Life cycle analysis of polymer recycling literature review

This literature review supports the following project: Life cycle analysis of distributed polymer recycling.

MOST group articles on waste plastic extrusion

Dennis J. Byard, Aubrey L. Woern, Robert B. Oakley, Matthew J. Fiedler, Samantha L. Snabes, and Joshua M. Pearce. Green Fab Lab Applications of Large-Area Waste Polymer-based Additive Manufacturing. Additive Manufacturing 27, (2019), pp. 515-525. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2019.03.006 open access
David Shonnard, Emily Tipaldo, Vicki Thompson, Joshua Pearce, Gerard Caneba, Robert Handler. Systems Analysis for PET and Olefin Polymers in a Circular Economy. 26th CIRP Life Cycle Engineering Conference. Procedia CIRP 80, (2019), 602-606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2019.01.072 open access
Aubrey L. Woern, Joseph R. McCaslin, Adam M. Pringle, and Joshua M. Pearce. RepRapable Recyclebot: Open Source 3-D Printable Extruder for Converting Plastic to 3-D Printing Filament. HardwareX 4C (2018) e00026 doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ohx.2018.e00026 open access
Aubrey L. Woern and Joshua M. Pearce. 3-D Printable Polymer Pelletizer Chopper for Fused Granular Fabrication-Based Additive Manufacturing. Inventions 2018, 3(4), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/inventions3040078 open access
Woern, A.L.; Byard, D.J.; Oakley, R.B.; Fiedler, M.J.; Snabes, S.L.; Pearce, J.M. Fused Particle Fabrication 3-D Printing: Recycled Materials' Optimization and Mechanical Properties. Materials 2018, 11, 1413. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11081413 open access
Adam M. Pringle, Mark Rudnicki, and Joshua Pearce (2017) Wood Furniture Waste-Based Recycled 3-D Printing Filament. Forest Products Journal 2018, Vol. 68, No. 1, pp. 86-95. https://doi.org/10.13073/FPJ-D-17-00042 open access
Debbie L. King, Adegboyega Babasola, Joseph Rozario, and Joshua M. Pearce, "Mobile Open-Source Solar-Powered 3-D Printers for Distributed Manufacturing in Off-Grid Communities," Challenges in Sustainability 2(1), 18-27 (2014). open access
Shan Zhong & Joshua M. Pearce. Tightening the loop on the circular economy: Coupled distributed recycling and manufacturing with recyclebot and RepRap 3-D printing,Resources, Conservation and Recycling 128, (2018), pp. 48–58. doi: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.09.023 open access
M.A. Kreiger, M.L. Mulder, A.G. Glover, J. M. Pearce, Life Cycle Analysis of Distributed Recycling of Post-consumer High Density Polyethylene for 3-D Printing Filament, Journal of Cleaner Production, 70, pp. 90–96 (2014). DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.02.009. open access
Shan Zhong, Pratiksha Rakhe and Joshua M. Pearce. Energy Payback Time of a Solar Photovoltaic Powered Waste Plastic Recyclebot System. Recycling 2017, 2(2), 10; doi: 10.3390/recycling2020010 open access
Feeley, S. R., Wijnen, B., & Pearce, J. M. (2014). Evaluation of Potential Fair Trade Standards for an Ethical 3-D Printing Filament. Journal of Sustainable Development, 7(5), 1-12. DOI: 10.5539/jsd.v7n5p1 open access
M. Kreiger, G. C. Anzalone, M. L. Mulder, A. Glover and J. M Pearce (2013). Distributed Recycling of Post-Consumer Plastic Waste in Rural Areas. MRS Online Proceedings Library, 1492, mrsf12-1492-g04-06 doi:10.1557/opl.2013.258. open access
Christian Baechler, Matthew DeVuono, and Joshua M. Pearce, "Distributed Recycling of Waste Polymer into RepRap Feedstock" Rapid Prototyping Journal, 19(2), pp. 118-125 (2013). open access

Kuczensk, Brandon, and Roland Geyer. "LCA and Recycling Policy — a Case Study in Plastic." 1 Oct. 2001. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .

11 states have bottle bills (MI included)
producing 1 kg PET requires 206 g Natural Gas for ethylene, 588 g crude oil for xylene, Liquid oxygen, and water
1kg diverted from land fill saves 1kg disposal +.78kg primary production
buy back centers/source separated processors:.044MJ primary energy per 1kg PET
curbside collection:.65-.8 MJ primary energy per 1kg PET
materials recovery center:.38 MJ primary energy per 1kg PET
each additional kg recycled reduced primary energy 46.2-56.3 MJ

NOTES: good diagrams/flowcharts, necessary info for CA only^[1]

Lofti, Ahmad. "Plastic / Polymer Recycling." Web. 11 Oct. 2011. .

1:PET (highly recyclable)
2:HDPE (highly recyclable)
3:PVC (not recycled)
4:LDPE
5:Polypropylene (not recycled)
6:Polystyrene (not recycled)
7:Other/mixed (no recycling)
usually a single re-use
can't mix PET and PVC in recycling
steps: collection, sorting/separating, processing, manufacturing

NOTES: outdated^[2]

The ImpEE Project: Recycling of Plastics. The Cambridge-MIT Institute. 11 Oct 2011.

embodied energy analysis via input/output instead of thermo
energy in/kg PET out
energy in/bottles out
LCA preformed on milk carton
comparison of different materials (PET, glass, aluminum, steel)
LCA of recycling PET into fleece
chart of embodied energies and prices of polymers
embodied energy and price of recycled material is half of virgin material (lower quality)
"Transport does not have a great impact on the energy life cycle of this product."-slide 8

NOTES: great diagrams, equations^[3]Britz, David, Yohsi Hamaoka, and Jessica Mazorson. "Recology: Value in Recycling Materials." MIT Sloan Sustainability Lab, 13 May 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2011. .

studied virgin material market, environmental impact, and recycling of virgin material
used LCA databases
materials flow and embodied energy
energy input=energy stored product+energy stored in waste+energy released
recycled material uses 80% less energy than virgin material
producing 1 kg recycled PET uses 42-55 MJ/ 1kg virgin PET uses >77 MJ

NOTES:check sources 12-14^[4]

"Embodied Energy Coefficients." Web. 13 Oct. 2011. .

coefficients in MJ/kg and MJ³
ABS, HDPE,LDPE, polyester, pp, ps, polyurethane, PVC
compares local data to worldwide data
sourced^[5]

Embodied Energy Table

Table 1: Embodied Energy per kg material

Material	Embodied Energy (MJ/kg)^[5]^[6]	Embodied CO₂ (kg CO₂/kg)^[7]	Notes
ABS	77.8-111	3.05	From Franklin Associates Ltd, 1991..^[5] From Plastics Europe, 2005.^[7]
HDPE	79.7-103	1.57(resin)-2.02(pipe)	From Franklin Associates Ltd. and manufacturer. 1994.^[5]
LDPE	77-103	1.69(resin)-2.13(film)	From Lawson. 1994.^[5]
Polyester	53.7-58		From American Institute of Architects, Environmental Resource Guide, 1991.^[5]
Polypropylene	64-94	2.97-3.93	From American Institute of Architects, Environmental Resource Guide, 1994.^[5] From Plastics Europe, 2005.^[7]
Polystyrene	100-117	2.55-3.45	From American Institute of Architects, Environmental Resource Guide, 1994.^[5] From Plastics Europe, 2006.<refname="[7]" />
Polyurethane	72.2-74	3.48-4.06	From American Institute of Architects, Environmental Resource Guide and manufacturer, 1991.^[5]From Plastics Europe, 2005.<refname="[7]" />
PVC	38.6-189	2.56-2.61	From American Institute of Architects, Environmental Resource Guide, Sheltair Scientific Ltd, and manufacturer. Best guess is 70 MJ/kg, 1992.^[5]
PET	77-90^[4]	2.73	From international journal of Life Cycle Assessment.^[4]

Note: CO₂ values are cradle to gate.

Transportation Energy

Variables for calculating transportation energy^[8]

Distance Traveled
Speed Traveled
Type of Vehicle (mpg)
Loading of Vehicle

Table 2: Embodied Energy of Transportation
Vehicle	Fuel Efficiency (ton miles/gallon)^[8]	Embodied CO₂ of Transportation (lb CO₂/gallon)^[8]
Garbage Truck	41	19.56
Airplane/Jet	5	19.56
Train	100	19.56
Ship	140	19.56
Passenger Vehicle	19.56	Fuel efficiency calculated in mpg due to low loading capactity Average can be taken as 31 mpg

Best Case Scenario: Detroit, MI^[10]Worst Case Scenario: Copper Harbor, MI

References

↑ Kuczensk, Brandon, and Roland Geyer. "LCA and Recycling Policy — a Case Study in Plastic." 1 Oct. 2001. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .
↑ Lofti, Ahmad. "Plastic / Polymer Recycling." Web. 11 Oct. 2011. .
↑ The ImpEE Project: Recycling of Plastics. The Cambridge-MIT Institute. 11 Oct 2011.
1 2 3 Britz, David, Yohsi Hamaoka, and Jessica Mazorson. "Recology: Value in Recycling Materials." MIT Sloan Sustainability Lab, 13 May 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2011. .
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Embodied Energy Coefficients." Web. 13 Oct. 2011. .
↑ Hammond, Geoff, and Craig Jones. "Inventory of Carbon & Energy (ICE V2.0) Embodied Energy & Carbon." University of Bath. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://web.archive.org/web/20120205181448/http://www.bath.ac.uk/mech-eng/sert/embodied/>.
1 2 3 4 Eco-profiles of the European Plastics Industry. Plastic Europe. 2005. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. http://web.archive.org/web/20101124202138/http://lca.plasticseurope.org:80/main2.htm.
1 2 3 Pearce, Joshua M., Sara J. Johnson, and Gabriel B. Grant. "3D-mapping Optimization of Embodied Energy of Transportation." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 51.2 (2007): 435-53. Print.
2011 Most and Least Fuel Efficient Vehicles. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bestworst.shtml
↑ http://www.wm.com/about/press-room/2009/20090617_WM_Opens_Detroit_Recycling_Center.pdf

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[1] Kuczensk, Brandon, and Roland Geyer. "LCA and Recycling Policy — a Case Study in Plastic." 1 Oct. 2001. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. .

[2] Lofti, Ahmad. "Plastic / Polymer Recycling." Web. 11 Oct. 2011. .

[3] The ImpEE Project: Recycling of Plastics. The Cambridge-MIT Institute. 11 Oct 2011.

[[4]-4] 1 2 3 Britz, David, Yohsi Hamaoka, and Jessica Mazorson. "Recology: Value in Recycling Materials." MIT Sloan Sustainability Lab, 13 May 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2011. .

[[5]-5] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Embodied Energy Coefficients." Web. 13 Oct. 2011. .

[[6]-6] Hammond, Geoff, and Craig Jones. "Inventory of Carbon & Energy (ICE V2.0) Embodied Energy & Carbon." University of Bath. Web. 17 Oct. 2011. <http://web.archive.org/web/20120205181448/http://www.bath.ac.uk/mech-eng/sert/embodied/>.

[[7]-7] 1 2 3 4 Eco-profiles of the European Plastics Industry. Plastic Europe. 2005. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. http://web.archive.org/web/20101124202138/http://lca.plasticseurope.org:80/main2.htm.

[[8]-8] 1 2 3 Pearce, Joshua M., Sara J. Johnson, and Gabriel B. Grant. "3D-mapping Optimization of Embodied Energy of Transportation." Resources, Conservation and Recycling 51.2 (2007): 435-53. Print.

[[9]-9] 2011 Most and Least Fuel Efficient Vehicles. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bestworst.shtml

[10] ttp://www.wm.com/about/press-room/2009/20090617_WM_Opens_Detroit_Recycling_Center.pdf

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