A Sustainable Approach to Plastic Waste Management in the Global South

Although the awareness of the environmental damage caused by plastic pollution has recently increased, few steps have been taken to confront its consequences. These consequences are often most severe in the Global South where countries often lack proper waste management infrastructure. Unless the market value of plastic waste increases, it will simply be discarded, eventually making its way to the environment. It has been established that polyolefin plastic can be converted to a sulfur-free fuel oil by pyrolysis, suitable for use in diesel engines or as a clean cooking fuel. However, carrying out this chemistry in the Global South is challenging. Any process intended for use in the Global South must be safe, robust, efficient, simple to operate, low cost, and most importantly profitable for the operator. When the average daily wage in sub-Saharan Africa is less than 3 USD, an income provided from plastic waste fuel can be significant. The research presented herein focuses on the optimization of a plastic-to-fuel processor that can be built using the principles of appropriate technology. The results of this optimization and profitability assessment will be described. This research has been conducted in collaboration with the NGOs Empowered Solutions for Environmental Sustainability and UpCycle Africa.