Plastics

?Today’s plastics are derived from fossil fuel-based chemicals?(e.g. natural gas, petroleum). And human industrial systems are the main culprits of plastic waste. The question: should the producers of plastics be responsible for the wastes?

If a law is enacted on extended producer responsibility (EPR) of a product, producers are deemed responsible for the disposal of such a product at the end of its life cycle. For example, EU has EPR directives for end-of-life vehicles, e-wastes of equipment & devices and hazardous substances including batteries.

Since its advent, plastic has spawned many new jobs. Plastic recycling will further increase more job opportunities. Recently, Petronas?Chemicals Group Bhd and ExxonMobil have signed an MOU to assess large-scale plastic?recycling technology.

Motivations for EPR include increasing product recyclability. The success of plastic recycling depends on a thorough understanding of the whole industrial ecology. New insights are uncovered through reverse logistics, supply chain relations, and the plastic-related ESG issues.?

Green product/process design (GPD) methods can transform plastic wastes into useful circular products. Rather than plastic waste collection, waste reduction is possible when design process decisions start as early as raw materials (e.g. chemicals, metals) selection stages and subsequent production, distribution, and retailing.

For more discussion, contact [email protected] or [email protected]