Shaping a federal strategy for chemical recycling: Moving toward sensible applications of emerging technologies in US plastic waste management

Abstract

Plastic waste management requires a diverse portfolio of strategies to avoid the most damaging environmental and social impacts of the plastic lifecycle and meet current national and international policy goals. The limitations of existing mechanical recycling methods for processing plastic waste have motivated the development and commercialization of chemical recycling processes. The novelty and diversity of such pathways beg critical questions of how these emerging technologies will fit within existing policy frameworks and contribute to recycling, plastic pollution, and waste management policy objectives. This work provides technical background into mechanical and chemical recycling methods, and policy background into differing modern approaches to chemical recycling at various levels of governance. Finally, this work summarizes key conflicts and crafts recommendations for future policy action on chemical recycling in three main areas: (1) defining an objective and identifying sensible applications for chemical recycling technologies, (2) filling gaps in existing knowledge and upholding environmental justice protections, and (3) implementing a suite of policies to complement chemical recycling's role in plastic waste management strategy.