Mapping and investigation of carbon emissions from incineration of plastics : A thesis investigation on common polymers and how they should be managed

Abstract: In November 2016 did the city of Stockholm adapt a strategy on by 2040 only utilizing fossil free fuel in alignment with the national target of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2045. District heating is a well-established technology in Sweden heating about 50 % of the Swedish households and was in 2015 responsible for 58 % of the total energy demand in buildings and households. To employ waste as a fuel for energy recovery in the district heating system is a popular method for solving the problem with accumulated waste on landfills simultaneously as being beneficial to the national energy system. As plastic have developed into being an important material utilized in the modern society larger quantities end up as waste being incinerated. 99 % of all plastics are derived from fossil sources making it a large emitter of carbon dioxide when being incinerated. As a contribution to the work of striving towards carbon neutrality in the sector of district heating does this thesis explore the varying impact of different polymers popular on the market, their carbon contribution and what is an appropriate development for plastics management in Sweden in close time.  Analyzes show that the impact and emissions coupled to different polymer vary a lot but the worst emitters were also found as the polymers most frequently employed on the Swedish market making prevention or reducing actions more complex. Polyethylene and polypropylene were found as the dominating polymers on the Swedish market and were the ones most frequently sent for incineration holding the highest carbon content. The qualitative part of this study imply that no policy making at a polymer-level is to be introduced to the Swedish system in short-term but actions and recycling targets at a sectorial level is more likely. Not enough incentive were found in this study to prohibit any of the polymers holding the biggest market shares but if actions were to be taken towards specific polymers polyethylene and polypropylene is recommended to be of focus as these entail the most carbon emissions of the studied polymers and would yield the greatest change.