IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v153y2022ics1364032121010558.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Energy and environmental sustainability of waste personal protective equipment (PPE) treatment under COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Zhao, Xiang
  • Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír
  • Fengqi You,

Abstract

Combating the COVID-19 pandemic has raised the demand for and disposal of personal protective equipment in the United States. This work proposes a novel waste personal protective equipment processing system that enables energy recovery through producing renewable fuels and other basic chemicals. Exergy analysis and environmental assessment through a detailed life cycle assessment approach are performed to evaluate the energy and environmental sustainability of the processing system. Given the environmental advantages in reducing 35.42% of total greenhouse gas emissions from the conventional incineration and 43.50% of total fossil fuel use from landfilling processes, the optimal number, sizes, and locations of establishing facilities within the proposed personal protective equipment processing system in New York State are then determined by an optimization-based site selection methodology, proposing to build two pre-processing facilities in New York County and Suffolk County and one integrated fast pyrolysis plant in Rockland County. Their optimal annual treatment capacities are 1,708 t/y, 8,000 t/y, and 9,028 t/y. The proposed optimal personal protective equipment processing system reduces 31.5% of total fossil fuel use and 35.04% of total greenhouse gas emissions compared to the personal protective equipment incineration process. It also avoids 41.52% and 47.64% of total natural land occupation from the personal protective equipment landfilling and incineration processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhao, Xiang & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Fengqi You,, 2022. "Energy and environmental sustainability of waste personal protective equipment (PPE) treatment under COVID-19," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:153:y:2022:i:c:s1364032121010558
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2021.111786
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032121010558
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111786?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fivga, Antzela & Dimitriou, Ioanna, 2018. "Pyrolysis of plastic waste for production of heavy fuel substitute: A techno-economic assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 865-874.
    2. Panda, Achyut K. & Singh, R.K. & Mishra, D.K., 2010. "Thermolysis of waste plastics to liquid fuel: A suitable method for plastic waste management and manufacture of value added products--A world prospective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 233-248, January.
    3. Munir, Dureem & Irfan, Muhammad F. & Usman, Muhammad R., 2018. "Hydrocracking of virgin and waste plastics: A detailed review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 490-515.
    4. Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Fan, Yee Van & Tan, Raymond R. & Jiang, Peng, 2020. "Minimising the present and future plastic waste, energy and environmental footprints related to COVID-19," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    5. Unnisa, Syeda Azeem & Hassanpour, Malek, 2017. "Development circumstances of four recycling industries (used motor oil, acidic sludge, plastic wastes and blown bitumen) in the world," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 605-624.
    6. Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Fan, Yee Van & Jiang, Peng, 2020. "The energy and environmental footprints of COVID-19 fighting measures – PPE, disinfection, supply chains," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    7. Tao, Yanqiu & You, Fengqi, 2021. "Can decontamination and reuse of N95 respirators during COVID-19 pandemic provide energy, environmental, and economic benefits?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    8. Kunwar, Bidhya & Cheng, H.N. & Chandrashekaran, Sriram R & Sharma, Brajendra K, 2016. "Plastics to fuel: a review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 421-428.
    9. Garlapati, Vijay Kumar, 2016. "E-waste in India and developed countries: Management, recycling, business and biotechnological initiatives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 874-881.
    10. Fazeli, Alireza & Bakhtvar, Farzaneh & Jahanshaloo, Leila & Che Sidik, Nor Azwadi & Bayat, Ali Esfandyari, 2016. "Malaysia׳s stand on municipal solid waste conversion to energy: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1007-1016.
    11. Wong, S.L. & Ngadi, N. & Abdullah, T.A.T. & Inuwa, I.M., 2015. "Current state and future prospects of plastic waste as source of fuel: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1167-1180.
    12. Lopez, Gartzen & Artetxe, Maite & Amutio, Maider & Bilbao, Javier & Olazar, Martin, 2017. "Thermochemical routes for the valorization of waste polyolefinic plastics to produce fuels and chemicals. A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 346-368.
    13. Zhao, Ning & You, Fengqi, 2021. "Food-energy-water-waste nexus systems optimization for New York State under the COVID-19 pandemic to alleviate health and environmental concerns," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(PA).
    14. Mehrpooya, Mehdi & Ansarinasab, Hojat & Mousavi, Seyed Ali, 2021. "Life cycle assessment and exergoeconomic analysis of the multi-generation system based on fuel cell for methanol, power, and heat production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 1314-1332.
    15. Ma, Chuan & Yu, Jie & Wang, Ben & Song, Zijian & Xiang, Jun & Hu, Song & Su, Sheng & Sun, Lushi, 2016. "Chemical recycling of brominated flame retarded plastics from e-waste for clean fuels production: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 433-450.
    16. Lam, Su Shiung & Wan Mahari, Wan Adibah & Ok, Yong Sik & Peng, Wanxi & Chong, Cheng Tung & Ma, Nyuk Ling & Chase, Howard A. & Liew, Zhenling & Yusup, Suzana & Kwon, Eilhann E. & Tsang, Daniel C.W., 2019. "Microwave vacuum pyrolysis of waste plastic and used cooking oil for simultaneous waste reduction and sustainable energy conversion: Recovery of cleaner liquid fuel and techno-economic analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Su, Guangcan & Zulkifli, Nurin Wahidah Mohd & Ong, Hwai Chyuan & Ibrahim, Shaliza & Cheah, Mei Yee & Zhu, Ruonan & Bu, Quan, 2023. "Co-pyrolysis of medical protective clothing and oil palm wastes for biofuel: Experimental, techno-economic, and environmental analyses," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anna Matuszewska & Marlena Owczuk & Krzysztof Biernat, 2022. "Current Trends in Waste Plastics’ Liquefaction into Fuel Fraction: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-32, April.
    2. Anna Matuszewska & Adam Hańderek & Maciej Paczuski & Krzysztof Biernat, 2021. "Hydrocarbon Fractions from Thermolysis of Waste Plastics as Components of Engine Fuels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Lopez, Gartzen & Artetxe, Maite & Amutio, Maider & Bilbao, Javier & Olazar, Martin, 2017. "Thermochemical routes for the valorization of waste polyolefinic plastics to produce fuels and chemicals. A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 346-368.
    4. Zhang, Yayun & Duan, Dengle & Lei, Hanwu & Villota, Elmar & Ruan, Roger, 2019. "Jet fuel production from waste plastics via catalytic pyrolysis with activated carbons," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    5. Tan, Kai Qi & Ahmad, Mohd Azmier & Oh, Wen Da & Low, Siew Chun, 2023. "Valorization of hazardous plastic wastes into value-added resources by catalytic pyrolysis-gasification: A review of techno-economic analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    6. Rahman, Md Hafizur & Bhoi, Prakashbhai R. & Menezes, Pradeep L., 2023. "Pyrolysis of waste plastics into fuels and chemicals: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    7. Park, Ki-Bum & Choi, Min-Jun & Chae, Da-Yeong & Jung, Jaeheum & Kim, Joo-Sik, 2022. "Separate two-step and continuous two-stage pyrolysis of a waste plastic mixture to produce a chlorine-depleted oil," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PA).
    8. Zhao, Xiang & You, Fengqi, 2021. "Waste respirator processing system for public health protection and climate change mitigation under COVID-19 pandemic: Novel process design and energy, environmental, and techno-economic perspectives," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    9. Ma, Chuan & Yu, Jie & Wang, Ben & Song, Zijian & Xiang, Jun & Hu, Song & Su, Sheng & Sun, Lushi, 2016. "Chemical recycling of brominated flame retarded plastics from e-waste for clean fuels production: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 433-450.
    10. Huang, Jijiang & Veksha, Andrei & Chan, Wei Ping & Giannis, Apostolos & Lisak, Grzegorz, 2022. "Chemical recycling of plastic waste for sustainable material management: A prospective review on catalysts and processes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    11. Fan, Liangliang & Liu, Lei & Xiao, Zhiguo & Su, Zheyang & Huang, Pei & Peng, Hongyu & Lv, Sen & Jiang, Haiwei & Ruan, Roger & Chen, Paul & Zhou, Wenguang, 2021. "Comparative study of continuous-stirred and batch microwave pyrolysis of linear low-density polyethylene in the presence/absence of HZSM-5," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    12. Masoomeh Zeinalnezhad & Abdoulmohammad Gholamzadeh Chofreh & Feybi Ariani Goni & Jiří Jaromír Klemeš & Emelia Sari, 2020. "Simulation and Improvement of Patients’ Workflow in Heart Clinics during COVID-19 Pandemic Using Timed Coloured Petri Nets," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-18, November.
    13. Rumana Hossain & Md Tasbirul Islam & Riya Shanker & Debishree Khan & Katherine Elizabeth Sarah Locock & Anirban Ghose & Heinz Schandl & Rita Dhodapkar & Veena Sahajwalla, 2022. "Plastic Waste Management in India: Challenges, Opportunities, and Roadmap for Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-34, April.
    14. Jiang, Peng & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Fan, Yee Van & Fu, Xiuju & Tan, Raymond R. & You, Siming & Foley, Aoife M., 2021. "Energy, environmental, economic and social equity (4E) pressures of COVID-19 vaccination mismanagement: A global perspective," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    15. Shaik Anwar Ahamed Nabeela Nasreen & Subramanian Sundarrajan & Syed Abdulrahim Syed Nizar & He Wei & Dong Xuecheng & Seeram Ramakrishna, 2022. "Pyrolysis, Microwave, Chemical and Biodegradation Methodology in Recycling of Plastic Waste: a Circular Economy Concept," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(2), pages 609-632, June.
    16. Lucía Quesada & Mónica Calero de Hoces & M. A. Martín-Lara & Germán Luzón & G. Blázquez, 2020. "Performance of Different Catalysts for the In Situ Cracking of the Oil-Waxes Obtained by the Pyrolysis of Polyethylene Film Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-15, July.
    17. Chofreh, Abdoulmohammad Gholamzadeh & Goni, Feybi Ariani & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Seyed Moosavi, Seyed Mohsen & Davoudi, Mehdi & Zeinalnezhad, Masoomeh, 2021. "Covid-19 shock: Development of strategic management framework for global energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    18. Wang, Xue-Chao & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Wang, Yutao & Foley, Aoife & Huisingh, Donald & Guan, Dabo & Dong, Xiaobin & Varbanov, Petar Sabev, 2021. "Unsustainable imbalances and inequities in Carbon-Water-Energy flows across the EU27," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    19. Aditya Chidepatil & Prabhleen Bindra & Devyani Kulkarni & Mustafa Qazi & Meghana Kshirsagar & Krishnaswamy Sankaran, 2020. "From Trash to Cash: How Blockchain and Multi-Sensor-Driven Artificial Intelligence Can Transform Circular Economy of Plastic Waste?," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-16, April.
    20. Choi, Dongho & Jung, Sungyup & Lee, Sang Soo & Lin, Kun-Yi Andrew & Park, Young-Kwon & Kim, Hana & Tsang, Yiu Fai & Kwon, Eilhann E., 2021. "Leveraging carbon dioxide to control the H2/CO ratio in catalytic pyrolysis of fishing net waste," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:153:y:2022:i:c:s1364032121010558. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.