Strategic selection tool for thermoplastic materials in a renewable circular economy

Summary

In this contribution, we present a framework to select suitable thermoplastic polymers for the production of fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) in a renewable circular materials economy. The used approach is unique as it assesses thermoplastic materials on both its end-of-life (EOL) feasibility and its performance during product use where EOL is considered as the main discriminator. The resulting selection tool has been tested for 17 common FMCGs and 21 (future) commodity biobased polymers including polyolefins, synthetic polycondensation polymers, poly(hydroxyalkanoates) and a thermoplastic polyurethane. Based on the chosen EOL and functionality requirements, the framework shows that, with the current state of the art, for some product categories (e.g., textiles and foams) several suitable thermoplastic biobased polymers are available or are approaching the market, whereas for other categories (e.g., packaging and rubber products) no sustainable alternatives exist at this moment. Thus, the framework also provides directions for future research efforts in, amongst others, polymer development. For example, it is anticipated that the development of fully biobased and biodegradable multi-layer films will be necessary as the stringent property requirements of food packaging cannot be met by single layer products from currently available biobased polymers. Furthermore, the framework can assist governments to develop legislation to promote the renewable circular economy. Details of the selection tool have recently been published in the peer-reviewed journal Sustainable Production and Consumption and can be downloaded via https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.04.005.