Recycling of plastics used in automotive: Efficiency and cost analysis of recycling processes

Particularly after the industrial revolution, the use of plastic materials has increased rapidly across various industries. From the automotive industry to construction, from textiles to the military, the use of plastic has increased in all areas. This is primarily due to the ease of production of complex-shaped parts and its lightness compared to other materials, making plastic attractive to many industries. Globally, plastic demand is increasing by 4% annually, while recycling methods for recycling plastic are not increasing at the same rate. This study compares the profitability of plastic waste recycling methods by conducting cost analyses. Process costs for two different recycling methods, mechanical and pyrolysis (chemical), were examined. To ensure a more robust cost analysis, profitability analyses were conducted by averaging costs from recycling studies conducted in different countries. The plastics used in the studies come in different varieties, but are mostly made of plastic materials such as HDPE, PP, and PET. Because collection and transportation costs vary across countries due to studies conducted in different countries, this process cost was not included in the profitability analyses. As a result of the studies, it was determined that the chemical recycling method was 0.037€/kg less costly than the mechanical recycling method.