Scientific publication exploring plastic waste recycling pathways in the Nordic countries – 03.11.2025

[vc_row css="%7B%22default%22%3A%7B%22padding-top%22%3A%220%22%7D%7D"][vc_column][us_image meta="1" hide_on_states="default,laptops,tablets,mobiles"][us_separator size="small"][rs_ingressi]The scientific article “High-resolution mapping of the Nordic plastic cycle suggests capacity expansion for both mechanical and chemical recycling” presents a high-resolution analysis of the plastic cycle in the Nordic countries. It could offer valuable insights into plastic waste recycling strategies in other regions worldwide.[/rs_ingressi][us_separator size="small"][vc_column_text]The article from the University of Southern Denmark was recently published in the journal ACS Sustainable Resource Management, and the work is based on research previously carried out in the TREASoURcE project. Drawing from the D1.2 report on territories' logistics, value chains and material flows, the article devises a polymer-level dynamic material flow analysis model by integrating data from disparate sources. It simulates the historical cycle of 14 groups of polymers from 1978 to 2020 and estimates their recycling potentials by 2050 in the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland. The results show that the average per-capita stock of plastic materials in the Nordic countries in 2020 reached the saturation level, 1,100 kg per capita, which is the highest global value. Imported polymers far exceeded domestic production. Most of the plastic waste was incinerated or landfilled, with the average recycling rate falling below 6%. Enhanced mechanical recycling could contribute to 27% of the regional demand, requiring an expansion 6.7 times larger than the current recycling capacity by 2050. The additional implementation of chemical recycling could potentially provide 22% of the regional demand, but the potential contribution of chemical recycling is compromised by the lack of industrial production in the region, implying a need for international collaborations. This study presents a high-resolution analysis of the plastic cycle in the Nordic countries and could offer valuable insights into plastic waste recycling strategies in other regions worldwide. You can read the full article here.[/vc_column_text][us_separator size="small"][vc_column_text]03.11.2025 | Xuewei Liu (SDU), xuli@igt.sdu.dk & Wu Chen (SDU), wuc@igt.sdu.dk Find more news here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The scientific article “High-resolution mapping of the Nordic plastic cycle suggests capacity expansion for both mechanical and chemical recycling” presents a high-resolution analysis of the plastic cycle in the Nordic countries. It could offer valuable insights into plastic waste recycling strategies in other regions worldwide.

The article from the University of Southern Denmark was recently published in the journal ACS Sustainable Resource Management, and the work is based on research previously carried out in the TREASoURcE project.

Drawing from the D1.2 report on territories’ logistics, value chains and material flows, the article devises a polymer-level dynamic material flow analysis model by integrating data from disparate sources. It simulates the historical cycle of 14 groups of polymers from 1978 to 2020 and estimates their recycling potentials by 2050 in the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Iceland.

The results show that the average per-capita stock of plastic materials in the Nordic countries in 2020 reached the saturation level, 1,100 kg per capita, which is the highest global value. Imported polymers far exceeded domestic production. Most of the plastic waste was incinerated or landfilled, with the average recycling rate falling below 6%. Enhanced mechanical recycling could contribute to 27% of the regional demand, requiring an expansion 6.7 times larger than the current recycling capacity by 2050. The additional implementation of chemical recycling could potentially provide 22% of the regional demand, but the potential contribution of chemical recycling is compromised by the lack of industrial production in the region, implying a need for international collaborations.

This study presents a high-resolution analysis of the plastic cycle in the Nordic countries and could offer valuable insights into plastic waste recycling strategies in other regions worldwide.

You can read the full article here.

03.11.2025 | Xuewei Liu (SDU), xuli@igt.sdu.dk & Wu Chen (SDU), wuc@igt.sdu.dk

Find more news here.