On the role of system integration in plastic waste management

The management of plastic waste is a growing concern that can harm wildlife and ecosystems, and its end-of-life policies are key to mitigating plastic environmental impact. This work presents a decision-making methodology for the thermal and material valorization of plastic waste, coupling a supply chain model with multi-objective optimization and data analytics. It highlights the challenges and vulnerabilities of plastic waste management, the importance of system integration and holistic analysis, as well as the potential for carbon capture to reduce emissions. Our results suggest that efficient incineration, coupled with simplified waste logistics, can compete with existing mechanical recycling strategies in terms of emissions and costs. This study provides insights into municipal, regional, and European waste management, with the potential for a common EU platform and savings of 210 Mton of CO2 by harvesting benefits from plastic recycling and incineration with carbon capture.