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Assessment of plastic waste generation and its feasibility for establishment of plastic waste refinery

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Abstract

Plastics are man-made long-chain high polymeric compounds which have long-lasting effects on environment and human health. One of the most concerning issues of plastic is related with their associated chemicals and their subsequent effects upon release on ecological resources and human beings. The current study was conducted with the purpose to assess the composition of solid waste generation in general and plastic waste generation in particular. The study further examines the potentials of plastic waste refinery in district Peshawar (Pakistan) with its cost management and possible potentials to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. Average per capita waste generation for Peshawar City was found to be 0.46 kg/cap/day, while the physical composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) intimated that food waste is the major component generated with an average of 0.257 kg/cap/day (52% of the total MSW) followed by plastic waste as the second major component with an average of 0.077 kg/cap/day (16%). The total volume of plastic waste was found to be 330 tons/day in the study area. It has been estimated that the establishment of plastic waste refinery for 330 tons of plastic waste can save an amount of 66,725,340 rupees/annum along with generation of 551/month mgwt energy and reduction of 41.08 GHGT/year greenhouse gases emission. The findings of this study will be helpful for the concerned departments and decision-makers for establishment of plastic waste refineries for sustainable plastic waste management.

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Change history

  • 05 January 2024

    Update reference from "Vardopoulos et al. 2020" to "Vardopoulos et al. 2021".

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Acknowledgements

We extend special thanks to Higher Education Commission of Pakistan NRPU projects 7958 and 7964. The author also thanks to Pakistan Science Foundation project PSF/Res/CP/C-CUI/Envr (151). Furthermore, thanks are due to Pakistan Academy of Sciences project 3-9/PAS/98 for funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Muhammad Ziad, Sardar Khan & Rashid Miandad

  2. Department of Environmental Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Sardar Khan & Gohar Ali

  3. Department of Chemistry, COMSATS University, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi

  4. School of Resource and Civil Engineering Northeastern University, Shenyang, China

    Zulkifl Ahmed

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  1. Muhammad Ziad
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  2. Sardar Khan
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  3. Rashid Miandad
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  4. Gohar Ali
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  5. Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi
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  6. Zulkifl Ahmed
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Correspondence to Sardar Khan or Muhammad Zaffar Hashmi.

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Ziad, M., Khan, S., Miandad, R. et al. Assessment of plastic waste generation and its feasibility for establishment of plastic waste refinery. Arab J Geosci 14, 1974 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-08328-0

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