Deployment of Circular Economy Technologies Towards Net-Zero Emission Plastics Industry

Plastic wastes (including microplastics) have aroused remarkable attentions due to its severe impacts to the ecosystem and human health. Plastics industry is also a sector with heavy CO₂ emissions. Circular economy technologies can effectively reduce the loading of waste management while contributing to a certain amount of carbon dioxide reduction through avoidance of virgin materials and/or generating renewable energy and chemicals. In this presentation, we will briefly introduce the concept of the net-zero emission, and its relationship with plastics industry. We will also discuss the important principles of a circular approach (such as chemical recycling) to realizing a net-zero plastics industry. We will provide two cases: (1) gasification of plastics wastes to produce syngas, combined with a subsequent electrochemical CO₂ reduction process, and (2) electrokinetic separation of wastewater (such as a recycled-PET bottle washing process) from plastics industry to produce alkaline and acid chemicals with water reclamation. Lastly, we will point out several priority research directions for achieving a net-zero plastics industry from the aspects of energy, engineering, economics and environment. This presentation could provide an insight into the green research on green alternative waste management strategies for plastic wastes around the world.