IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v15y2022i23p8974-d985882.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Economic Conditions to Circularize Clinical Plastics

Author

Listed:
  • Jhuma Sadhukhan

    (Centre for Environment and Sustainability, School of Sustainability, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

  • Kartik Sekar

    (Department of Chemical & Process Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK)

Abstract

Over 5.5 million tons of plastic waste are generated globally from the research sectors. A university laboratory, e.g., pathology, can generate 250 tons of clinical plastic waste annually. The UK National Health Service (NHS) generates 133 kilotons (kt) of clinical plastic waste annually. Healthcare facilities in the US generate 1.7 million tons of clinical plastic waste annually. In addition, 95% of the clinical plastics are single-use plastics derived from fossil resources, i.e., crude oils. These single-use clinical plastic wastes are incinerated, contributing to global warming, or go to the landfill, contributing to resource depletion. Plastic leakage is a major threat to the environment. This linear plastics economy model, take-make-dispose, must be replaced by a circular plastics economy, i.e., sort plastic wastes, wash, decontaminate, recover materials, blend with bio-based compounds as necessary and circulate recyclate plastics, for holistic systemic sustainability. While there are multi-faceted environmental drivers for a circular plastics economy, there are many uncertainties in the economic attributes, electricity price, labor cost and chemical cost being the primary ones influencing the cost of production of secondary or recyclate plastics, requiring government and policy support, such as a gate fee on plastic waste by the generators to the recyclers. An essential macroeconomic condition for techno-economically (or micro-economically) feasible plastic waste recycling is low oil and gas prices that influence the recyclate plastics and electricity prices. It is essential to de-fossilize the economy by decoupling renewable electricity generation from natural gas consumption and fossil-independent biopolymer productions displacing fossil-derived plastics to stimulate the circular economy. This study shows a comprehensive and robust technoeconomic analysis of mechanical recycling of clinical plastic wastes into secondary plastics recovery.

Suggested Citation

  • Jhuma Sadhukhan & Kartik Sekar, 2022. "Economic Conditions to Circularize Clinical Plastics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-19, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:23:p:8974-:d:985882
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/23/8974/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/23/8974/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nikiema, Josiane & Asiedu, Zipporah, 2022. "A review of the cost and effectiveness of solutions to address plastic pollution," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-27.().
    2. Sadhukhan, Jhuma & Lloyd, Jon R. & Scott, Keith & Premier, Giuliano C. & Yu, Eileen H. & Curtis, Tom & Head, Ian M., 2016. "A critical review of integration analysis of microbial electrosynthesis (MES) systems with waste biorefineries for the production of biofuel and chemical from reuse of CO2," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 116-132.
    3. Sadhukhan, Jhuma, 2022. "Net zero electricity systems in global economies by life cycle assessment (LCA) considering ecosystem, health, monetization, and soil CO2 sequestration impacts," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 960-974.
    4. Jhuma Sadhukhan & Bruno G. Pollet & Miles Seaman, 2022. "Hydrogen Production and Storage: Analysing Integration of Photoelectrolysis, Electron Harvesting Lignocellulose, and Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide-Fixing Biosynthesis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-13, July.
    5. Jhuma Sadhukhan, 2022. "Net-Zero Action Recommendations for Scope 3 Emission Mitigation Using Life Cycle Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-20, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Jhuma Sadhukhan & Bruno G. Pollet & Miles Seaman, 2022. "Hydrogen Production and Storage: Analysing Integration of Photoelectrolysis, Electron Harvesting Lignocellulose, and Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide-Fixing Biosynthesis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-13, July.
    2. Jhuma Sadhukhan, 2022. "Net-Zero Action Recommendations for Scope 3 Emission Mitigation Using Life Cycle Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Jadhav, Dipak A. & Ghosh Ray, Sreemoyee & Ghangrekar, Makarand M., 2017. "Third generation in bio-electrochemical system research – A systematic review on mechanisms for recovery of valuable by-products from wastewater," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 1022-1031.
    4. Nimmanterdwong, Prathana & Chalermsinsuwan, Benjapon & Piumsomboon, Pornpote, 2023. "Optimizing utilization pathways for biomass to chemicals and energy by integrating emergy analysis and particle swarm optimization (PSO)," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 1448-1459.
    5. Kai Li & Hauke Ward & Hai Xiang Lin & Arnold Tukker, 2024. "Economic viability requires higher recycling rates for imported plastic waste than expected," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    6. Budzianowski, Wojciech M. & Postawa, Karol, 2016. "Total Chain Integration of sustainable biorefinery systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 1432-1446.
    7. Jiang, Yong & Yang, Xufei & Liang, Peng & Liu, Panpan & Huang, Xia, 2018. "Microbial fuel cell sensors for water quality early warning systems: Fundamentals, signal resolution, optimization and future challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 292-305.
    8. He, Li & Du, Peng & Chen, Yizhong & Lu, Hongwei & Cheng, Xi & Chang, Bei & Wang, Zheng, 2017. "Advances in microbial fuel cells for wastewater treatment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 388-403.
    9. Joselin Herbert, G.M. & Unni Krishnan, A., 2016. "Quantifying environmental performance of biomass energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 292-308.
    10. Valentin Marian Antohi & Romeo Victor Ionescu & Monica Laura Zlati & Catalina Iticescu & Puiu Lucian Georgescu & Madalina Calmuc, 2023. "Regional Regression Correlation Model of Microplastic Water Pollution Control Using Circular Economy Tools," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-23, February.
    11. Marcin Zbieć & Justyna Franc-Dąbrowska & Nina Drejerska, 2022. "Wood Waste Management in Europe through the Lens of the Circular Bioeconomy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-9, June.
    12. Cerrillo, Míriam & Viñas, Marc & Bonmatí, August, 2018. "Anaerobic digestion and electromethanogenic microbial electrolysis cell integrated system: Increased stability and recovery of ammonia and methane," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 178-189.
    13. Mobolaji B. Shemfe & Siddharth Gadkari & Jhuma Sadhukhan, 2018. "Social Hotspot Analysis and Trade Policy Implications of the Use of Bioelectrochemical Systems for Resource Recovery from Wastewater," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-12, September.
    14. Shampa Ghosh & Jitendra Kumar Sinha & Soumya Ghosh & Kshitij Vashisth & Sungsoo Han & Rakesh Bhaskar, 2023. "Microplastics as an Emerging Threat to the Global Environment and Human Health," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-17, July.
    15. Elżbieta M. Zębek & Jakub J. Zięty, 2022. "Effect of Landfill Arson to a “Lax” System in a Circular Economy under the Current EU Energy Policy: Perspective Review in Waste Management Law," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-25, November.
    16. Sadhukhan, Jhuma & Martinez-Hernandez, Elias & Murphy, Richard J. & Ng, Denny K.S. & Hassim, Mimi H. & Siew Ng, Kok & Yoke Kin, Wan & Jaye, Ida Fahani Md & Leung Pah Hang, Melissa Y. & Andiappan, Vikn, 2018. "Role of bioenergy, biorefinery and bioeconomy in sustainable development: Strategic pathways for Malaysia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P2), pages 1966-1987.
    17. Simeng Li & Gang Chen & Aavudai Anandhi, 2018. "Applications of Emerging Bioelectrochemical Technologies in Agricultural Systems: A Current Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-21, October.
    18. Ng, Kok Siew & Head, Ian & Premier, Giuliano C. & Scott, Keith & Yu, Eileen & Lloyd, Jon & Sadhukhan, Jhuma, 2016. "A multilevel sustainability analysis of zinc recovery from wastes," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 88-105.
    19. Rukayya Ibrahim Muazu & Siddharth Gadkari & Jhuma Sadhukhan, 2022. "Integrated Life Cycle Assessment Modelling of Densified Fuel Production from Various Biomass Species," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-11, May.
    20. Dessy Natalia & Donny Yoesgiantoro & Filda Citra Yusgiantoro, 2022. "Projection of Coal-Fired Power Plant (CFPP) Towards Net Zero Emission 2060 in Indonesia," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 6(5), pages 465-471, May.

    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:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:23:p:8974-:d:985882. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.