Uncovering environmental performance patterns of plastic packaging waste in high recovery rate countries: An example of EU-27

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216305%3A26210%2F24%3APU155647" target="_blank" >RIV/00216305:26210/24:PU155647 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001393512302385X" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001393512302385X</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2023.117581" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.envres.2023.117581</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Uncovering environmental performance patterns of plastic packaging waste in high recovery rate countries: An example of EU-27

Original language description

Plastic consumption and its end-of-life management pose a significant environmental footprint and are energy intensive. Waste-to-resources and prevention strategies have been promoted widely in Europe as countermeasures; however, their effectiveness remains uncertain. This study aims to uncover the environmental footprint patterns of the plastics value chain in the European Union Member States (EU-27) through exploratory data analysis with dimension reduction and grouping. Nine variables are assessed, ranging from socioeconomic and demographic to environmental impacts. Three clusters are formed according to the similarity of a range of characteristics (nine), with environmental impacts being identified as the primary influencing variable in determining the clusters. Most countries belong to Cluster 0, consisting of 17 countries in 2014 and 18 countries in 2019. They represent clusters with a relatively low global warming potential (GWP), with an average value of 2.64 t CO2eq/cap in 2014 and 4.01 t CO2eq/cap in 2019. Among all the assessed countries, Denmark showed a significant change when assessed within the traits of EU-27, categorised from Cluster 1 (high GWP) in 2014 to Cluster 0 (low GWP) in 2019. The analysis of plastic packaging waste statistics in 2019 (data released in 2022) shows that, despite an increase in the recovery rate within the EU-27, the GWP has not reduced, suggesting a rebound effect. The GWP tends to increase in correlation with the higher plastic waste amount. In contrast, other environmental impacts, like eutrophication, abiotic and acidification potential, are identified to be mitigated effectively via recovery, suppressing the adverse effects of an increase in plastic waste generation. The five-year interval data analysis identified distinct clusters within a set of patterns, categorising them based on their similarities. The categorisation and managerial insights serve as a foundation for devising a focused mitigation strategy.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

20701 - Environmental and geological engineering, geotechnics

Project

<a href="/en/project/GF21-45726L" target="_blank" >GF21-45726L: Sustainable Plastic Value Chain to Support a Circular Economy Transition</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH

ISSN

0013-9351

e-ISSN

1096-0953

Volume of the periodical

241

Issue of the periodical within the volume

0013-9351

Country of publishing house

US - UNITED STATES

Number of pages

15

Pages from-to

117581-117581

UT code for WoS article

001119444900001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85181763502