Plastic Recycling: A Review on Life Cycle, Methods, Misconceptions, and Techno‐Economic Analysis

Abstract Plastics are embedded in every inch of the fabric of the society. Although they have played a tremendous role in the progress and development of mankind, they have done equal, if not more, harm to the environment, human health, and marine life. Omnipresence of plastics can be attributed to their low‐cost and scalable production that no other material has yet achieved. Once produced, they are used in almost every mundane as well as niche application. But the equation of its use to disposal is not sustainable and humungous quantities of plastic waste are generated each year. In this review article, the very problem of plastic recycling is explored and analyzed. The life cycle of plastics is explained to depict the vastness and peculiar problems associated with it. Various misconceptions are discussed on plastic use and recycling. False presumptions are challenged to show where efforts to solve this huge problem and need to be directed. Lastly, quantitative efficiency and economic analysis of the available recycling methods are shown to compare their feasibility and indicate potential development direction. Such analyses are very important for the societal transition to a sustainable economy that economically recycles most of its plastic at a commercial scale.