Feasibility study for the establishment of waste management with carbon capture (PLASTICO₂)

Plastic pollution
Plastic pollution is one of the most urgent environmental challenges facing the world today. Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste are generated, most of which end up in landfills or the ocean, where they pose a threat to wildlife, ecosystems, and human health. Today, worldwide, we consume 460 million tons of plastic each year, of which only 29 million tons are recycled. Around 80 percent of the plastic waste is believed to be stored in landfills. Plastic is leaking into rivers and seas from landfills and other sources like sewers. It is estimated that between 19 and 23 million tons of plastic entered the ocean in 2016 and predicted to reach around 30 Mt per year in 2030 if no measures are implemented to reduce or mitigate this. Plastic waste also contributes to climate change, as it is derived from oil and releases greenhouse gases when it degrades or is burned. As an example, about 50 % of the CO₂ emission from US WtE plants is estimated to be generated from plastic incineration, corresponding to about 6.6 Mtons CO₂e per year. Accordingly, incineration of larger quantities of plastic containing waste or pure plastics, would cause high equivalent CO₂ emissions, hence such processes must be equipped with CCS.

The PLASTICO₂-project concluded that plastic already entered into the ocean will be almost impossible to collect and remove from the environment, so all measures should be taken to keep it from getting there.

For more information, see link below.