Environmental Performance of Waste Plastic-to-Diesel Technology

Environmental Performance of Waste Plastic-to-Diesel Technology 

The environmental performance of this technology is two-sided, and it hinges entirely on whether production is conducted in compliance with regulations:

I. Environmental Advantages of Compliant Industrial Production

Waste Reduction: Processes low-value waste plastics that are hard to recycle physically, reducing pollution from landfills and incineration. Pyrolyzing 1 ton of waste plastic can cut emissions by approximately 1.8 tons of CO₂.

Energy Substitution & Low Carbon: The fuel oil produced replaces fossil diesel, with a lifecycle carbon footprint far lower than traditional petrochemical fuels. It aligns with carbon neutrality goals and can generate carbon reduction benefits.

Controllable Pollutants: Equipped with tail gas purification and wastewater treatment systems. Acid gases are desulfurized and dechlorinated to meet discharge standards, wastewater is recycled, and by-products like carbon black and steel wire are reused, achieving zero uncontrolled discharge of waste gas, water, and solids.

II. Environmental Risks of Non-Compliant Production

Severe Secondary Pollution: Crude, unregulated operations lack environmental facilities, directly releasing toxic tail gas containing sulfur and chlorine, as well as wastewater, which pollutes the atmosphere, soil, and water bodies.

Imbalanced Energy Consumption & Emissions: Small, outdated units have high energy consumption per unit of product, leading to excessive carbon emissions that offset the environmental value of resource recycling.

Illegal Hazardous Waste Disposal: Hazardous waste such as spent catalysts is not handled in accordance with standards, posing risks of illegal dumping.

III. Industry Trends

China has explicitly banned crude waste plastic-to-diesel production, requiring projects to obtain environmental impact assessments and discharge permits. Compliant capacity has become the mainstream, and processes are evolving toward low-carbon and zero-emission standards.