📈Model

Description of the theoretical model behind Plasteax.

To compute data about the fates of plastic waste, we rely as much as possible on state-of-the-art research, widely accepted public data bases, and expert assumptions. This ensemble of research and assumptions results in the Plasteax model, of which we will give an overview in this section.

The current Plasteax model is specifically designed to address plastic packaging waste. In the first step the model includes a general section that accounts for the plastic net input across all sectors. However, when the focus shifts to waste management, the model becomes highly dependent on data and parameters specific to plastic packaging.

The 11 industry sectors considered in Plasteax are:

• Agriculture

• Automotive (other)

• Automotive (tyres)

• Construction

• Electrical & Electronics

• Household, Leisure, Sport

• Industrial packaging

• Industrial products

• Others

• Packaging

• Textile

In this way it is possible in the future to develop a broader Plasteax model to estimate plastic waste data across the other sectors as well. But for now we start with packaging.

We refer to the section Definitions for a detailed description of each industry sector.

The model for packaging

The output of the model provides the distribution of plastic packaging waste into its possible end-of-life fates. The information is broken down into two levels of granularity: polymer type and packaging category. For instance, if we consider the polymer LDPE and the category flexible packaging, the model will specify how much of this particular product category (flexible packaging made of LDPE) is recycled, exported, incinerated, sent landfill, or mismanaged.

In the following, we present the Plasteax schema as it applies to packaging.

Plasteax map, from Production and Trade to Leakage.

Polymers and Categories

Plasteax computes the shares of all fates of plastic waste in a highly granular form: by polymer type and product category. For packaging, the model accounts for 9 plastic polymers:

• PET

• HDPE

• LDPE

• PP

• PVC

• PS

• EPS

• ABS

• Other

and 6 packaging categories:

• Flexible packaging

• Multi-layer packaging

• Rigid food packaging

• Rigid non-food packaging

• PET bottles

• Other bottles

We refer to the section Definitions for a detailed description of each plastic polymer and packaging category.