Decarbonization pathways for the dust-proof nets industry

Plastic dust-proof nets (DPNs) are widely used for mitigating construction fugitive dust to safeguard urban air quality. However, the DPN life cycle entails energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from production and plastic pollution from end-of-life disposal. This study develops an integrated framework combining Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the resource and environmental impacts of the DPN industry across its entire life cycle under four scenarios. A roadmap for decarbonization by 2060 is also developed. The results indicate that by 2060, under a business-as-usual scenario, GHG emissions from China’s DPN industry could reach 6.14 Mt CO 2 e, representing increases of 5.9% in GHG emissions and 7.5% in economic costs compared to 2021 levels. Scenario analysis highlights the importance of enhancing recycling rates to reduce energy use, GHG emissions, and plastic pollution. These measures are critical for establishing a closed-loop supply system in this industry, which is key to synergizing GHG emission reduction, pollution control, and economic development. Compared to the baseline scenario, the optimal scenario achieves a 14.0% increase in economic cost while concurrently reducing GHG emissions by 47.3% and plastic pollution by 28.2%.