Disruptive technologies that deliver a circular economy for plastics
Plastics are ubiquitous and integral to modern life with global production doubling in the next 20 years. Only minimal amounts, however, are reused or recycled with the common methods of dealing with plastic waste i.e., incineration and landfill, and leaking into the environment (pollution) all resu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Next Sustainability |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949823625000017 |
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| _version_ | 1841544001431273472 |
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| author | Katherine E.S. Locock Andrew Terhorst Sarah King Kymberley R. Scroggie |
| author_facet | Katherine E.S. Locock Andrew Terhorst Sarah King Kymberley R. Scroggie |
| author_sort | Katherine E.S. Locock |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plastics are ubiquitous and integral to modern life with global production doubling in the next 20 years. Only minimal amounts, however, are reused or recycled with the common methods of dealing with plastic waste i.e., incineration and landfill, and leaking into the environment (pollution) all resulting in a loss of plastic from the economy. A circular economy for plastics reduces plastic pollution and climate effects and provides social and economic benefits. This article reviews the patent landscape and identifies disruptive technologies that contribute to a circular economy for plastics. Using a collaboration between subject matter experts and ChatGPT, we identified five distinct disruptive technology categories and associated keywords that support a circular economy: bioplastics, chemical recycling, synthetic biology, traceable plastics and waste separation. Using the associated keywords, we categorised patents from 2018 to 2022 into these disruptive technologies to assess current trends. The patent landscape was challenging to navigate due to the deliberately broad language used to construct patents, leading to many irrelevant patents being categorised. Low technology readiness levels of some patents examined also limits the current disruptiveness of these technologies. Adequate financial funding and economic incentives were the most evident barriers to disruptive technology maturity and uptake. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-89b4bff5651a432ea40d01c79fd4fcb5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2949-8236 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Next Sustainability |
| spelling | doaj-art-89b4bff5651a432ea40d01c79fd4fcb52025-01-13T04:19:22ZengElsevierNext Sustainability2949-82362025-01-016100098Disruptive technologies that deliver a circular economy for plasticsKatherine E.S. Locock0Andrew Terhorst1Sarah King2Kymberley R. Scroggie3CSIRO Manufacturing, Research Way, Clayton, VIC 3168, AustraliaCSIRO Data61, College Road, Sandy Bay, TAS 7005, AustraliaSwinburne University of Technology, John Street, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia; GHD, 180 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000, AustraliaCSIRO Manufacturing, Research Way, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia; Corresponding author.Plastics are ubiquitous and integral to modern life with global production doubling in the next 20 years. Only minimal amounts, however, are reused or recycled with the common methods of dealing with plastic waste i.e., incineration and landfill, and leaking into the environment (pollution) all resulting in a loss of plastic from the economy. A circular economy for plastics reduces plastic pollution and climate effects and provides social and economic benefits. This article reviews the patent landscape and identifies disruptive technologies that contribute to a circular economy for plastics. Using a collaboration between subject matter experts and ChatGPT, we identified five distinct disruptive technology categories and associated keywords that support a circular economy: bioplastics, chemical recycling, synthetic biology, traceable plastics and waste separation. Using the associated keywords, we categorised patents from 2018 to 2022 into these disruptive technologies to assess current trends. The patent landscape was challenging to navigate due to the deliberately broad language used to construct patents, leading to many irrelevant patents being categorised. Low technology readiness levels of some patents examined also limits the current disruptiveness of these technologies. Adequate financial funding and economic incentives were the most evident barriers to disruptive technology maturity and uptake.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949823625000017PlasticCircular economyRecoveryRecyclingChatGPTPatent |
| spellingShingle | Katherine E.S. Locock Andrew Terhorst Sarah King Kymberley R. Scroggie Disruptive technologies that deliver a circular economy for plastics Next Sustainability Plastic Circular economy Recovery Recycling ChatGPT Patent |
| title | Disruptive technologies that deliver a circular economy for plastics |
| title_full | Disruptive technologies that deliver a circular economy for plastics |
| title_fullStr | Disruptive technologies that deliver a circular economy for plastics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Disruptive technologies that deliver a circular economy for plastics |
| title_short | Disruptive technologies that deliver a circular economy for plastics |
| title_sort | disruptive technologies that deliver a circular economy for plastics |
| topic | Plastic Circular economy Recovery Recycling ChatGPT Patent |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949823625000017 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katherineeslocock disruptivetechnologiesthatdeliveracirculareconomyforplastics AT andrewterhorst disruptivetechnologiesthatdeliveracirculareconomyforplastics AT sarahking disruptivetechnologiesthatdeliveracirculareconomyforplastics AT kymberleyrscroggie disruptivetechnologiesthatdeliveracirculareconomyforplastics |