𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴!
This morning, the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI) published a position paper on the critical role of chemical and physical recycling in achieving a green transition. These technologies are essential for building a sustainable and circular economy, and our paper outlines the necessary steps to scale them up.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹?
– 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨: Chemical and physical recycling complement mechanical recycling by utilizing waste streams that would otherwise go to incineration or landfill.
– 𝙍𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙗𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙮: They provide renewable carbon to industries dependent on carbon feedstock, such as the chemical industry.
– 𝙄𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙊𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨: Chemical recycling breaks down plastics into polymers, monomers, or chemicals, offering solutions for contaminated or deteriorated plastics unsuitable for mechanical recycling. This enhances flexibility at end-of-life and keeps carbon in the cycle.
– 𝘿𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: As part of comprehensive carbon management strategies, chemical recycling increases the pathways to keep carbon in the cycle, aiding in the defossilisation of the chemical industry.
Chemical and physical recycling are fundamental to the circular economy and create sustainable carbon cycle. Despite their high potential, significant investment is required to fully exploit these technologies. A supportive policy framework is essential to create secure demand and facilitate their upscaling.
The paper describes 11 requirements for creating a stable demand, including for example:
➡ 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
➡ 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 / 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
➡ 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹-𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀
There are already dynamic developments and a general openness in Europe when it comes to these novel technologies – but there is also still a lot to do and details to work out going forward.
For a detailed exploration of our recommendations and more, read the full position paper here: https://lnkd.in/dJtvYGGt
#rci #renewablecarbon #defossilisation #recycling #chemicalrecycling
