Organic recycling of post-consumer / industrial bio-based plastics through industrial aerobic composting and anaerobic digestion - Techno-economic sustainability criteria and indicators

Abstract

The sustainability assessment of alternative EoL routes for the post-consumer /industrial biobased plastics should ensure that these waste streams are routed to the optimal options that would allow, as a first priority, for their recirculation as valuable secondary bio-based resources, in support of the circular bioeconomy. Οrganic recycling, is considered as the second preferred alternative End-of-Life (EoL) option, for post-consumer /industrial biodegradable bio-based plastics that are characterised as mechanically/chemically nonrecyclable. Techno-economic sustainability criteria and indicators are proposed based on an extended literature review to assure the technical feasibility and economic viability of organic recycling for these products. The proposed TESA methodology for organic recycling is organised into 3 integrated TESA Criteria: a) “Technical feasibility”; b) “Economic viability”; c) “Common techno-economic – environmental” criteria, including TESA criteria that are used also as environmental sustainability assessment criteria through LCA. The recirculation potential TESA criterion has a much lower importance for organic recycling as compared to material recovery. A set of indicators, evaluated by relevant metrics, are proposed for the assessment of the corresponding techno-economic criteria. The overall assessment of the organic recycling options for bio-based biodegradable plastics, requires a parallel assessment based also on environmental and social sustainability criteria. These criteria are beyond the scope of the present work.