Decarbonising plastics – On the technologies and framings of carbon capture and utilisation
Author
Summary, in English
Plastics consist of fossil fuels, from both a feedstock and energy perspective and thus need to decarbonise. This thesis maps and explores the framings and technologies that surround plastics decarbonisation and the potential mitigation pathway of carbon capture and utilisation. Here, three of the main findings are presented.
By unpacking how EU policymakers understand issues concerning plastics, this thesis exposes how they are mainly conceptualised as a waste issue. This narrow framing of the issues concerning plastics neglects their complexities and systemic nature. The explicit downplaying of climate impact is especially noteworthy. If policymakers do not recognise the connection between plastics and climate change, it is not likely that they will introduce policy measures to address it.
In a first-of-a-kind study, this thesis shows that, from a technological perspective, European plastics production could decarbonise via the pathway of carbon capture and utilisation. However, producing plastics from water and carbon dioxide is extremely energy-intensive and hence very costly. Even if this perspective neglects all the social, political and institutional considerations, it serves as a thought experiment that plastics production could decarbonise.
How expectations of carbon capture and utilisation, and the larger imaginary of circular carbon, are articulated can shape and limit how and whether they are enacted. This thesis maps and analyses such framings in two cases: firstly, within the scientific carbon capture and utilisation community, and secondly within the plastics and petrochemical industry. The material shows that the scale of production (growth) is not discussed, and strategies to decarbonise via low-tech pathways are often neglected.
If supporting the technological development surrounding plastics decarbonisation, all these aspects must be recognised. Failure to do so risks resulting in delayed decarbonisation efforts. In conclusion, this thesis advocates for a pluralistic approach to plastics decarbonisation and emphasises the importance of considering both high- and low-tech mitigation pathways, since one perspective or technology is insufficient to address the complexities of plastics decarbonisation.
By unpacking how EU policymakers understand issues concerning plastics, this thesis exposes how they are mainly conceptualised as a waste issue. This narrow framing of the issues concerning plastics neglects their complexities and systemic nature. The explicit downplaying of climate impact is especially noteworthy. If policymakers do not recognise the connection between plastics and climate change, it is not likely that they will introduce policy measures to address it.
In a first-of-a-kind study, this thesis shows that, from a technological perspective, European plastics production could decarbonise via the pathway of carbon capture and utilisation. However, producing plastics from water and carbon dioxide is extremely energy-intensive and hence very costly. Even if this perspective neglects all the social, political and institutional considerations, it serves as a thought experiment that plastics production could decarbonise.
How expectations of carbon capture and utilisation, and the larger imaginary of circular carbon, are articulated can shape and limit how and whether they are enacted. This thesis maps and analyses such framings in two cases: firstly, within the scientific carbon capture and utilisation community, and secondly within the plastics and petrochemical industry. The material shows that the scale of production (growth) is not discussed, and strategies to decarbonise via low-tech pathways are often neglected.
If supporting the technological development surrounding plastics decarbonisation, all these aspects must be recognised. Failure to do so risks resulting in delayed decarbonisation efforts. In conclusion, this thesis advocates for a pluralistic approach to plastics decarbonisation and emphasises the importance of considering both high- and low-tech mitigation pathways, since one perspective or technology is insufficient to address the complexities of plastics decarbonisation.
Department/s
Publishing year
2024-03-08
Language
English
Full text
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Document type
Dissertation
Publisher
Department of Technology and Society, Lund University
Topic
- Other Engineering and Technologies
Keywords
- Plastics
- Carbon capture and utilisation
- Carbon circularity
- Industrial decarbonisation
- Climate mitigation
- Interdisciplinarity
Status
Published
Project
- STEPS – Sustainable Plastics and Transition Pathways, Phase 1
- STEPS – Sustainable Plastics and Transition Pathways, Phase 2
Supervisor
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISBN: 978-91-8039-973-9
- ISBN: 978-91-8039-972-2
Defence date
5 April 2024
Defence time
09:00
Defence place
Lecture Hall V:A, building V, John Ericssons väg 1, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, Lund.
Opponent
- Phil Johnstone (Dr.)