Circularizing PET-G Multimaterials: Life Cycle Assessment and Techno-Economic Analysis

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Multimaterial recycling, particularly for payment and access cards, presents significant challenges.
• Previous research confirmed the feasibility of chemically recycling glycol-modified poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET-G) payment cards.
• Investigating sustainable end-of-life solutions for complex plastic products is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the environmental and economic viability of two distinct chemical recycling scenarios for PET-G payment cards.
• To compare the benefits of recovering all depolymerized components versus only major components.
• To determine the key economic drivers and sensitivities for each recycling scenario.

Main Methods:

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was employed to quantify environmental impacts.
• Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) was used to assess economic feasibility and costs.
• Two chemical recycling scenarios were defined and compared: full component recovery (Scenario 1) and major component recovery (Scenario 2).

Main Results:

• Scenario 1, recovering all components, demonstrated substantial environmental benefits, including up to a 67% reduction in global warming potential.
• Scenario 1 incurred 69% higher total annualized costs compared to Scenario 2.
• Scenario 2 presented a lower risk and was more economically feasible, though with reduced environmental benefits.

Conclusions:

• Full chemical recycling of PET-G payment cards offers significant environmental advantages but requires specific economic conditions for profitability.
• Partial recovery (Scenario 2) provides a more economically robust yet less environmentally sustainable recycling pathway.
• The choice between recycling scenarios depends on balancing environmental goals with economic realities and market prices for recovered materials.