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Title Post-consumer plastic packaging waste flow analysis for Brazil: The challenges moving towards a circular economy
ID_Doc 4279
Authors Pincelli, IP; Júnior, ABD; Matias, MS; Rutkowski, EW
Title Post-consumer plastic packaging waste flow analysis for Brazil: The challenges moving towards a circular economy
Year 2021
Published
DOI 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.04.005
Abstract Plastic packaging has been used increasingly worldwide ina broad range of application. Plastic packaging has a short lifetime, which generates a large amount of waste. However, robust information on plastic packaging waste flow is generally not available, especially for developing countries such as Brazil. We analyzed and quantified Brazilian post-consumer plastic packaging waste (PPW) flows using material flow analysis (MFA) for the year 2017. The system modeled covered from the manufacturing stage of plastic packaging up to its waste management stage. We used a range of data sources, whose quality we assessed using uncertainty characterization. The results showed that Brazil generated 12 Mt of PPW in 2017, and the management of 63% of that was not monitored. The majority of monitored PPW was disposed of into landfills, but 0.8 Mt of PPW was improperly disposed. Informal collection was 24% greater than formally managed selective collection. Only 4.5% of the PPW generated in Brazil was recycled. The results identified the major national challenges in relation to PPW management as being that information systems needed to be improved, informal waste collectors needed to be socially and productively included in the management systems, and recovery systems needed to be developed towards a circular economy. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Author Keywords Post-consumer plastic packaging; Material flow analysis; Resource management; Waste management; Circular economy
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
EID WOS:000656156200002
WoS Category Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences
Research Area Engineering; Environmental Sciences & Ecology
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