Evaluating Environmental Impacts in Mixed Plastic Waste Powder Recycling: A Comparative Study of Solar Photovoltaic and Natural Gas Alternatives

The objective of this study is to assess the environmental impacts (EIs) of mixed plastic waste (MPW). According to the results, MPW powder, a blend of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), significantly reduces climate change (CC) impacts when compared with industry standards. Furthermore, solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is assessed as an alternative to natural gas for producing MPW. When compared to natural gas, PV reduces the effect of MPW on climate change from 1.11 kg CO2 eq to 0.94 kg CO2 eq. Therefore, this research demonstrates how the use of PV technology in MPW powder production can reduce emissions by integrating renewable energy into the recycling process.