14 Sep 23: "Hi everyone,

 Can anyone point me to a reliable source/study (or several) demonstrating that pyrolysis is not an acceptable solution for plastic recycling please?

Some “expert” is challenging me and I want to debunk this (not being a scientist or policy expert myself).

Many thanks for any help!

 Laurianne

Laurianne Trimoulla

Communications & Project Manager

Gallifrey Foundation"

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https://plasticsolutionsreview.com/chemical-recycling/

Here are a few resources on pyrolysis on the ZWE's website if they can be of help (from the most recent to the oldest one): 

Analysis from an environmental perspective of the proposed EU legal framework for pyrolysis and gasification

• Climate impact of pyrolysis of waste plastic packaging in comparison with reuse and mechanical recycling

• Chemical Recycling and Recovery – Recommendation to Categorise Thermal Decomposition of Plastic Waste to Molecular Level Feedstock as Chemical Recovery

• Understanding the Environmental Impacts of Chemical Recycling – Ten concerns with existing life cycle assessments

• Chemical Recycling Technical Assessment

Link to this technology, there is also the whole issue of how to account for recycled content for plastic. 

The Pollutions Solutions Review - https://plasticsolutionsreview.com/incineration/ - may help

All the best

Andy

Andy Dinsdale

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We also analysed pyrolysis for a report looking at which recycling approaches were safest for human health and the environment, and most viable, particularly looking at low- and middle-income countries where these practices are being scaled up currently:

https://res.cloudinary.com/tearfund/image/fetch/https://learn.tearfund.org/-/media/learn/resources/reports/2022-tearfund-safety-first-en.pdf

Jack

Jack Wakefield (he/him)Senior Campaigner - Plastic PollutionTearfund