Environmental trade-offs in plastic waste management pathways: A critical synthesis of comparative life cycle assessment studies

This project provides structured implementation support and research direction for evaluating the environmental trade-offs associated with various plastic waste management pathways. Utilizing comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies, the study systematically analyzes mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, pyrolysis, energy recovery, incineration, and landfill disposal. While mechanical recycling consistently demonstrates the lowest environmental impacts for clean polymer streams—achieving up to a seventy percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to virgin production—alternative pathways like chemical recycling and pyrolysis present viable solutions for mixed or contaminated plastics despite their higher energy requirements. This project guides students through the development of a localized LCA model using open-source software to benchmark these pathways. It addresses

critical methodological challenges identified in literature, such as inconsistent system boundaries and the omission of microplastic impacts. By integrating techno-economic indicators with environmental metrics, the framework assists in identifying optimal waste treatment strategies. The resulting documentation support and structured analysis help bridge the gap between theoretical LCA data and practical municipal waste management decisions, offering a robust foundation for academic research and policy evaluation.

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