Effect of Virgin PP Substitution with Recycled Plastic Caps in the Manufacture of a Product for the Telephony Sector
Beatriz Arioli de Sá Teles,
Isadora Luiza Clímaco Cunha,
Manoel Lisboa da Silva Neto,
Hélio Wiebeck,
Ticiane Sanches Valera,
Simara Silveira de Souza,
Alfredo Felipe de Oliveira Schmitt,
Vinicius Oliveira,
Luiz Kulay
Affiliations
Beatriz Arioli de Sá Teles
Research Group in Pollution Prevention, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Isadora Luiza Clímaco Cunha
Research Group in Pollution Prevention, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
Manoel Lisboa da Silva Neto
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 2463, São Paulo 05508-030, Brazil
Hélio Wiebeck
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 2463, São Paulo 05508-030, Brazil
Ticiane Sanches Valera
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Professor Mello Moraes, 2463, São Paulo 05508-030, Brazil
Simara Silveira de Souza
Instituto SustenPlást. Av. Assis Brasil, 8787, Porto Alegre 91140-001, Brazil
Alfredo Felipe de Oliveira Schmitt
Instituto SustenPlást. Av. Assis Brasil, 8787, Porto Alegre 91140-001, Brazil
Vinicius Oliveira
SENAI Institute of Innovation in Polymer Engineering, Av. Pres. João Goulart, 682, São Leopoldo 93030-090, Brazil
Luiz Kulay
Research Group in Pollution Prevention, Department of Chemical Engineering, Escola Politécnica, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
This study investigated the effects of partial and total substitutions of fossil polypropylene (PP) for recycled plastic cap equivalents in the manufacture of signage labels used by the telephone industry. Four alternative scenarios to using virgin PP were evaluated considering recycled material in flake and pellet forms based on environmental performance, degree of circularity, and technical behavior. The environmental analysis was performed by the life cycle assessment (LCA) technique, and for all impact categories evaluated, using recycled material to replace the virgin reduced adverse effects on the environment. The most significant results in this dimension, with gains of 81% in the Global Environmental Indicator, occurred when recycled PP flakes entirely replaced the fossil polymer. Once again, the highest values of the Materials Circularity Indicator (MCI) were achieved by scenarios with full recycled resin in processing the tags; however, this product must also be reused. The mechanical behavior of the tags measured technical performance, and in this case, the product made with virgin PP outperformed the recycled options except for elongation. An analysis that integrated the three dimensions into a single performance index pointed to the complete substitution of virgin material for recycled as the most balanced option.
