Investigating waste mineral-filled cellulose sourcing in circular economy for regeneration into composite: Matching existing market volumes of oil-based plastics for packaging

Abstract

Global consumption of plastics has increased continuously in recent decades, leaving today's society with one of the most pressing environmental problems, plastic pollution. Current research has been focused on the development of bio-sustainable products with the aim of replacing the use of petroleum-based polymers with sustainable, renewable, and environmentally friendly materials. In this context, bioplastics have emerged, and where possible supporting biodegradability. The most abundant polymer occurring naturally is cellulose and remains one of the most promising renewable materials to replace plastic. This work forms part of a larger research activity studying the novel production of regenerated cellulose using ionic liquid dissolution, with the aim of drawing on filler-containing paper and board waste as a raw material for potential plastic replacement in circular economy. Analysis applied to a literature search is reported comparing the current consumption of plastics in packaging, the generation of packaging waste, the production and consumption of paper and cardboard and finally the recycling rate of these materials in Europe with special focus on material that either fails to enter, or is rejected during, the classical recycling process. Based on these data, commercialisation of cellulose regeneration made solely from the volume of paper and board waste that has failed to enter standard recycling, excluding single use products, e.g., sanitary, would be able to cover the current demand for plastic films used in packaging, and that no additional biomass in principle is needed. This finding not only supports the effort being made to scale-up the cellulose regeneration process commercially but relieves the pressure on agricultural land currently foreseen to be otherwise needed for extensive biomass production, rather allowing it to serve its main purpose in food production, so contributing to the circular economy quest for sustainability obviating environmental impact.