How Renewable Energy Goes Hand in Hand with Plastic Waste Reduction
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In the global fight against the climate crisis, two critical issues have emerged as pivotal battlegrounds: the transition to renewable energy and the reduction of plastic waste. While these might seem like separate environmental concerns, they’re intrinsically linked. What if managing plastic waste could be an opportunity to improve sustainability?
With fossil fuels a major source of plastic pollution, renewable energy could be the answer to bringing levels of plastic waste down and preventing carbon emissions. Involving renewable energy in recycling processes significantly lowers the carbon footprint associated with plastic waste management. It also provides economic advantages, creating new jobs and encouraging innovative technologies in the green energy sector.
How Can Renewable Energy Reduce Plastic Pollution?
Powering Sustainable Manufacturing
One direct way to reduce plastic pollution with renewable power is by ensuring that manufacturing processes for plastic alternatives are powered using renewable energy. It’s an approach that an increasing number of brands are taking. MPB, is a case in point, having made a switch to completely plastic-free packaging and now 35% of their electricity usage is also powered by renewable power, with ambitions for 100%.
Simply switching to renewable power like solar or hydroelectric energy, especially when producing biodegradable alternatives and other eco-friendly materials, can make a significant difference.
Renewable power is often involved in the making of bio-based plastics from resources like sugarcane or algae, so that the entire lifecycle is more eco-friendly. Futerro is one such example, having created energy recovery processes to handle the end-of-life disposal of their biopolymers.
Using Plastic Waste for Fuel
Plastic waste could well be an opportunity to move away from fossil fuels. Studies at Rice University have found that green hydrogen can be produced from waste plastic materials, using a process called rapid flash Joule heating. Not only would this tackle the ever-growing levels of plastic we produce globally, but it could also provide us with a sustainable way of producing hydrogen.
Powering Recycling in an Eco-Friendly Way
Plastic recycling comes in many forms, but what they have in common is that these plants can be powered by renewable energy. Emerging technologies are making plastic recycling all the more efficient, from chemical processes that break plastics down at a molecular level to AI-driven sorting systems that are powered by solar energy to improve efficiency and remove unnecessary waste going to landfills. Biotechnological solutions can also be powered by renewable sources, to break down complex polymers.
Innovative Technologies to Clean Up the Environment
Solar power is being introduced into innovative technology such as the Interceptor by The Ocean Cleanup—a device that’s designed to collect plastic waste from rivers and oceans before it reaches open seas. Using solar panels to power their operations, it’s a creative use of renewable power that could mitigate the effects of plastic on marine ecosystems.
Promotes a Circular Economy
Renewable power is a core element of a circular economy—a system where items are designed with repair, reuse, or recycling in mind. Within a circular economy, we have the opportunity to support sustainable practices at each stage of a product’s lifecycle, from the moment it’s produced to disposing of it in an environmentally friendly way. Renewable power can make that more efficient and kinder to the planet.
Fossil fuels are the primary feedstock for plastic production. Extracting, refining, and processing these fuels release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Additionally, the energy-intensive nature of plastic manufacturing further exacerbates the problem. Renewable energy offers a cleaner and more sustainable alternative, and when used creatively, could be the answer to producing plastics in a way that’s kinder to the planet.
Moving Forward With Plastic Waste Management
Addressing the challenge of plastic waste requires a multi-faceted approach that integrates policy support, regulatory measures, and shifts in consumer behaviour. It’s only by combining these elements, we can foster a more sustainable future.
Governments play a crucial role in promoting sustainable practices by introducing tax breaks, subsidies, and feed-in tariffs. These incentives will encourage businesses to adopt renewable energy solutions, driving innovation and the development of eco-friendly alternatives. Enforcing stringent regulations on plastic production and disposal can also help to compel industries to adopt more sustainable practices.
The connection between renewable energy and plastic waste reduction is more than a technological innovation—it's a comprehensive strategy for environmental preservation. Embracing these integrated solutions could help us address two of the most significant environmental challenges of our time, creating a more sustainable and circular economy.
Blog Credits: Annie Button, Freelance Writer.