Applying Circular Economy to Innovative Materials for Energy

(1)

Circular Economy (CE) is the new concept of economy that should replace the Linear Economy model.

The main CE goals are the prevention of waste production and the adoption of strategies for the re-use of waste as secondary raw materials and the lifetime extension.

“The European Commission adopted an action plan in 2015 to help accelerate Europe's transition towards a Circular Economy, boost global competitiveness, promote sustainable economic growth and generate new jobs.” 1

CIRCULAR

ECONOMY

In the last 70 years the global production and use of plastic have increased with a subsequent generation and accumulation of a tremendous volume of plastic waste, mainly due to the packaging (Fig.1).

 4% of global oil production is used for plastics.

 Between 1950 and 2015, approximately 6300 Mt of plastic waste have been generated: around 9% of which had been recycled, 12% was incinerated, but 79% was accumulated in

landfills or in the natural environment.3

REUSE REPAIR RECYCLE WASTE

DESIGN UP-CYCLING

LIFETIME EXTENSION

References:

1_{https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/jobs-growth-and-investment/towards-circular-economy_en}

2 _{Worm, B., Lotze, H. K., Jubinville, I., Wilcox, C., & Jambeck, J. Plastic as a Persistent Marine Pollutant. Annual Review of Environment and Resources 2017, 42(1), 1–26.} 3_{Geyer, R.; Jambeck, J. R.; Lavender Law, K. Science Advances 2017, 3 (7).}

4_{http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/plastic_waste.htm}

5 _{https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1516265440535&uri=COM:2018:28:FIN}

6 _{Project RECIPLAST, Approccio all’Economia Circolare per il Riciclo di Imballi e Componenti Auto Fine Vita in Plastica 2018.}

7 _{Mathieux, F.; Ardente, F.; Bobba, S.; Nuss, P.; Blengini, G. A.; Alves Dias, P.; Blagoeva, D.; Torres de Matos, C.; Wittmer, D.; Pavel, C.; Hamor, T.; Saveyn, H.; Gawlik, B.; Orveillon, G.; Huygens, D.; Garbarino, E.; Tzimas, E.; Bouraoui, F.; Solar, S.} JRC Science for Policy Report, Critical Raw Materials and the Circular Economy 2017.

Fig. 1. Time trends in total plastics production worldwide2

Plastic waste can be exploited as a source of secondary raw materials avoiding the use of non-renewable resources and achieving an up-cycle process: a former useless waste is converted in an useful material of even better quality.

Case study for the plastic waste up-cycling: the depolymerization of PET performed by Garbo S.r.l. to obtain BHET (bis-2-hydroxyethyl-terephthalate), an intermediate of the polymerization process. – PROJECT SUBMITTED-6

 STRATEGY 1. The resulting molecule can be used in the synthesis of new material that could be exploited in different fields, such as the encapsulants in photovoltaics (PV).

 STRATEGY 2. The recovery of functional building blocks, from plastic waste, for the preparation of PV materials like conjugated semiconductor polymers. A challenging goal towards a more sustainable PV technology.

PLASTIC WASTE

UP-CYCLE

GREEN

PHOTONICS

Photovoltaic energy, as well as wind energy, is the most advanced and developed renewable energy

technology.7 _{Despite its good sustainability performances in comparison to other technologies in the}

market, only few materials and devices are, nowadays, designed to be economically and environmentally sustainable: in this way, solar energy, is infinite and renewable, but more research is needed to make it

even more sustainable.

This approach is in agreement with the European strategy for plastics4 _{and the European Strategy}

for Plastics in a Circular Economy.5

https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/h2020-section/photonics Mandy Barker,

Soup: Refused

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/plastic_waste.htm

https://www.targray.com/solar/pv-encapsulant