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Updated: Oct 20, 2025

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
Published on: November 30, 2020
Towards a Plastic Circular Economy: Bio-derived Plastics and their End-of-life Strategies
Simon B C Verstraeten1,2, Antoine van Muyden1,2, Felix D Bobbink1
1Plastogaz SA, EPFL Innovation Park Batiment C, CH-1015 Lausanne.
Abstract:
Herein, we describe the status of bio-derived plastics as well as the existing and emerging technologies that are available for their post-consumer end-of-life valorization. We first present how bio-derived plastics can be produced from renewable materials such as biomass and CO₂. In the second section, we present an overview of the technologies available for the end-of-life, including pyrolysis and gasification and how they can be leveraged towards a circular economy. We continue the discussion with the presentation of an emerging technology, polyolefin hydrocracking. Finally, the concepts are discussed in light of life cycle analysis that helps to assess the sustainability of manufacture (and recycling) methods.
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