Reducing Plastic Waste Disposing of Waste and Generating Energy
- yes or no Redaktion
- Apr 15
- 3 min read
At the end of 2023, around 170 countries debated a global agreement to curb plastic waste at the UN Environment Conference in Nairobi. The main goal is to reduce global plastic production. However, there are also voices advocating thermal recycling as a solution - particularly for waste that cannot or can no longer be recycled.
Emerging economies in particular, aiming to combine strong economic growth with environmental protection, are focusing on flexible materials, reliable energy supply, and efficient waste management. Plastics could offer all of this in one: when plastics lose too much quality after repeated use or become heavily contaminated, thermal recovery converts this material back into energy. This also applies to residues and by-products generated during sorting and recycling processes.
Waste-to-Energy: Waste as a Source of Heat and Power
Combining waste disposal and energy generation through thermal recovery in a single step is a promising approach - especially for plastic waste that cannot or can no longer be recycled by conventional means. For example, 1 kilogram of packaging plastic (PET/PE) has a calorific value of 25,000 to 46,000 kilojoules, compared to around 18,000 kilojoules[1] for wood pellets. This represents a significant energy potential that becomes available alongside the effective disposal of plastic waste.
Thermal recycling is already in use worldwide: around 2,200 plants process approximately 255 million tons of waste each year[2]. These are typically large-scale facilities primarily designed to treat municipal waste and reduce landfill volumes. As a secondary benefit, many also generate energy through combined heat and power (CHP). However, building plants of this scale involves lengthy approval and planning processes, long construction periods, and high operating costs - making more compact systems a viable alternative worth considering.
Local Solution: Small-Scale Thermal Recycling of Plastics
The idea behind this: energy-rich plastic waste is particularly suitable for thermal recovery in small, decentralized plants designed to supply energy to individual or locally limited consumers. Unlike large facilities, these smaller plants focus exclusively on high-calorific plastic waste to achieve high energy yields. Due to this specialization, they feature simplified designs with efficient filtration systems, resulting in shorter construction times and lower investment costs.
Such plant sizes can be economically viable when energy utilization is sufficiently high. Thermal recycling also eliminates the need for complex pre-sorting of plastic waste. Another advantage is the proximity between waste producers and regional recovery facilities, reducing transport distances and costs. This is also highlighted in the study “Small-Scale Plants for the Energy Recovery of Waste” by the Karlsruhe Research Center[3].
Decentralized small-scale plants allow waste management and energy supply to be tailored to regional needs. Developing and emerging countries, in particular, could organize waste disposal and energy generation locally - benefiting both economic growth and environmental protection.
Efficient, Clean, and Accepted
Controlled thermal recycling is already considered environmentally friendly thanks to high-performance filtration systems and strict emission limits. Even CO₂ can now be captured, stored, or reused as a raw material in the chemical industry. In addition, new technologies are continuously improving energy efficiency and environmental performance.
From this perspective, the treatment of non-recyclable plastic waste and residual plastics through thermal recovery opens up an innovative pathway. To achieve this, the expansion of specialized small-scale plant technology must be further advanced. In the future, even mobile mini power plants could help make thermal recycling more widespread and widely accepted.