How does future decarbonization in industries affect the climate benefits of plastic recycling? A market share-based model for the avoided burden approach of life cycle assessment

IF 11.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Resources Conservation and Recycling Pub Date : 2025-04-10 DOI:10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108305

Kazuma Hirata, Daiki Kata, Jun Nakatani

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Abstract

In the life cycle assessment (LCA) of recycling, the estimation of avoided burdens influences environmental benefits. This study formulated a model for the avoided burden approach in LCA that uses the market share of relevant materials and energy to take the impact of future decarbonization in the industry into account. The model was applied to a case study on recycling and recovery options for plastic packaging in Japan. The results showed that, as decarbonization progressed in the relevant industries, environmental benefits on climate change impacts were substantially affected for chemical recycling through gasification (ammonia production) and energy recovery (solid fuel production and use) but only marginally affected for mechanical recycling. It was suggested that recycling and recovery options that could provide secondary materials or energy for industries whose production processes would be reliant on fossil-derived materials be prioritized during the transition phase to a decarbonized society.

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来源期刊

Resources Conservation and Recycling 环境科学-工程：环境

CiteScore

22.90

自引率

6.10%

发文量

625

审稿时长

23 days

期刊介绍： The journal Resources, Conservation & Recycling welcomes contributions from research, which consider sustainable management and conservation of resources. The journal prioritizes understanding the transformation processes crucial for transitioning toward more sustainable production and consumption systems. It highlights technological, economic, institutional, and policy aspects related to specific resource management practices such as conservation, recycling, and resource substitution, as well as broader strategies like improving resource productivity and restructuring production and consumption patterns. Contributions may address regional, national, or international scales and can range from individual resources or technologies to entire sectors or systems. Authors are encouraged to explore scientific and methodological issues alongside practical, environmental, and economic implications. However, manuscripts focusing solely on laboratory experiments without discussing their broader implications will not be considered for publication in the journal.