economia
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IETC International Environmental Technology Centre Policy Brief on Waste Plastic What, Why and How More information , including Guidance Material Demonstration Pilot Project Reports Compendium of Technologies on our website: http:// www.unep.org/ietc In this policy brief ... What is waste plastic? What are the issues at stake? What are the benefits of the conver- sion of waste plastic into fuel? Why is waste plastic not converted into fuel on a global scale? How can IETC help? Technology options What has IETC done in terms of pro- motion? How has IETC supported policy de- velopment? What are the issues at stake? In developing countries, economic growth and changes in consumption and pro- duction patterns have caused a sharp increase in plastics‟ use and, consequently, waste plastic is becoming a major waste stream. Due to the properties of the plastics, the high quantities being generated and the lack of efficient end-of-life management, this poses serious threats to the environ- ment and human health. Even in best cases, when plastics are disposed off in sanitary landfills, they occupy large spaces and prevent the proper decay of other waste. Additionally, all these practices ignore the potential for waste plastic to be con- verted into energy. What are the benefits of the conversion of waste plastic into fuel? Converting waste plastic into fuel has environmental and economic benefits: It decreases the amount of waste plastic dumped in landfills and the environ- ment, reducing its harmful environmental and sanitary effects. It can easily become economically viable and generate economic growth. It fosters resource conservation, as use of conventional fuels is avoided. It reduces emissions of the green house gases responsible for global warming, as fossil fuel are used less for the necessary generation of energy. What is waste plastic? The term „waste plastic‟ refers to discarded products made from plastic material, which is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids that are moldable. It consists of various household or industrial items such as PET bottles, plastic shopping bags, toys, containers, packaging materials, etc. Those items come in different forms and types of plastic. Next page Contact us [email protected] Did you know? Global plastic production increased 5% per year over the past 20 years. In 2010, 265 million tonnes of plastic were produced globally, 15 million more than the previous year. Waste plastic recycling rates are generally low. As an example, it was 14.5% in the USA in 2008. Waste plastic, if properly handled, can be used as a source of energy. RDF : Refuse Derived Fuel ; RPF : Refuse Paper & Plastic Waste Fuel Plastics considered in this case are made of polyethylene. 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 Municipal waste Wood / paper RDF RPF Coal Heavy oil Plastics Heating values for various fuel and waste (kcal / kg) 13/05/2013
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IETC International Environmental
Technology Centre
Policy Brief on Waste Plastic What, Why and How
More information, including
Guidance Material
Demonstration Pilot Project Reports
Compendium of Technologies
on our website: http:// www.unep.org/ietc
In this policy brief ...
What is waste plastic?
What are the issues at stake?
What are the benefits of the conver-sion of waste plastic into fuel?
Why is waste plastic not converted into fuel on a global scale?
How can IETC help?
Technology options
What has IETC done in terms of pro-motion?
How has IETC supported policy de-velopment?
What are the issues at stake?
In developing countries, economic growth and changes in consumption and pro-duction patterns have caused a sharp increase in plastics use and, consequently, waste plastic is becoming a major waste stream.
Due to the properties of the plastics, the high quantities being generated and the lack of efficient end-of-life management, this poses serious threats to the environ-ment and human health. Even in best cases, when plastics are disposed off in sanitary landfills, they occupy large spaces and prevent the proper decay of other waste.
Additionally, all these practices ignore the potential for waste plastic to be con-verted into energy.
What are the benefits of the conversion of waste plastic into fuel?
Converting waste plastic into fuel has environmental and economic benefits:
It decreases the amount of waste plastic dumped in landfills and the environ-ment, reducing its harmful environmental and sanitary effects.
It can easily become economically viable and generate economic growth.
It fosters resource conservation, as use of conventional fuels is avoided.
It reduces emissions of the green house gases responsible for global warming, as fossil fuel are used less for the necessary generation of energy.
What is waste plastic?
The term waste plastic refers to discarded products made from plastic material, which is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids that are moldable. It consists of various household or industrial items such as PET bottles, plastic shopping bags, toys, containers, packaging materials, etc. Those items come in different forms and types of plastic.
Next page
Contact us [email protected]
Did you know?
Global plastic production increased 5% per year over the past 20 years.
In 2010, 265 million tonnes of plastic were produced globally, 15 million more than the previous year.
Waste plastic recycling rates are generally low. As an example, it was 14.5% in the USA in 2008.
Waste plastic, if properly handled, can be used as a source of energy.
RDF: Refuse Derived Fuel ; RPF: Refuse Paper & Plastic Waste Fuel Plastics considered in this case are made of polyethylene.
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
Municipal waste
Wood / paper
RDF RPF Coal Heavy oil Plastics
Heating values for various fuel and waste(kcal / kg)
13/05/2013
-
What has IETC done in terms of promotion?
Development of guidelines on the characterization, quantification and assess-ment of patterns of conversion of waste plastic into fuel.
Publication of a compendium of technologies for converting waste plastic into fuel.
Since 2009, demonstration pilot projects in the Philippines and Thailand, have aimed at building local capacity to identify and implement technologies and as-sessing their potential for resource conservation, greenhouse gas emission re-duction and implementation of pilot scale technologies.
How can IETC help?
Designing and conducting awareness raising programmes on the potential of the conversion of waste plastic into fuel.
Building capacity of stakeholders in assessment (quantification and char-acterization) of waste plastic.
Assessment and selection of locally suitable technologies.
Conducting demonstration projects.
Developing a package of policy instru-ments.
Why is waste plastic not converted into fuel on a global scale?
Governments and local authorities in developing countries are largely unaware of the immense potential of converting waste plastic into fuel, which consequently remains untapped. This happens for several reasons:
Technical knowledge and capacity are lacking. Good technologies have been developed for converting waste plastic into fuel, but most of them have not been demonstrated in developing countries.
Countries lack the capability to assess different technology options in order to select those which will be most suitable for local application.
Investment capacity is insufficient to set up economically and technically vi-able conversion systems.
Waste plastic collection and transportation systems are not in place, prevent-ing the creation of a critical mass of waste plastic that would make its con-version into fuel economically viable.
Waste plastic to fuel examples of technology options
Technology type Special features Type of waste handled Technology name Final product
Separation and pelletization
Continuous feeding Combustible waste including plastic, wood and paper.
Earthtechnicas com-mercial plant
Solid fuel
Separation and pelletization
Continuous feeding Combustible waste including plastic, wood and paper.
Fujitexs commercial plant
Solid fuel
Pyrolysis feeding of scrap film
by using an extruder.
Thermoplastic waste. Environment Systems commercial plant
Hydrocarbon oil
Pyrolysis Tank reactor and batch operation
Thermoplastic waste. Mogami Kikos com-mercial plant
Hydrocarbon oil
Pyrolysis Induction heating for
pyrolysis Thermoplastic waste (excluding chlorine-containing plastic).
MCCs commercial plant
Hydrocarbon oil
Pyrolysis Removable inner
reactor vessel Mixed plastic, medical waste.
Altiss commercial plant
Hydrocarbon oil
Kankyo Technologys commercial plant
Thermoplastic waste (excluding chlorine-containing plastic).
Pyrolysis Tank reactor and
continuous feeding Hydrocarbon oil
How has IETC supported policy development?
While undertaking country level projects, IETC also studies the prevailing policy framework and identifies areas which need to be strengthened in order to facilitate the conversion of waste plastic into fuel and the development of a business sector to this aim.
Its emphasis on working with in-country partners not only provides additional strength but also institutionalizes the capacity building.
International Environmental Technology Centre
A branch of UNEPs Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE), IETC is located in Osaka, Japan. Ryokuchi koen 2-110, Tsurumi ku, 538-0036 Osaka, Japan. Tel: +81-6-6915-4580 Fax: +81-6-6915-0304
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