Current methods for plastic waste recycling: Challenges and opportunities

The practical use of plastics has rapidly increased owing to their superior physicochemical properties. Despite their excellent physicochemical properties, the short lifespan of plastics has inevitably led to a substantial generation of plastic waste. As such, strategic mitigation of the hazardous potential of plastic waste has been regarded as significant in waste management. In particular, establishing a reliable recycling platform for packaging plastic waste is of great importance considering its massive generation. To identify a strategic means of abating the hazardous potential of plastic waste, legislative enactment for their legal management must also be implemented. This review emphasizes the mechanical and chemical recycling methods for polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride, and discusses a technical platform for converting plastic waste into value-added chemical products. This study also offers a perspective on sustainable valorization as a practical alternative to circular resources.