Greenhouse gas mitigation from polyethylene terephthalate waste recovery in an urban waste system
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61511/aes.v4i1.2026.3746Keywords:
greenhouse gas mitigation, polyethylene terephthalate, urban waste managementAbstract
Background: The waste management sector significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly through landfilling and open burning practices in developing countries. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic waste constitutes a substantial fraction of municipal solid waste and may generate considerable emissions when improperly managed. Previous studies have mainly employed life cycle assessment approaches, while facility-level inventory-based assessments remain limited. This study aims to quantify the greenhouse gas mitigation potential of a PET material recovery system using a location-specific inventory approach. Methods: An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 greenhouse gas inventory method was applied within a gate-to-gate system boundary covering collection and material recovery activities. Primary operational data were obtained from a PET material recovery facility in Depok City, Indonesia, with an annual processing capacity of 233,038 kg. Emissions from electricity consumption, transportation, and residual impurities were calculated and compared with a Business-as-Usual scenario consisting of landfilling and open burning. Findings: The material recovery system generated 39.29 t CO₂e/year, equivalent to 0.17 kg CO₂e/kg PET, while the Business-as-Usual scenario produced 363.54 t CO₂e/year or 1.56 kg CO₂e/kg PET, resulting in an emission reduction potential of 324.25 t CO₂e/year. These results indicate that PET material recovery systems generate substantially lower emissions than conventional disposal practices, supporting the role of circular waste management strategies in greenhouse gas mitigation. Conclusion: PET material recovery systems provide significant greenhouse gas mitigation benefits and represent an effective strategy for reducing emissions in the urban waste sector. Operational efficiency and impurity management were identified as important factors influencing emission reduction performance. Novelty/Originality of this article: This study provides a facility-level empirical greenhouse gas inventory using an IPCC Tier 2 approach, providing context-specific evidence beyond conventional life cycle assessment studies.
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