Bio-based plastics in a circular economy: A review of recovery pathways and implications for product design

Abstract

Bio-based plastics are attracting increasing attention due to their perceived sustainability and circularity. While enabling circularity by using renewable feedstocks, they still contribute to plastic pollution. Furthermore, their rapidly growing market will cause bio-based plastics to constitute significant fractions of plastic waste, necessitating efficient recovery at end-of-life. Technical overviews of potential recovery pathways for bio-based plastics exist, although these have not yet been translated into product design recommendations. In this article, we assess the impact of material composition and product design on the feasibility of eight recovery pathways for bio-based plastics. The ability to recover a plastic not only depends on the plastic composition, but also on the way a product is designed. The alterations made to tailor plastics to be applied in products, and the product architecture, can enable or prohibit some recovery pathways. The outcomes highlight the importance of establishing a wider range of recovery pathways for plastics, and the crucial role of product design in enabling a circular economy for bio-based plastics. We also present a first guidance for product design to enhance the recovery of bio-based plastics.