| Title |
Material flow analysis and circularity assessment of plastic packaging: An application to Portugal |
| ID_Doc |
16675 |
| Authors |
Gonçalves, M; Freire, F; Garcia, R |
| Title |
Material flow analysis and circularity assessment of plastic packaging: An application to Portugal |
| Year |
2024 |
| Published |
|
| DOI |
10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107795 |
| Abstract |
Material flow analysis (MFA) has been used to investigate plastic flows, albeit with limitations in providing a comprehensive assessment. This article proposes an MFA-based approach to assess circularity and presents an application to plastic packaging in Portugal, assessing flows (from polymer production to post-consumption treatment), calculating circularity indicators with different scopes, and analyzing circular economy scenarios. Results show that plastic packaging has a low circularity due to short lifespans and low recycling rates. The recycled input rate indicates an 11 % contribution of recycled materials in reducing the use of virgin materials. The circular economy scenarios analyzed show that meeting the European Plastics Pact targets for 2025 is theoretically viable; however, achieving them requires ambitious enhancements, such as improvements in recyclability and incorporating more recycled materials towards a more circular plastic packaging system. The MFA-based approach proposed can be applied to other products and materials. |
| Author Keywords |
Circular economy; Circularity indicators; Material flow analysis (MFA); Plastic packaging; Waste Management |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) |
| EID |
WOS:001270698700001 |
| WoS Category |
Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences |
| Research Area |
Engineering; Environmental Sciences & Ecology |
| PDF |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2024.107795
|