Which plastic recycling approaches maximize climate benefits and balance fossil energy? Evidence from the Japanese experience

Circularity is considered to be pivotal for achieving carbon neutrality in plastic waste management. This study evaluated various recycling and recovery options for plastic packaging waste (PPW) in Japan, including circular and one-way chemical recycling. Using life cycle assessment, we examined these options in terms of fossil resource consumption and climate change impacts, categorizing fossil resources into coal, oil, and natural gas. All the evaluated options provide fossil energy benefits, however some chemical recycling technologies struggle to achieve climate benefits. Gasification for ammonia production provides the highest fossil energy benefits, while use of PPW in blast furnaces as coke substitute yielded the greatest climate benefits. Mechanical and circular chemical recycling proved effective in reducing oil consumption but did not offer the greatest advantages in terms of climate benefits. Insights from Japan’s experiences obtained from this study highlight a disparity between expedient solutions for carbon neutrality and conceptually circular recycling approaches.