUT; Workala, Y; Teunissen, W; Smeding, I Volatile organic contaminants in HDPE milk bottles along the mechanical recycling value chain, revealing origins and contamination pathways(2024) | |
| 24907
|
Antonopoulos, I; Faraca, G; Tonini, D Recycling of post-consumer plastic packaging waste in the EU: Recovery rates, material flows, and barriers(2021) | |
| 17303
|
Brouwer, M; Picuno, C; van Velzen, EUT; Kuchta, K; De Meester, S; Ragaert, K The impact of collection portfolio expansion on key performance indicators of the Dutch recycling system for Post-Consumer Plastic Packaging Waste, a comparison between 2014 and 2017(2019) | |
| 12266
|
Cappiello, G; Aversa, C; Genovesi, A; Barletta, M Life cycle assessment (LCA) of bio-based packaging solutions for extended shelf-life (ESL) milk(2022)Environmental Science And Pollution Research, 29.0, 13 | |
| 5813
|
Hossain, R; Islam, MT; Ghose, A; Sahajwalla, V Full circle: Challenges and prospects for plastic waste management in Australia to achieve circular economy(2022) | |
| 5189
|
Ingrao, C; Wojnarowska, M Findings from a streamlined life cycle assessment of PET-bottles for beverage-packaging applications, in the context of circular economy(2023) | |
| 17924
|
Picuno, C; Alassali, A; Chong, ZK; Kuchta, K Flows of post-consumer plastic packaging in Germany: An MFA-aided case study(2021) |