Economia Circular para Plásticos

Objectives

Sensitize students to the issue of raw materials, environment and energy. Students should acquire skills that enable them to: address in an integrated manner the environmental, social, economic and legal aspects of waste management; identify waste characteristics; know the physical / chemical principles, and process variables and technologies of the unit operations of a recycling process; and justify the choice of different waste treatment options. The UC also aims to develop in students methods of teamwork, division of tasks, research and information organization, contact with stakeholders, meeting objectives and deadlines, and effective communication through the development of a case study.

Syllabus

1. Sources of plastic waste and its management. 1.1. Introduction. Impact of plastics on the environment. EU directives and regulations. Plastic Waste: Definitions of related terms. 1.2 Integrated plastic waste management and waste hierarchy. The life cycle of polymers. 2. Pathways and Technologies for recycling. 2.1. Mechanical recycling (Close loop and open loop): - Steps sorting technologies and main challenges, - Typical examples (PET; SPW from WEEE, ELV and post consumer packaging). 2.2. Chemical Recycling to monomer and feedstock. - Chemolysis: depolymerization of polycondensates (ex:PET; PA, PU) and solvolysis, - Feedstock recycling. Thermochemical and catalytic processes: pyrolysis, catalytic cracking, and hydrogen technology, gasification. - Advantages and main challenges, examples of industrial catalytic processes, coprocessing with biomass. 2.3. Energy recovey by incineration 3. Life Cycle analysis : A case study

Prerequisites

No prerequisites to attend the curricular unit.

Cross Competence Component

Autonomous tasks should develop the following skills: teamwork, self- discipline (limited deadline and limited question sessions), ability to locate and access information (data for example resolution will be partly obtained by students from access sources). Theoretical-practical classes will be partly devoted to task-solving guidance, requiring students to self-discipline in advance preparation of questions. It is expected that soft skills will contribute to the overall evaluation with 10%.

Laboratorial Component

A laboratory work illustrating some of the recycling methodologies covered in the theoretical part will be performed (eg recycling of REEEs).

Programming And Computing Component

Standalone tasks include examples of spreadsheet resolution (eg, Excel)..

Ethical Principles

All members of a group are responsible for the group´s work. In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used. In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.