Comparative life cycle assessment of centralized versus distributed high-density polyethylene recycling chains

Plastic waste management presents a growing global challenge, and recycling is an important strategy for mitigating plastic’s environmental impact and promoting circularity. Although centralized recycling chains are well established, the potential of small- and medium-scale distributed recycling facilities to improve waste collection in urbanized areas and foster recycling in remote regions remains underexplored. This study uses life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare the environmental performance of three recycling chain scenarios for rigid high-density polyethylene plastic packaging waste: centralized, semi-distributed, and fully distributed. Using the ReCiPe Midpoint (H) method and data from a recycling facility in Northern Italy, this study applies the product perspective calculation method in which recycled plastic replaces virgin plastic, and environmental credits are assigned accordingly. The results show that the semi-distributed scenario offers the most effective compromise between logistical efficiency and operational scale and achieves the lowest environmental impact, with an average reduction of 48 % ± 13.9 % across 18 impact categories and savings of 1.42 kg CO2eq per kilogram of recycled granulate compared to the centralized system. The distributed scenario is second, while the centralized system demonstrates the highest environmental burden, primarily because of the impact of long-distance logistics.