Advanced sorting of plastics can yield significant climate benefits
The more thoroughly we sort our plastic packaging by plastic type, the more times it can be recycled. This means that advanced sorting of plastic packaging can reduce the climate impact of recycling. The highest emissions are produced by primary production and waste incineration of plastics.
Emma Moberg
Researchers and experts from IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, together with research and consulting company TERRA and Svensk Plaståtervinning, have investigated the climate impact of different quality levels of recycling of plastic packaging. The study has a broad life cycle perspective, which includes the impact on other waste management and its relation to the energy system today and in the longer term. The results show that the more advanced the sorting of plastics used, the lower the climate impact can be.
With better sorting, where different types of plastic are separated, the plastic can be recycled into new packaging or into other products, without unnecessary quality losses. The material can then be recycled multiple times. This reduces the need for both primary raw materials and incineration
, says Emma Moberg, researcher and LCA expert at IVL.
A comparison of three ways of managing plastic waste showed that no recycling at all had the highest climate impact. Low-quality recycling was found to have a slightly lower climate impact. However, with advanced sorting and high-quality recycling, the climate benefit was significantly higher.
The longer you can maintain the quality of the plastic in the life cycle through advanced sorting, the lower emissions we can get in the system
, says Tomas Ekvall of research and consultancy company TERRA, lead author of the study.
Different criteria needed in legislation
The current legislation for recycling plastic packaging waste in Sweden favours recycling over incineration, but does not take into account the potential environmental and circularity benefits that different levels of recycling can deliver.
The study shows that from a resource and climate perspective, there is a considerable difference between recycling with or without advanced sorting for mixed plastic waste. Therefore, appropriate requirements and instruments should be devised accordingly
, says Linnea Granström, climate and environmental strategist at Svensk Plaståtervinning.
Download the report: Comparing high-quality recycling and downcycling of plastics
External link, opens in new window.
For more information, contact:
Emma Moberg, emma.moberg@ivl.se, tel. +46 (0)10-788 68 64
Tomas Ekvall, TERRA, terra@tomasekvall.se, tel. +46 (0)70-378 90 03
Rickard Jansson, Svensk Plaståtervinning, rickard.jansson@svenskplastatervinning.se, tel. +46 (0)76-799 90 18
The study was carried out by TERRA, Svensk Plaståtervinning, and Emma Moberg and Tomas Rydberg, researchers at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. The project was funded by the Swedish Institute for Water and Air Pollution Research (SIVL) and Svensk Plaståtervinning.