Assessing the Selection of PET Recycling Optionsin Japan: Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis

Mismanaged plastic waste currently receives significant attention as it contributes to plastic pollution at the global, regional, national, and local levels.Improperly managed plastic waste leads to contamination of the air, water, and soil, causing environmental issues.Annually, the ocean receives at least eight million tonnes of plastic waste [1], which is expected to continue increasing.Only 9% of the plastic waste worldwide is recycled.Furthermore, 22% bypasses proper waste management systems and ends up in unregulated dumpsites, or terrestrial or aquatic environments, primarily in developing nations, while 19% is burned and 50% is dumped in landfills [2].In fact, over the forecast period, recycling rates are predicted to rise, and new markets for recycling are emerging.However, the disposal percentage is expected to remain high [3].