A Combined LCA–TEA of a PC/ABS Control Panel Incorporating Internal Recycled Material

The plastics industry sector is a massive contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, it is important to find alternatives to valorise plastic polymer waste, since 63.0% of the plastics produced between 1950 and 2015 were incinerated or disposed of in landfills. This study aims to evaluate the environmental and economic performance of a polymeric control panel for a domestic boiler. The environmental assessment was conducted using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology from a cradle-to-grave perspective, allowing the identification of the hotspots of the panel under analysis in two scenarios: virgin panel (VP) and recycled panel (RP). The economic evaluation was performed through a techno-economic analysis (TEA) considering both operating expenditures (OpEx) and annualised capital expenditures (CapEx) allocated to the functional unit. The VP scenario used 100.0% virgin polymer, while the RP scenario used 70.0% virgin polymer and 30.0% internal recycled polymer. The analysis shows a clear synergy: substituting a portion of virgin polymer with recycled PC/ABS reduces both environmental impacts and production costs, while also increasing the sustainability. The results support internal recycling as a practical circularity strategy that can improve environmental performance. The RP scenario is both the environmentally preferable and the economically better option. Additionally, the consistency of results across both LCA and TEA indicates that the identified hotspots represent leverage points for future interventions to amplify benefits to further improve sustainability. For instance, further decarbonization of the Portuguese electricity grid or increased reliance on on-site PV electricity would strengthen the environmental profile of both scenarios. At the same time, continued optimisation of recycling processes could enhance cost savings.