Evaluation on production trend, compositions, and impact of plastic waste in Chengdu, southwestern China

Abstract In order to get well understanding of the production trend of plastic waste in Chengdu, as well as its compositions and environmental impacts, based on the statistical data from 2005 to 2019, the back propagation (BP) neural network model was used to predict the production amount of plastic waste in Chengdu. Compositions of plastic waste were analyzed by sampling. In addition, inhale particles and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) from plastic waste incineration, bisphenol A (BPA) from plastic waste landfill were evaluated. Results indicated that, (1) economic development, urban construction level, residents' consumption ability and plastic waste production were positively correlated to different degrees. (2) The production of plastic waste in Chengdu in 2025 and 2030 will reach 865.3 and 931Kilo-tons (Kt) respectively. (3) High density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) are the two main components of plastic waste in Chengdu, accounted for 40.17% and 24.96%, respectively. (4) Different degrees of environmental impacts occurred during plastic waste incineration and landfill, taking the year of 2019 as an example, the incineration of plastic waste in Chengdu produced 2874.82-4711.73 tons of inhalable particulate matter (PM) and emitted 725.4-867.4 Kt of CO2, about 65.02-910.27 kg of bisphenol A (BPA) leached from sanitary landfill.