Systems Analysis for PET and Olefin Polymers in a Global Circular Economy

PET and polyolefins (HDPE, LDPE/LLDPE, and PP) account for 80% of the plastic that the U.S. landfills annually. Although the recycling rates for PET and three types of polyolefins (HDPE natural bottles, HDPE non-bottle containers, and LDPE/LLDPE bags) are ~ 18%, the recycling rate for the other polyolefin waste streams, which make up 50% of all U.S. plastic waste, is less than 1%. This project aims to develop a modeling framework that will enable analyses of factors, such as increased adoption of chemical versus mechanical recycling and improvements in polymer recycling technologies, that might enhance the recovery and recycling rate of polymers, including polyolefins and PET.