Construction Packaging Waste Management: A case study of LDPE packaging waste in Victoria

Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) is widely used in the construction industry for packaging, protecting materials, and facilitating their handling and transportation. However, its use typically follows a linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model that results in significant environmental impacts. Properly managing this waste stream is essential, as it can reduce the environmental impacts of construction activities. One key step is ensuring LDPE remains within the economy through effective End of Life (EoL) management to support a Circular Economy (CE). This study employed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to assess the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions associated with three alternative EoL management scenarios for LDPE used as packaging for construction materials—waste-to-energy, mechanical recycling and chemical recycling—compared to the business-as-usual practice of disposal in landfill. Mechanical recycling, with total GHG emissions of 6.10 kgCO2-e/kg, emerged as the most favourable option, followed by chemical recycling at 7.46 kgCO2-e/kg. Considering the offset that can be achieved by the avoided virgin polymer production in these scenarios, they present significant advantages compared to disposal in landfill. The suitability of these two pathways, however, depends on waste characteristics, with factors such as contamination, mixing with other waste, and the need for washing and sorting affecting both the choice of pathway and overall emissions. The waste-to-energy scenario resulted in the highest GHG emissions, particularly as the ongoing decarbonisation of national electricity grids diminishes the credit that would otherwise have been attributed to avoided electricity generation. Additionally, among all activities within the life cycle, the production of LDPE packaging from virgin polymer accounted for over 50% of the total GHG emissions across all scenarios, highlighting the significance of this stage. The findings provide valuable recommendations for practitioners and policymakers in developing best practices for the life cycle management of LDPE packaging in construction, ultimately contributing to a CE and reduced GHG emissions.<p></p>