Risiken und Chancen des chemischen Recyclings von Kunststoffen aus gemischten und Verpackungsabfällen

Chemical recycling offers a promising opportunity to utilize plastic waste that cannot be mechanically recycled, such as contaminated or mixed waste. Through innovative technologies such as pyrolysis, solvolysis and gasification, plastics can be broken down into their basic chemical building blocks and reused as raw materials. These processes help to reduce plastic waste and strengthen the circular economy. The current situation of chemical recycling shows that this technology already offers many advantages, but there are still some challenges to overcome. One of the biggest advantages is the opportunity to recycle plastics that are difficult or impossible to handle through mechanical recycling. However, the process of chemical recycling is currently still expensive. The technologies require special equipment and are energy-intensive, which means that their cost- efficiency is still impaired. Another barrier to the widespread use of chemical recycling is the lack of unclear legal regulations, which have yet to be created. However, the future of chemical recycling looks promising. With continued research, improved technologies and the right framework conditions, it could become a key technology for efficiently managing the growing volume of plastic waste worldwide.