Understanding the life cycle of plastics: data and metrics
Facilitated by Gavin Walker (CSIRO)
Tu Xayachak (RMIT University)
Life-cycle assessment: its applications and limitations in plastic waste management
Life-cycle assessment (LCA), as an environmental analysis tool, allows us to quantitatively evaluate the holistic impacts of plastic materials throughout all stages of their life cycle, from material extraction to manufacturing to disposal/recycling. Drawing inspiration from our peer-reviewed publications, this presentation explores how LCA can be used to support innovative waste management solutions and promote data-driven decision-making in the context of “Ending Plastic Waste” mission and circular economy. Through detailed LCA studies, our research not only provides actionable insights for stakeholders and policymakers, but also highlights the limitations of LCA methodologies being used in the plastic sector and our recommendations for enhanced analyses and transparency.
Dr Narges Emami (CSIRO)
Material flow analysis of plastic in Australia
Plastic is essential in modern life due to its versatility, durability, and affordability, but it poses significant environmental challenges. Australia has experienced a notable increase in plastic waste generation, exposing significant regional disparities in usage and waste management. Despite high consumption, local production is limited, primarily driven by the manufacturing and construction sectors. These findings emphasize the urgent need for enhanced recycling and sustainable practices to mitigate pollution. This presentation will explore the lifecycle of major polymers in Australia, covering production through to waste management, and will also emphasize notable disparities in plastic waste management and recycling rates across different regions, offering insights for targeted interventions.
Presentation not available. Please contact the presenter directly.
Dr Jeroen Wassenaar (Cleanaway)
Recycled content traceability for circular plastics
Traceability of recycled inputs through plastic supply chains is critical to substantiate claims for sustainable plastic products and packaging, particularly considering upcoming regulatory reforms that may contain mandatory recycled content obligations. Traceability of mechanically recycled plastics is relatively straightforward as they remain either physically segregated during processing or are physically blended with virgin resin. However, circular plastics derived from chemical recycling require mass balance accounting to enable the co-processing of recycled inputs with conventional feedstock. Mass balance is therefore a critical enabler for using existing facilities to build scale rapidly for recycled content plastics and deliver a domestic circular solution for hard-to-recycle plastics such as soft plastics. The paper will cover the mass balance concept in detail applied to circular plastics in Australia.
Presentation not available. Please contact the presenter directly.
Peter Bury (Chemistry Australia)