Abstract:
One of the biggest environmental challenges facing modern societies, especially in developing nations, is plastic garbage. Circular economy solutions have emerged as a potential means to address this growing problem. However, there is currently a dearth of quantitative information about the efficacy of circular economy initiatives, particularly in relation to plastic trash in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. To enhance their incorporation into current systems, it is important to assess how these techniques contribute to sustainable plastic waste management. The objective of this research is to offer significant perspectives on the assessment of circular economy approaches for the handling of plastic garbage. The true per-capita plastic waste generation rate in Rawalpindi, the composition of plastic waste streams, and the purpose of recycling in trash recovery operations are all investigated in this study along with the efficacy of alternative circular economy techniques. Consequently, 100 homes from low-, medium- , and high-income categories were chosen based on their socioeconomic status. Waste sample collection took place for seven days in consecutive days, from February 4th,2024 to February 10th,2024. A total of 7.1 kg of plastic garbage was gathered through the process of segregation and subsequently classified into several categories. The GRETL software was used to show that Rawalpindi generates 0.8 kg/capita/day of plastic garbage per person. Additionally, the analysis was expanded to include all of Rawalpindi's residents. For further analysis, the Statistical Department of Pakistan, the Solid Garbage Management Authority, and the Rawalpindi Waste Management Authority provided secondary data of garbage collection and disposal systems. According to a comparison of the three waste authorities, recycling operations recover 0.8 kg of plastic waste every day, containing fractions of 0.17 kg/Day of PET, 0.09kg/Day of LDPE, 0.12 kg/Day of HDPE, and other plastics. This suggests that there are a lot of recyclable plastics out there that could potentially be used in circular economy techniques. The potential for resource recovery and landfill waste reduction increases significantly with across-the-nation implementation of the study findings, providing for sustainable economic growth and reducing environmental effects.
