Life Cycle Assessment of Plastic Waste Incineration At End-of-life

Abstract

The ongoing development and expanding use of new plastic polymers have intensified global challenges in plastic waste management. Incineration has gained rapid popularity due to its advantages of significantly reducing waste volume and utilizing the high calorific value of plastics for thermal energy and electricity generation; however, these benefits come with environmental trade-offs. Because conventional incinerators process mixed waste streams, the net environmental impact attributable specifically to plastic waste and to individual plastic types has remained unclear. This study therefore conducts a comparative assessment of five major plastics: PET, PE, PP, PS, and PVC. Two extended system boundaries are examined: one incorporating pollution-control measures necessary to comply with U.S. regulatory standards, and the other integrating energy recovery. Using a functional unit of 1 tonne of plastic waste, inventory analysis and impact assessment were performed using the TRACI 2.2 method. Results indicate that environmental impacts are primarily driven by the input inventories required for pollutant control during incineration of each plastic type, while energy recovery substantially reduces impacts when reduced-burden allocation is applied. Ten impact categories were evaluated to determine the relative viability of each plastic type. These findings provide decision-support for local authorities and stakeholders by identifying which plastic materials may be more suitable or less desirable for incineration, depending on regional environmental priorities and vulnerabilities.