Promoting sustainable consumption and circular economy:the intention of Vietnamese youth consumers to purchase products made from recycled plastics

Recycling is viewed as a key component in a circular economy and serves as an ideal solution for promoting sustainability.During the global plastic crisis,plastic recycling practices have been adopted worldwide,leading to the production of various products made from recycled plastics(PRP).Nevertheless,a gap persists between consumption and demand for such products,which is primarily attributed to a lack of comprehension from the consumer perspective.Given the pivotal role consumers play in the adoption of these products,this study explores consumers’intentions to purchase PRP.This is particularly significant in Vietnam,which is an emerging economy aspiring to achieve the objectives of a circular economy and sustainable development.Utilizing an integrated cognitive-emotional framework comprising the Valence Theory and the Norm Activation Model,data from 564 Vietnamese students were gathered and analyzed using structural equation modeling.The results show that awareness of consequences is a major driver of consumer purchase intentions,followed by perceived ease of application and monetary incentives.The results also indicate that health concerns have the strongest effect on purchase intention and in the negative side,meaning that the health-related risk is the primary concern for consumers during the decision-making process.This research holds substantial value for academics and managers,as it aids in the theoretical exploration and the formulation of strategies to improve consumer acceptance of PRP.

Multi-Component Resource Recycling from Waste Light-Emitting Diode Under Hydrothermal Condition:Plastic Package Degradation,Speciation of Nano-TiO_(2),and Environmental Impact Assessment

Light emitting diodes(LEDs)have accounted for most of the lighting market as the technology matures and costs continue to reduce.As a new type of e-waste,LED is a double-edged sword,as it contains not only precious and rare metals but also organic packaging materials.In previous studies,LED recycling focused on recovering precious and strategic metals while ignoring harmful substances such as organic packaging materials.Unlike crushing and other traditional methods,hydrothermal treatment can provide an environment-friendly process for decomposing packaging materials.This work developed a closed reaction vessel,where the degradation rate of plastic polyphthalamide(PPA)was close to 100%,with nano-TiO_(2)encapsulated in plastic PPA being efficiently recovered,while metals contained in LED were also recycled efficiently.Besides,the role of water in plastic PPA degradation that has been overlooked in current studies was explored and speculated in detail in this work.Environmental impact assessment revealed that the proposed recycling route for waste LED could significantly reduce the overall environmental impact compared to the currently published processes.Especially the developed method could reduce more than half the impact of global warming.Furthermore,this research provides a theoretical basis and a promising method for recycling other plastic-packaged e-waste devices,such as integrated circuits.

Effects of two modification methods on the mechanical properties of wood flour/recycled plastic blends composites: addition of thermoplastic elastomer SEBS-g-MAH and in-situ grafting MAH

The effect of maleic anhydride grafted styrene-ethylene- buty-lene-styrene block copolymer （SEBS-g-MAH） and in-situ grafting MAH on mechanical, dynamic mechanical properties of wood flour/recycled plastic blends composites was investigated. Recycled plastic polypro-pylene （PP）, high-density polyethylene （HDPE） and polystyrene （PS）, were mixed with wood flour in a high speed blender and then extruded by a twin/single screw tandem extruder system to form wood flour/recycled plastic blends composites. Results show that the impact properties of the composites were improved more significantly by using SEBS-g-MAH compatibilizer than by using the mixtures of MAH and DCP via reactive blending in situ. However, contrary results were ob-served on the tensile and flexural properties of the corresponding com-posites. In General, the mechanical properties of composites made from recycled plastic blends were inferior to those made from virgin plastic blends, especially in elongation break. The morphological study verified that the interfacial adhesion or the compatibility of plastic blends with wood flour was improved by adding SEBS-g-MAH or in-situ grafting MAH. A better interfacial bonding between PP, HDPE, PS and wood flour was obtained by in-situ grafting MAH than the addition of SEBS-g-MAH. In-situ grafting MAH can be considered as a potential way of increasing the interfacial compatibility between plastic blends and wood flour. The storage modulus and damping factor of composites were also characterized through dynamic mechanical analysis （DMA）.

Wax from Pyrolysis of Waste Plastics as a Potential Source of Phase Change Material for Thermal Energy Storage

Over the past half-century, plastic consumption has grown rapidly due to its versatility, low cost, and unrivaled functional properties. Among the diff erent implemented strategies for recycling waste plastics, pyrolysis is deemed the most economical option. Currently, the wax obtained from the pyrolysis of waste plastics is mainly used as a feedstock to manufacture chemicals and fuels or added to asphalt for pavement construction, with no other applications of wax being reported. Herein, the thermal pyrolysis of three common waste polyolefin plastics: high-density polyethylene(HDPE), low-density polyethylene(LDPE), and polypropylene(PP), was conducted at 450 ℃. The waste plastics-derived waxes were characterized and studied for a potential new application: phase change materials(PCMs) for thermal energy storage(TES). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis showed that paraffin makes up most of the composition of HDPE and LDPE waxes, whereas PP wax contains a mixture of naphthene, isoparaffin, olefin, and paraffin. Diff erential scanning calorimetry(DSC) analysis indicated that HDPE and LDPE waxes have a peak melting temperature of 33.8 ℃ and 40.3 ℃, with a relatively high latent heat of 103.2 J/g and 88.3 J/g, respectively, whereas the PP wax was found to have almost negligible latent heat. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and DSC results revealed good chemical and thermal stability of HDPE and LDPE waxes after 100 cycles of thermal cycling. Performance evaluation of the waxes was also conducted using a thermal storage pad to understand their thermoregulation characteristics for TES applications.

Research on utilizing recycled plastic to make environment-friendly plywood

In our study, we replaced traditional adhesives with compounds made with recycled plastic shopping bags in order to make hot-melt plywood using various amounts of plastic film, different hot-pressing temperatures and hot-pressing times. All three variables have an effect on the intensity and water-resistance of plywood. The results show that the bonding strength of plywood does not increase with increasing amounts of plastic film. When the hot-pressing temperature is increased to 150℃, the bonding strength does not necessarily increase any further. At a hot-pressing time of 6 min, the bonding strength reaches a maximum, after which it will decrease. The optimum hot-pressing parameters are as follows： 100 g·m^-2 of recycled plastic, a hot-pressing temperature of 150℃ and a hot-pressing time of 6 min. This study puts forward a new idea of making use of plastic waste, which, ultimately, may solve the problem of formaldehyde emission without damaging the environment. It has enormous potential market applications.

A Circular Economy Use of Post-Consumer Polypropylene Packaging for Low Thermal Conductive and Fire-Retardant Building Material Applications

Wastes from polypropylene(PP)packages are accumulating every year because it is one of the most widely consumed and short lifecycle products.This paper aims to develop low thermal conductive and fire-retardant materials from post-consumer PP(pPP)packages.Ammonium polyphosphate(APP)and hollow glass microsphere(HGM)were further added to improve the fire retardancy and thermal conductivity of pPP.The influence of APP and HGM on the mechanical and thermal properties,fire retardancy and thermal conductivity of pPP were investigated and compared with that of virgin PP(vPP).HGM was constantly added at 5 wt%while the content of APP was varied from 5 to 20 wt%.Experimental results showed that the tensile and flexural strengths were reduced with increasing APP concentrations.A morphological study confirmed the poor interfacial adhesion and debonding of each component during the applied load.Formulations containing APP less than 10 wt%did not show a satisfying fire retardancy rating due to the long self-extinguishing time.Further flame dipping and cotton ignition were observed for these formulations.With 15 and 20 wt%APP,the fire rating was significantly improved from no rating to V-0.The conductive heat transfer coefficient(k)was reduced by the presence of HGM.Based on these results,the formulation with 15 and 20 wt%could be used as a low k,fire-retardant building material.

Experimental Research on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Concrete with Recycled Plastic Aggregates

In order to study the effect of recycled plastic particles on the physical and mechanical properties of concrete,recycled plastic concrete with 0,3%,5%and 7%content(by weight)was designed.The compressive strength,splitting tensile strength and the change of mass caused by water absorption during curing were measured.The results show that the strength of concrete is increased by adding recycled plastic into concrete.Among them,the compressive strength and the splitting tensile strength of concrete is the best when the plastic content is 5%.With the increase of plastic content,the development speed of early strength slows down.Silane coupling agent plays a positive role in the strength of recycled plastic concrete.The water absorption saturation of concrete has been basically completed in the early stage.The addition of silane coupling agent makes the porosity of concrete reduce and the water absorption of concrete become poor.By summing up the physical and mechanical properties of recycled plastic concrete,it could be found that the addition of recycled plastic was effective for the modification of concrete materials.Under the control of the amount of recycled plastic,the strength of concrete with recycled plastic aggregates can meet the engineering requirements.

Characterization of carbon fibers recovered through mechanochemical-enhanced recycling of waste carbon fiber reinforced plastics

In this study,we present the characterization of the carbon fibers recovered from the mechanochemical-enhanced recycling of carbon fiber reinforced fibers.The objectives of the study were to investigate the effect of our modified recycling method on the interfacial properties of recovered fibers.The reinforced plastics were recycled;the recycling efficiency was determined and the recovered fibers were sized using 1 wt%and 3 wt%concentration of(3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane.We characterized the morphologies utilizing the electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis(ESCA),atomic force microscopy(AFM),FTIR-attenuated total reflection(ATR)spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).Although the surface of the fibers had no cracks,there was evidence of contaminations which affected the interfacial properties and the quality of the fibers.Results showed that the trends in the recovered and virgin fibers were similar with an increase in sizing concentration.The results highlighted the perspectives of increasing the quality of recovered fibers after the recycling process.

Sorting Techniques for Plastics Recycling

This paper presents the basic principles of three different types of separating methods and a general guideline for choosing the most effective method for sorting plastic mixtures. It also presents the results of the tests carried out for separation of PVC, ABS and PET from different kinds of plastic mixtures in order to improve the grade of the raw input used in mechanical or feedstock recycling.

Toxicity Tests of Soil Contaminated by Recycling of Scrap Plastics

The present investigation studied the toxicity of soil contaminated by untreated discharge from a factory that recycles used plastics. The nearby agricultural areas and freshwater fish ponds were polluted with high concentrations of Cu, Ni, and Mn. Water extracts from the contaminated soil retarded root growth of Brassica chinensis (Chinese white cabbage) and Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) where their seeds were obtained commercially. The contaminated populations of C. dactylon, Panicum repen (panic grass), and Imperata cylindrica (wooly grass) were able to withstand higher concentrations of Cu. Ni, and Mn, especially C. dactylon, when compared with their uncontaminated counterparts. 1990 Academic Press, Inc.

Recycled polymer:Green roads for polyester plastics

Plastics are integral to numerous significant social advancements.Nonetheless,their contribution to environmental pollution and climate crises cannot be disregarded,as their negative impact on the environment increases with incremental production capacity and demand.Concerted global action is urgently required to promote the green recycle of plastics to prevent their accumulation in the environment and mitigate carbon emissions.This review aims to reveal the paths of green development for polyester plastics,incorporating the trends of the green revolution in mature commercial polyester plastics,newly emerging biodegradable polyester plastics,and future polyester plastics.A critical discussion was conducted on the current and potential future research areas from multiple perspectives,including raw materials,processes,and recycling,to propel us into a future marked by sustainability.

Mechanical properties of wood flour/recycled-thermoplastic-blends composites

The mechanical properties of composites prepared from wood flour and thermoplastic blends were investigated. Thermoplastic mixtures of polypropylene (PP) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polystyrene (PS), virgin or recycled, were mixed with wood flour in a high speed blender and then extruded by a specially designed twin/single screw extruder system to form wood-flour/thermoplastic-blends composites (WTBCs). Comparative studies were made to evaluate the effectiveness of the two modification methods of the thermoplastic blends, the one of the addition of maleic anhydride grafted styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS-g-MAH) as compatibilizer and the other of blend grafting of maleic anhydride (MAH) using dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as initiator by reactive extrusion. The results showed that the impact properties of WTBCs using SEBS-g-MAH as compatilizer were better improved than that of the blend grafting. However, adverse results were observed on the tensile and flexural properties of the corresponding WTBCs. The mechanical properties of WTBCs prepared from recycled plastic blends were poorer to some extent than that from virgin plastic blends in general, especially in elongation break. The morphology of WTBCs breaking section was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the results showed that a good interfacial adhesion between wood flour and polymer matrix was observed with both of the two modification methods. However, by blend grafting of adding DCP as initiator and MAH as monomer, a better interfacial bonding between wood and plastic matrix was obtained than that of the addition of SEBS-g-MAH. Blend grafting can be considered as a potential way of increasing the interfacial compatibility of different plastics and between plastic blends and wood.

Impact of Plastic Waste on the Human Health in Low-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

Background: Plastic pollution is the accumulation of waste composed of plastic and its derivatives all over the environment. Whether in the form of visible garbage or microparticles, as it slowly degrades, plastic pollution poses significant threats to terrestrial and aquatic habitats and the wildlife that call them home, whether through ingestion, entanglement or exposure to the chemicals contained in the material. Unfortunately, there is a lack of documentation on the impact of plastic waste on human health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: We searched five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Global Health, CINAHL and Web of Science) and gray literature, following the preferred reporting elements for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), for the impact of plastic waste on human health in developing countries. We included quantitative and qualitative studies written in English and French. We assessed the quality of the included articles using the Mixed Methods Appraisal tool (MMAT). Results: A total of 3779 articles were initially identified by searching electronic databases. After eliminating duplicates, 3167 articles were reviewed based on title and abstract, and 26 were selected for full-text review. Only three articles were retained. The three articles dealt with practices likely to lead to oral exposure to plastic chemicals in human health, as well as the level of awareness of participants concerning the possible impact of plastic on human health, namely, the use of plastic baby bottles, the use of microwaves to cook food and reheat precooked food, the use of plastic bottles to store water in the refrigerator, water purifier containers with plastic bodies and plastic lunch boxes, the reuse of plastic bags and the inadequacy of treatment facilities. Conclusion: Plastic waste poses different risks to human health at every stage of its life cycle. Hence, strategies must be adopted to raise public awareness of the dangers of plastic waste to their health. Trial registration: The review protocol is registered in the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews (ID = CRD42023409087).

Seepage behavior of soil mixed with randomly distributed recycled plastic materials

Seepage through embankment fill materials is crucial issue in the construction of embankments for irrigation and drainage projects.Proper ground improvement methods should be used to improve the strength and stability characteristics of soil used as fill material.Utilization of waste plastic materials to enhance the engineering properties of soil is a sustainable approach.Additionally,the use of raw products directly from plastic recycling units in the form of flakes and pellets as soil additives has the potential to further enhance the economic benefits of this method.This study randomly mixed plastic materials with soil for use in the construction of earth embankments,such as river levees,dykes,and canal diversion structures,and evaluated the effectiveness of these materials in reducing seepage failures in hydraulic structures.To achieve these goals,this study collected high-density polyethylene(HDPE)plastic from plastic recycling units and used soil mixed with HDPE plastic in the form of flakes and pellets in different contents as embankment fill materials,then evaluated how these materials affected the piping features.Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the seepage velocity and critical hydraulic gradient of soil mixed with plastics in various contents and to compare the values with those of plain soil.The results showed that random distribution of waste plastics in the form of flakes and pellets in soil is an effective method for improving the piping resistance of soil.

A Review of the Life Cycle Analysis for Plastic Waste Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis is a rapidly expanding chemical-based recyclable method that complements physical recycling. It avoids improper disposal of post-consumer polymers and mitigates the ecological problems linked to the production of new plastic. Nevertheless, while there is a consensus that pyrolysis might be a crucial technology in the years to come, more discussions are needed to address the challenges related to scaling up, the long-term sustainability of the process, and additional variables essential to the advancement of the green economy. Herein, it emphasizes knowledge gaps and methodological issues in current Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), underlining the need for standardized techniques and updated data to support robust decision-making for adopting pyrolysis technologies in waste management strategies. For this purpose, this study reviews the LCAs of pyrolytic processes, encompassing the complete life cycle, from feedstock collection to end-product distribution, including elements such as energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste creation. Hence, we evaluate diverse pyrolysis processes, including slow, rapid, and catalytic pyrolysis, emphasizing their distinct efficiency and environmental footprints. Furthermore, we evaluate the impact of feedstock composition, process parameters, and scale of operation on the overall sustainability of pyrolysis-based plastic waste treatment by integrating results from current literature and identifying essential research needs. Therefore, this paper argues that existing LCA studies need more coherence and accuracy. It follows a thorough evaluation of previous research and suggests new insights into methodologies and restrictions.

Recycling Plastics for Economical Housing

Abstract： The search for ＂new materials＂ to manufacture building elements for economical housing is the aim of this work. These materials are the following recycled plastics： Low-density polyethylene （LDPE）, recycled out of discarded soft drink packs： Polyethylene-terephthalate （PET）, recycled out of discarded soft drink bottles; and several plastics, from the printed films used like packages of candies （remainder of production plant by faults in the thickness of the films or in the inked process of themt. These conveniently grounded plastics were taken as ＂arids＂ to be mixed with Normal Portland cement, replacing heavy sand and gravel habitually used in these mixtures. These materials are used in constructive elements such as bricks, blocks and plates for economical houses closures or traditional construction. The developed constructive elements offer high thermal insulation, so they can be used in closures with a smaller thickness than conventional bricks and blocks. Besides, they have a lower specific weight than these traditiunal constructive elements. Recycling means lowering costs, making part of the environment contaminating waste useful and providing the unemployed and/or unqualified work force with jobs through uncomplicated technologies. Therefore, this recycling technology has an economic as well as an ecological purpose.

Reversibly Cross-Linking Polyimide and Cyclophosphazene Toward Closed-Loop Recyclable Plastics with High Mechanical Strength,Excellent Flame Retardancy,and Chemical Resistance

Traditional flame-retardant plastics are technically difficult to chemically recycle.The development of newtypes of flame-retardant plastics that are intrinsically capable of being closed-loop recycled and are sufficiently robust and stable to satisfy their practical application is urgently needed.In this study,closed-loop recyclable flame-retardant plastics with high mechanical strength and excellent chemical resistance are fabricated by cross-linking amino-terminated polyimide(PI-NH_(2))and aldehyde-terminated cyclophosphazene(CP-CHO)with imine bonds.The resultant flame-retardant plastic,which is denoted as PI-CP,exhibits a tensile strength of∼115.6 MPa,Young’s modulus of∼2.5 GPa,and glass transition temperature of 316°C.In the PI-CP plastic,the imine bonds are isolated within hydrophobic microenvironments generated by the rigid and hydrophobic polyimide chains and the benzene ring of cyclophosphazenes.As a result,the PI-CP plastics are highly stable in highly acidic and basic aqueous solutions and other commonly used organic solvents.The PI-CP plastic shows outstanding flame retardancy with a limiting oxygen index value of 48.8%.More importantly,the PI-CP plastic can be depolymerized to generate the original PI-NH_(2)and CPCHO monomers in high yields(∼97%)and purity.The recovered monomers can be used to refabricate the original plastics,establishing highly efficient polymer-monomer-polymer circulation and a sustainable plastics economy.

Rapid chemical recycling of waste polyester plastics catalyzed by recyclable catalyst

Waste plastics are serious environmental threats due to their low degradability and low recycling rate.Rapid and efficient waste plastics recycling technologies are urgently demanded for a sustainable future.Herein,we report a rapid,closed-loop,and streamlined process to convert polyesters such as poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET)back to its purified monomers.Using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid or metal triflates as the recyclable catalyst,polyesters such as PET can be completely depolymerized by simple carboxylic acids within 1 h.By coupling this acidolysis with a subsequent hydrogenolysis process,the consumed carboxylic acid was recovered and the closed-loop of PET depolymerization could be established.All catalysts and depolymerization agents are fully recycled while only PET and hydrogen are consumed.

From trash to treasure: Chemical recycling and upcycling of commodity plastic waste to fuels, high-valued chemicals and advanced materials

Of all the existing materials, plastics are no doubt among the most versatile ones. However, the extreme increases in plastic production as well as the difficulty of the material for degradation have led to a huge number of plastic wastes. Their recycling rate after disposal is less than 10%, resulting in a series of serious environmental and ecological problems as well as a significant waste of resources. Current recycling methods generally suffer from large energy consumption, the low utilization rate of recycled products with low added value, and produce other waste during the process. Here, we summarized recentlydeveloped chemical recycling ways on commodity plastics, especially new catalytic paths in production of fuels, high-valued chemicals and advanced materials from a single virgin or a mixture of plastic waste,which have emerged as promising ways to valorize waste plastics more economically and environmentally friendly. The new catalyst design criteria as well as innovative catalytic paths and technologies for plastic upcycling are highlighted. Beyond energy recovery by incineration, these approaches demonstrate how waste plastics can be a viable feedstock for energy use with the generation of clean H_(2), high-quality liquid fuels and materials for energy storage, and help inspiring more catalytic process on plastic upcycling to overcome the economical hurdle and building a circular plastic economy.