Mapping Provincial Stocks and Wastes of Passenger-Vehicle Plastics in China Based on Dynamic Material Flow Analysis and GIS: 1985–2019

Abstract

As a polymer material, plastic is widely used in passenger vehicles for its light weight and low-cost advantages. China has accumulated a large amount of discarded automotive plastic in recent years, which has put increasing pressure on the environment and the recycling industry. A dynamic material flow model for estimating the plastic stock and waste in passenger vehicles was developed. Additionally, geospatial models were used to study the spatiotemporal evolution trend of passenger vehicle plastics. The results show: (1) passenger-vehicle plastic stock and waste in China increased rapidly from 1985 to 2019. By 2019, the passenger-vehicle plastic stock was 36.94 million tons, and the waste amount was 1.64 million tons, of which polypropylene accounted for the greatest proportion, and polyoxymethylene (POM) accounted for the least. (2) The stock and waste of passenger-vehicle plastics showed spatial dependency. (3) The spatial center of plastic waste was located in Henan Province, and the spatial center is shifting from north to south. (4) The GDP and the annual population are the main driving factors of passenger-vehicle plastic waste. This study will improve plastic waste management, resource recovery, and environmental sustainability decisions.