Related references
Note: Only part of the references are listed.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Taylor Uekert et al.
Summary: Over 400 million metric tons of plastic waste are generated globally each year, resulting in pollution and lost resources. Recycling strategies can recapture this wasted material, but there is a lack of quantitative and transparent data on the capabilities and impacts of these processes. The study develops a dataset for closed-loop polymer recycling technologies, including mechanical recycling and solvent-based dissolution of various types of plastic, to compare their economic and environmental performances, as well as material qualities. Mechanical recycling and PET glycolysis showed the best performance in terms of economic and environmental aspects, while dissolution and enzymatic hydrolysis provided the highest material qualities. The study also identified key process contributors and highlighted future research areas.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Dharik S. Mallapragada et al.
Summary: The chemical industry is a major contributor to the global economy and employment, but it is also a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. To address the increasing demand for chemical products and reduce emissions, it is crucial to develop sustainable production methods powered by low-carbon electricity. This perspective discusses the challenges and opportunities of decarbonizing the chemical industry through electrification, presenting four technological pathways. Integrating an electrified industrial process with the power sector can greatly facilitate the decarbonization of the chemical industry sector.
Review
Environmental Studies
Changwoo Chung et al.
Summary: Chemicals, crucial for modern life, emit significant greenhouse gases during production and use, making the decarbonization of the chemical industry necessary. Our comprehensive review identified the sociotechnical system of the industry, including raw materials, production processes, product making and usage, and waste management. We evaluated opportunities, challenges, current practices, and emerging technologies for decarbonization, highlighting the environmental, financial, and collateral benefits. However, barriers in the economic, technical, political, and behavioral aspects need to be addressed through policy and social instruments to achieve decarbonization goals. Research gaps and future agendas were also outlined for the industry's decarbonization.
ENERGY RESEARCH & SOCIAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Fanran Meng et al.
Summary: Chemical products are important for modern lifestyles, but their production, use, and disposal have negative environmental impacts that threaten the industry's operation. This study presents seven sustainable pathways with investment costs of US$1.2-3.7 trillion, which can reduce global chemicals demand by 23 to 33% by 2050 through interventions in demand and supply.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jay Fuhrman et al.
Summary: Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is a critical tool in limiting global warming, and a diverse set of CDR approaches have important benefits and costs for energy-water-land systems. An integrated assessment model was used to evaluate various CDR approaches, including bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, afforestation, direct air capture with carbon storage, enhanced weathering, biochar, and direct ocean capture with carbon storage. These approaches have different levels of carbon removal, deployment, and impacts across regions, with a global removal capacity of approximately 10 GtCO(2) yr(-1). A diverse portfolio of CO2 removal strategies can achieve gigatonne-scale removals while limiting risks to the water-energy-land system.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Pingping Sun et al.
Summary: This analysis explores decarbonization opportunities for U.S. refineries and the associated costs. By switching energy sources, implementing carbon capture and storage, and changing feedstock, refineries can reduce CO2 emissions. Only the third option can reduce emissions throughout the entire life cycle of refinery products. Combining all three strategies can achieve negative life-cycle CO2 emissions, with an average cost of $113-$477/MT CO2 or $54-$227/bbl of processed crude, driven by the expensive biocrude feedstock.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Paolo Gabrielli et al.
Summary: The chemical industry, responsible for 5% of global CO2 emissions, plays a crucial role in achieving net-zero targets. However, decarbonizing this industry faces challenges due to carbon-rich raw materials, high-temperature heat requirements, and complex value chains. Multiple technology routes for producing net-zero chemicals exist but their viability depends on local energy and resource availability. This review compares net-zero routes by quantifying their energy, land, and water requirements and discusses the technical and environmental feasibility of a net-zero chemical industry, suggesting a need for integrated solutions that combine net-zero routes with circular approaches and demand-side measures, potentially impacting global chemicals trade.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Erina Brown et al.
Summary: With the increasing problem of global plastic pollution, it is necessary to increase and improve plastic recycling. However, there is limited knowledge about microplastic pollution from point sources like plastic recycling facilities. This study investigates microplastic pollution from a recycling facility in the UK and suggests the incorporation of additional filtration to remove smaller microplastics.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Geetanjali Yadav et al.
Summary: This study analyzed the technical and economic characteristics of catalytic fast pyrolysis of waste plastics and found that converting the waste plastics into aromatic compounds can be cost-competitive and reduce energy consumption. However, this technology results in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The study also found that different catalytic fast pyrolysis processes have varying economic and environmental benefits.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Worapinit Tiyatha et al.
Summary: The effects of loading MnTiO3 or MnOx-TiO2 on different supports on the oxidative coupling of methane were investigated. MnTiO3-NW/SG catalyst showed the highest C2+ yield and selectivity, as well as good stability.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paul Stegmann et al.
Summary: This article investigates three different pathways for reducing CO2 emissions in the global plastics sector and finds that bio-based carbon storage and circular economy approaches can achieve negative emissions in the long term while reducing resource consumption.
Editorial Material
Physics, Multidisciplinary
David Kramer
Summary: Research and development on petroleum-free petrochemicals is advancing, but scaling up may occur too late to meet urgent climate change goals.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Fredric Bauer et al.
Summary: The plastic industry heavily relies on fossil fuels and generates significant carbon emissions. Achieving global net-zero targets requires comprehensive changes in the entire plastic value chain, including reducing demand, using bio-based feedstocks, and promoting circular economy principles.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paul Stegmann et al.
Summary: Integrated Assessment Models (IAM) play a key role in assessing global strategies to reduce global warming by studying the interlinkages between human and natural systems. However, they often overlook the role of materials and the circular economy. The Plastics Integrated Assessment model (PLAIA) addresses this gap by including plastic production, use, and end-of-life in the IAM IMAGE. PLAIA provides a long-term, dynamic perspective on the global plastics sector and its interactions with socioeconomic and natural systems, enabling assessments of material use and emission mitigation strategies throughout the plastics' entire life cycle.
Review
Environmental Sciences
William F. Lamb et al.
Summary: Global greenhouse gas emissions from five economic sectors show limited progress in reducing emissions. Decarbonization in energy systems is observed in Europe and North America, while fossil-based energy systems continue to expand in rapidly industrializing regions. Strong demand in Asia drives emissions growth in industry, buildings, and transport sectors, while agricultural expansion leads to emissions increases in tropical forest regions.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raoul Meys et al.
Summary: Achieving net-zero emission plastics can be done by combining biomass and CO2 utilization with increased recycling rates, which can save a significant amount of energy. To realize the potential cost savings, it is important to lower production costs, incentivize large-scale recycling, and reduce investment barriers for technologies using renewable carbon feedstock.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yang Ou et al.
Summary: Examining 90 mitigation scenarios pairing different levels of CO2 and non-CO2 GHG abatement pathways can help understand how comprehensive greenhouse gas mitigation is crucial in achieving the 1.5 degrees C and 2 degrees C climate change goals.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Lucia S. Layritz et al.
Summary: The article analyzes two main strategies to reduce emissions from ethylene production, direct electrification and indirect electrification, and shows how emissions can be maximally reduced based on electricity carbon intensity. It is pointed out that achieving a net-zero emission production process through decarbonized electricity supply and product recycling may only be possible after 2030.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Camilla C. N. de Oliveira et al.
Summary: This study aimed to test the hypothesis that using plastics in long-term applications would bring an environmental advantage. Findings show that using plastics as long-lifetime materials could lead to negative carbon emissions, presenting an opportunity to reduce both the carbon footprint and the plastic waste generation.
BIOFUELS BIOPRODUCTS & BIOREFINING-BIOFPR
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ali Chamas et al.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Winnie W. Y. Lau et al.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ismael Amghizar et al.
REACTION CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiajia Zheng et al.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Raul Calvo-Serrano et al.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2019)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Jay Fuhrman et al.
FRONTIERS IN CLIMATE
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Peter G. Levi et al.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katherine Calvin et al.
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS
(2017)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Keywan Riahi et al.
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS
(2017)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mark Peplow
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Roland Geyer et al.
Proceedings Paper
Energy & Fuels
Yafeng Han et al.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 9TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON APPLIED ENERGY
(2017)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
C. A. Hartin et al.
GEOSCIENTIFIC MODEL DEVELOPMENT
(2015)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Vassilis Daioglou et al.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2014)
Article
Thermodynamics
D. Saygin et al.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
ML Neelis et al.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2005)